What a veteran teacher received ten years ago compared to what a veteran teacher who would start a career in NC today is quite startling.

Not only is there a significant loss in projected income but ramifications on being able to get health care after retirement and not having to fear reprisal in standing up for students and schools in advocating.

And the leaked budget proposal that is supposedly going to be voted on this week shows “meager “false” raises for veteran teachers overall in a time of inflation. Remember this state already sits on billions of surplus dollars, blatantly ignores the LEANDRO decision, and refuses to fairly tax businesses in NC who are making record profits in a state that boasts it is #1 for businesses (but near the bottom for workers).

Supposedly, teachers will receive a %7 average salary raise these next two years.

Below is the salary schedule currently in place.

This is the proposed salary schedule for next year:

Here is what is proposed for the following year:

Please remember that NC writes biennial budgets – not just a yearly one.

At this moment (and last school year), a veteran teacher with 15-24 years of experience would make $52,000 / year.

That goes to $53,060 / year for 2023-2024 – a raise of $106 / month.

In 2024-2025, that salary goes up to $53,880 / year – a raise of $82 / month over the previous year and a raise of $188 / month from what it is at this moment.

If conservatively using a %3.0 inflation rate adjustment, that $52,000 / year salary right now would need to be $55,166.80 in 2025 to maintain the same purchasing power as it does now.

THAT WOULD MAKE THE PROPOSED SALARY “RAISE” FOR VETERAN TEACHERS WITH 15-24 YEARS THE EQUIVALENT OF A $1286.80 / YEAR DECREASE IN SALARY.

No wonder NC has a teacher and a teacher candidate shortage.