A one-time, $750 bonus.1 That’s $2.05 a day – before taxes. A cup of coffee.
That’s how state legislators say they’ll reward the people who prepare our children – from kindergarten through grad school – to join North Carolina’s workforce.
It’s not nearly enough. And the consequences last for generations.
Sure, starting teachers would see pay rise to $35,000, and teachers would get step increases based on seniority.2
But North Carolina has serious catching-up to do. Even Texas is poaching our teachers.3
Public university faculty haven’t seen meaningful raises in seven years.4 Over the past two years, 76% who received competing offers accepted them, taking millions in grants with them.5
These are the people who teach our children. They deserve more than a cup of coffee.
1 http://www.wral.com/budget-negotiators-say-state-employees-will-get-750-bonus/14856174/.
2 Ibid.
3 http://www.greensboro.com/news/houston-holds-another-teacher-roundup-in-greensboro/article_5d3a997e-d008-11e4-ae8e-0f0f3730474f.html; http://www.greensboro.com/news/schools/houston-holds-teacher-job-fair-in-greensboro/article_4985ed10-13a8-11e4-b307-001a4bcf6878.html
4 http://www.highereducationworks.org/2015/08/seven-years/
5 UNC General Administration, “Faculty Retention Efforts Summary, July 2012-June 2014,” August 13, 2014, p. 1.
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