Governor Roy Cooper today released details on his plan to give all North Carolina public school teachers a pay raise, the largest investment in teacher pay in a decade.
“It’s time to put our money where our trust is and pay teachers like the professionals they are,” Governor Cooper said. “We need to pay teachers more at all stages of their career—from teachers just starting out to mid-career teachers to veteran teachers with many years of experience in the classroom.”
In his recommended budget for 2017-2019, Common Ground Solutions for NC, Governor Cooper calls for an additional $271 million investment each of the next two years to raise teacher salaries. That equates to a more than 5% average increase for teachers in 2017-18 and again in 2018-19.
The Governor’s teacher pay plan would raise pay for every teacher at every step of the salary scale, with no more plateaus for experienced teachers.
Teachers at every salary step would get a minimum raise of at least 3% and as much as 7% in both years of the Governor’s proposed two-year budget. Teachers in years one through 15 of their profession would see their salaries grow by at least 5% each year. Governor Cooper’s plan to raise teacher pay puts North Carolina on a path to lead all southeastern states in teacher pay in three years and reach the national average in five years.
The Governor’s proposed budget makes other critical investments in education including early childhood education, K-12 schools and higher education, with the goal of making North Carolina a Top 10 Educated State by 2025. His budget also includes $20 million for a 6.5% pay raise for principals and assistant principals, an annual school supply stipend of $150 for each classroom teacher, and the Best and Brightest Scholarship to draw talented students into teaching.
“Better teacher pay combined with scholarships in exchange for teaching in our public schools can help North Carolina attract and keep talented teachers,” Governor Cooper said. “These aren’t just investments in our teachers and in our schools. They’re investments in our economy and in the future of our children and grandchildren.”
See highlights of Governor Cooper’s budget for education.