Higher local supplements for veteran teachers, covering driver education costs and state-mandated raises for teachers and saving teacher assistant jobs are among the budget priorities the New Hanover County school board will send to the county commissioners.
The board met Tuesday, April 21, to lay out spending proposals for the local share of the schools’ budget. The state funds about 60 percent of New Hanover County’s budget. In the fiscal year that begins July 1, the school board is asking for an operating increase of $5.1 million over the 2014-15 local allocation of $67.9 million.
Teachers with at least 26 years of experience would receive an additional local supplement equal to 9 percent of their salary. All teachers now receive an 8 percent supplement. But veteran teachers received only a small pay raise last year when the N.C. General Assembly increased pay for beginning teachers to $33,000. Some experienced teachers got less than a one-half percent raise.
The budget also includes raises or bonuses for other employees.
The schools’ request includes some items that may be funded by the state. The N.C. General Assembly eliminated funding for driver education programs but still requires that school districts provide them. Districts may charge up to $65 per student, but the actual cost is about $270 per student. There are proposals to restore state money for driver ed, but the county will have to take on the cost if the legislature does not act.
Likewise, some teacher and teacher assistant positions could be funded by the state, but as it stands superintendent Tim Markley said the budget must assume the cost will fall to the local government.
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