Governor plans teacher raises; efforts may help Watauga recruit teachers
By Scott Nicholson

North Carolina teachers would get a pay hike to move past the national salary average under a plan backed by state leaders.

Gov. Mike Easley announced Tuesday a proposal to move teacher salaries to the national average within four years and boost the starting teachers’ salary. Under the plan, teachers would be making an average of $52,266 a year, slightly above the national average projected by the N.C. Association of Educators (NCAE).

The plan will boost teachers’ pay by $750 a month beginning in November, which is in addition to the 2.24 percent increase already budgeted. Salaries would increase by an average of an additional five percent a year for the following three years.

Lowell Younce, vice-chairman of the Watauga County Board of Education and chairman of its budget committee, welcomed the pay increases. “This will help us greatly in recruiting and retaining teachers,” he said.

Younce said the county had increased its local supplements for all school staff in an attempt to keep employees and pay them a competitive rate. Locally, each qualified school staff member will get $200 this year as a supplement. State supplements are based on years of teaching experience.

Younce believes with teachers’ pay starting around $27,000, more college students will be interested in the field. “We’re at an advantage by having ASU (Appalachian State University) students, but we also have a high cost of living,” he said.

Younce said the local environment has been an asset in attracting teachers from elsewhere, but lack of affordable housing may tempt them to look at other school districts. Newer teachers usually have car payments and student loans to repay, further putting them under financial stress. They might be tempted by the large signing bonuses that wealthier school districts are able to offer.

Younce said Watauga hasn’t had a large teacher shortage, partly because of the quality of student performance that appeals to educators. “Still,” he said, “You’ve got to pay them what they’re due. We need to reward them for the service they’re providing.”

Announcing the plan, Easley said, “To continue to build the highly skilled work force that our state needs to compete and succeed in the global economy, we need to provide a quality education for all our citizens. Good teachers are one of the keys to a child’s success in school and we must do all that we can to keep qualified educators in the classroom.”

The governor’s press office said the $750 boost this year was already appropriated and Easley would be asking the General Assembly to approve the five-percent increases in future budgets. A spokesperson was unable to say whether a tax increase was needed to pay for the raises or if other programs would be cut.

Senate Pres. Pro Tem Marc Basnight said the pay raise would help the state compete in recruiting the best teachers, and said looking at teacher salaries in competition with pay in the private sector would be important in the near future.

“NCAE members should be proud,” said a release at the organization’s Web site. “The Association worked with Speaker (Jim) Black and President Pro Tem Basnight to make this happen. The Association worked on an almost daily basis with the Governor’s staff to develop this plan.”

Younce said Easley was to be commended for his commitment to education, and said the school board had been concerned about teacher salaries for some time. He said though Watauga County was able to offer a supplement higher than that offered by immediately surrounding counties, the school district still lagged behind the statewide average. He said even with the relatively low wages, many teachers count on job satisfaction to make up for any economic deficiencies. “We’ve got lots and lots of dedicated people here who want to make a difference in the lives of kids,” Younce said.

Other recent state initiatives to boost education include the “Teacher Working Conditions” plan that surveys teachers and develops customized plans geared toward low-performing school districts.

The state also launched the “2+2” Teacher Education Partnership between the University of North Carolina and community colleges to train teachers, a two-year scholarship for teachers in math, science, special education and limited English-proficient students; and funding for Low Wealth and Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Funds to help recruit teachers in poorer and more challenging school districts.

• Scott Nicholson may be contacted at nicholson@wataugademocrat.com.