Teachers could get higher raises. Why that’s a budget challenge for Wake schools
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- State leaders proposed an average 8% raise and $500 or $1,000 bonuses.
- Wake budgeted a 3% raise and may need more cuts or local funds to cover raises.
- Around 2,000 teachers and 500 instructional support staff are locally funded.
Higher-than-expected state raises and bonuses for teachers could blow a hole in the Wake County school system’s budget.
Last week, state Republican legislative leaders announced a state budget framework that includes an average raise of 8% for teachers and a one-time bonus of $500 to $1,000 for educators. Wake County school finance staff said Tuesday that the problem is they only expected 3% raises for teachers and didn’t have any bonuses factored into their new budget.
”We characterize this as being a good problem to have, meaning that teachers will see increases, state employees will see more increases,” Wake Superintendent Robert Taylor told the school board’s budget committee on Tuesday. “But the downside is we’ve still got to find a way to pay for it.”
The school district faces having to add money for the higher raises to its budget. Earlier this month, the school board approved a budget request that asks county commissioners for a $25.3 million increase in local funding.
The school district had made more than $15 million in cuts — such as reducing the number of high school assistant principal positions — to limit the requested increase. County Manager David Ellis has recommended raising the tax rate to help fund the requested $25.3 million school increase.
Administrators said they’re still waiting for lawmakers to release detailed budget documents before they can say how much the additional raises will cost the district. Wake may have to make more cuts to offset the higher raises.
Wake’s locally funded teachers
Most of Wake’s teachers are state-funded. But administrators said around 2,000 teachers and 500 instructional support staff such as counselors are locally funded.
Wake uses federal grants to pay federally funded teachers.
Wake teachers — regardless of how they’re funded — are paid using the state’s salary schedules. This means they’d get matching raises.
Wake tries to control costs by having the state pay the salaries of its more highly paid and experienced teachers.
School administrators factored in a 3% state raise for teachers. The state budget agreement includes an average raise of 8%. The biggest increases of more than 8% would go to newer teachers who are paid with local funds in Wake.
In addition to the raises, State lawmakers are proposing a $1,000 bonus for teachers with more than 16 years experience and a $500 bonus for those with less than 16 years of experience.
Taylor said it’s unclear if the state will provide enough money to also cover bonuses for locally and federally funded teachers.
“While we have a budget that we’ve set, everything is going to come out of the General Assembly and the final decisions they make,” Taylor said.
When will raises, bonuses be paid?
While a framework was announced, it’s not clear when the new state budget will be adopted.
North Carolina was the only state not to adopt a comprehensive state budget last year. GOP leaders said the raises will not be retroactive but will go into effect when the new budget becomes law.
The bonuses will also be paid out when the new budget becomes law.
Wake school staff said it will take time to analyze the state budget once it’s adopted and to identify where additional money would be found to pay the raises and bonuses.
That means if a state budget is adopted in June that it’s unlikely the raises will roll out in July.
Spending restrictions in place
In the meantime, spending restrictions are in place to close out this school year, including:
- Central office positions are vacant for at least 90 days before they’re filled.
- Spending is restricted to what’s called “core educational and operational needs only.”
- Out-of-state travel is restricted until further notice.
In addition, Wake is monitoring the cost of diesel fuel used to operate school buses. Diesel costs have been rising due to the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran.
