Raleigh, NC – North Carolina educators have gone more than 340 days without a raise, and continue to be ongoing casualties of lawmakers’ continued failure to pass a new biennial budget. Last month, legislative leaders unveiled a budget framework that they say would provide teachers with an average pay increase of 8%. However, reports indicate that veteran educators would receive significantly smaller raises than early-career teachers, while the salary plateau affecting teachers with 15 to 25 years of experience would remain in place.
Headlines
- State Board of Education warns proposed NC teacher pay plan leaves veterans behind (NC Newsline)
- Veteran Teachers Give Budget Framework an F (The Assembly)
- 'It's nonsense': North Carolina teachers, advocates react to proposed state budget teacher raises (The Daily Tar Heel)
- Teachers applaud early-career raises but ask, 'What's to keep me around?' (WUNC)
- I’m a veteran NC teacher, and I’m done with the disrespect (The Charlotte Observer)
Last week, the State Board of Education discussed the impact of the proposed raises in the context of a year without salary increases, rising costs of living, and higher health insurance expenses. Board member Alan Duncan questioned whether the proposal would truly improve educators' financial situations.
"This doesn't really repair all of that," Duncan said. "It's a nice figure to put out there, but when you put it into this full context, teachers are not ahead at the end of the day."
Because of inflation and increasing insurance costs, many educators have effectively taken a pay cut simply to remain in the profession. Meanwhile, despite their inability to pass a state budget, lawmakers have continued prioritizing millions of dollars in private school vouchers. They recently overrode Governor Josh Stein's veto of House Bill 87, opting North Carolina into the federal Education Choice tax credit program.
The state's failure to make meaningful investments in educators continues to fuel North Carolina's teacher recruitment and retention crisis. Earlier this year, The State of the Teaching Profession report found that teacher attrition is increasing, with thousands of educators leaving the profession.
"Recruitment without retention is pouring water into a bucket with a hole in it. It's not sustainable," said 20-year veteran educator and 2023 North Carolina Teacher of the Year Kimberly Jones in a recent interview with WUNC.
Veteran educators say the state's salary structure sends a troubling message to those considering a long-term career in education.
"It feels like North Carolina doesn't want people to retire from the profession," said 22-year educator Michelle Reed, referring to the state's continued failure to adequately compensate experienced teachers.
North Carolina has struggled for years with educator recruitment and retention as neighboring states offer more competitive salaries and stronger investments in public education. As veteran teachers leave the classroom or relocate to other states, schools lose experienced mentors who help guide new educators and support student success.
These challenges also make it more difficult to convince aspiring educators to build their careers in North Carolina.
"When thinking about a career, finding that there's not much difference between year one and year 30, what's going to keep me around beyond year five?" said Duke graduate student Elliot Umbrarger.
Umbrarger added that many of his classmates view teaching in North Carolina as a short-term option rather than a lifelong profession, raising further concerns about the state's ability to retain the next generation of educators.
