RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Republicans in the North Carolina Senate offered a plan Wednesday that would give teachers a big pay raise, but only if they agree to give up job protections.
"There's no greater investment we can make than in preparing our children for the future, and that's why Senate Republicans have focused on improving student outcomes since day one," said Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) in a news release.
The plan replaces North Carolina's old 37-step pay scale for teachers and replaces it with a new 21-step scale which calls for an average 11.2 percent permanent pay raise beginning July 1.
The plan also gives extra money to teachers with a master's degree or board certification.
Berger said the proposal would boost North Carolina from 47th in overall teacher pay to the middle of current national rankings and from 9th to 3rd in the Southeast, propelling the state ahead of Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina.
The plan includes pay raises of more than 10 percent for teachers who have earned career status after four years.
Giving up tenure rights would raise the state-supplied salary of a teacher with five years of experience from almost $31,000 this year to $35,000 next year. That teacher would get no raise if he or she kept their job rights.
"We're giving teachers a full choice. If the tenure is important to them, if they feel it's something that's that important, they can keep it. However if they want to move to this new pay scale they have the choice to do that as well," said Berger at a news conference.
A state Superior Court judge this month ruled a new law was unconstitutional because it stripped veteran teachers from job protections that barred their firing or demotion except for reasons that include poor performance, immorality and insubordination.
The latest Republican plan repeals that law, but North Carolina Association of Educators President Rodney Ellis told ABC11 Wednesday that there is no way his organization will support the plan as it's currently written. The NCAE said teachers should not have to choose between tenure and a pay increase.
"This is another one of those 'Hunger Games' mentality approaches to funding public education and a lot of teachers are frustrated. They don't want to give up their career status if it's earned and it's been upheld in the court system. They want to maintain career status. They shouldn't have to give it up in order to get the salary increase they rightfully deserve," said Ellis.
Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Pat McCrory's office released a statement on the latest education plan.
"We recognize and share the Senate's goal to improve education and help teachers. However, the McCrory Administration has a different and broader approach that promotes student achievement and rewards teachers. The comprehensive Career Pathways for Teachers plan, which is sustainable, fiscally responsible and provides local flexibility, was developed through a process working with and supported by superintendents, teachers and business leaders across the state," said McCrory's Communications Director Josh Ellis.
Republicans did not say how they intend to pay for their proposal, but did say it will not require a tax increase.