Recently, North Carolina's second-largest school district, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, decided to join Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Durham Public Schools in allowing teachers to walk out of school to lobby lawmakers in Raleigh with a list of demands.
"This is not a strike, it's a legislative day. It's called rally for respect," said Paulette Jones-Leavan, President of the North Carolina Association of Educators.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools made their decision on Thursday, the day after Durham Public Schools voted in support of closing schools that day and treating it as an optional teacher workday.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools to close May 16
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board also voted to make it an optional teacher workday.
Related: Durham school board votes in support of closing schools on May 16
Education leaders say although North Carolina teaching salaries have gone up slightly year-to-year, the state still ranks among the lowest nationwide in overall teacher pay with the total average salary just under $50,000 per year.
They hope a mass walkout will lead to changes in classroom conditions and education.