Monday, August 11, 2014

What will it take to give raises to county-funded teachers?

The state legislature gave teachers a raise this year worth roughly about 5 percent in total pay. If you're well-versed in how school districts get their money, you'll know that it doesn't apply to all of them.

Mecklenburg County pays the salaries of about 2,800 employee positions in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, with about 1,000 being teachers. They don't automatically get those raises that state-funded teachers get.

County commissioners set aside a little more than $7 million earlier this year to give their teachers raises without knowing what the legislature was going to do. That would be enough for about a 3 percent raise. Obviously, that wouldn't be enough to match what the state is doing.

County Manager Dena Diorio says they're still trying to piece together a final figure on how much it will cost. Back when the budget was passed, board members said they were committed to paying for the pay raises. Chairman Trevor Fuller said he believes the board will still do so.

"We don't want the county funded teachers to suffer," he said. "We did anticipate that it would take a little more than we set aside, we just didn't know what that number was."

Bill James
It's still unclear where the money would come from in the county budget. And it looks like getting that money sent over to CMS won't be smooth sailing. Commissioner Bill James said by email that he wouldn't vote for it.

"I don’t intend on providing them any additional money," he said. "It would set a very bad precedent to do so, since if we did (after setting the tax rate) everyone that wanted county dollars would be back around asking for a do-over."

In an email to county government leaders, he said he'd want to see that CMS was making cuts to lower-priority areas to make raises work.

"Just because the number isn't ‘enough’ doesn't make it the county’s responsibility to fix," he said.

The county will likely talk about what to do at its next regular meeting, Sept. 2.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

The state has not found a way to pay for the so called raises either. Much of the money comes from Veteran Teachers to pay for the ones with less than 10 years of service.

Perhaps that is what they wanted all along. No Veteran Teacher will want to stay after they are in the system for 20 years.

Unknown said...

.
THIS EXACTLY WHAT MORRISON DOESN’T WANT

Dr. Morrison has been fighting two not one battle in his struggle to support his teachers. He wants the full county raise but doesn’t want it to come from funds already approved by Mecklenburg.

The fiscal situation is clear. The state and county have messed up their tax collection systems. The state probably cut taxes too much; a mental error. The county destroy all sense of reason when it price-fixed property values; a felonious error. Neither has a pot to pee in.

The Superintendent loyalty to giving our children the best possible education compels him to attempt to convince the state and county to take money from any place but his budget in order to raise teacher pay.

Former governor and former U.S. Congressman Jim Martin often states the revenue side of the dilemma this way: “See that man standing behind that tree, tax him not me.”

CMS’ request is similar. “See that county employee behind that tree, don’t pay him, pay me.”

Bolyn McClung
Pineville
.

Anonymous said...

I think the math games they used to give teachers a raise is funny. That's why they are politicians!! Cut administration and cubicle workers across state government. Cut DPI.. Cut checks for healthy people that do not work. Pay teachers and other state workers that serve actually serve the people of our state. We could afford the extra teachers is we had them teaching. How many teachers do we have not in the classroom? The answer of government is always more government. All their BS regulation's and paperwork create a need for more workers. Who in turn create more work for others to justify their jobs. Big cities corporations do the same thing.. This is why they are "to big to fail". Then they need bailed out by the taxpayers.

Anonymous said...

You keep throwing out the percentages for raises...they just are not so! Many of us at the top are seeing NOTHING. Have you looked at that scale? It's all over the board. It's crazy. PLease stop saying tecahers got 7% or 5% or whatever. It's not true!

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:03 -- I definitely understand where you're coming from. I have to describe what the state did in a concise way somehow, and that just seems like the best way to do it.

Anonymous said...

Phased retirement for veteran teachers pure and simple !

Every CMS administrator should have to teach at least one class a day. It is a novel idea I know, but the sad truth is that most administrators would be at the "developing" stage on their own criteria.

Anonymous said...

I haven't had a raise in five years. I don't get two months a year off and every holiday thought up off either. I wish the government would give me a percentage of your pay to home school my children then they might get a better education. I have work to pay taxes and put food on the table so I can listen to you complain......

Anonymous said...

We all pay taxes. Death and taxes are a must. Teachers almost went 7 years without a raise. We can't expect people to go college and be stuck in dead end jobs. I am sorry you have not had a raise. I suggest you do what many NC teachers have done.. Leave!!!

Anonymous said...

We all know that there is wasted money all over the system.

Anonymous said...

Yes their is.. Teachers that I have talked to complain about it. Their is not much they can do about it. Teachers do not have much of a voice in this state. The governor and legislators keep talking to superintendents but not teachers. I have heard of principals yelling at teachers. How can teachers advocate for students when they can be yelled at?

Anonymous said...

With common core now on year 3, do we really need so many high paid curriculm facilitators at so many CMS schools? Seems very wasteful and a duplicate of services. There should be one Curr facilitator in the area office to support their area schools. This would save CMS at least $1,000,000.

Anonymous said...

What do we "really need" in the Ivory Tower? There are people over there that have stacks of papers on their desk, only to remove about one folder every 30 days. It is an absolute joke and a taxpayer burden.

When is the money ever going to go to the actual people who have a day to day impact and influence on the education of the student?

Anonymous said...

money should go to the front line, teachers in the classroom. End of story.

Anonymous said...

Teachers

Move your feet or shut your mouth!

I am so tired of the same old sad story from all of you.