Teacher pay data shows NC could fall to near bottom ranking; mass protest planned
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- North Carolina teacher pay could fall near the bottom of national rankings, according to new data presented Tuesday by the North Carolina Association of Educators.
The update comes as educators prepare for a mass protest planned for Friday in downtown Raleigh and amid an ongoing state budget stalemate that has stalled pay increases.
Data from the National Education Association (NEA) forecasts that North Carolina will rank 46th nationally in teacher pay this year, down three spots from last year and eight spots from two years ago. The state also ranks 46th in per-student funding. Those figures are expected to be a central focus of
Friday's rally, which organizers say could draw thousands of educators from across the state. Several school districts are planning closures in anticipation of high staff absences.
Meanwhile, the governor's latest budget proposal calls for a 13% raise for new teachers and an average 5.8% increase across the board. But educators say the issue requires a long-term solution.
"There was a moment when North Carolina was seen as a national leader in public education. When our lawmakers understood that investing in schools was investing in our state's future. That seems like a long time ago now," said Tamika Walker Kelly, president of the North Carolina Association of Educators.
On Monday, a Forsyth County teacher shared her experience about how cost of living increases have outpaced state-funded raises.
"If you look at my pay increase as a veteran teacher from 2018 to now, it's about 9 percent. If you look at the cost of living increase in the same window of time, it's about 31 percent. So I am in fact making less than what I was making a decade ago," said Stephanie Wallace of Forsyth County Public Schools.
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With lawmakers back in Raleigh for the short legislative session, budget negotiations are expected to continue as educators push for increased pay and funding.
