NC Raises Base Pay, Keeps Tenure Reforms
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory announced a proposal to raise the base pay for new teachers in the hopes of retaining educators within the Tar Heel State.
The proposal, which requires legislative approval, comes after lawmakers passed a budget this summer that phased out both teacher tenure and additional pay for teachers with master’s degrees.
Experienced teachers applauded the proposal, while expressing concern the same kind of bump in pay will not be extended to them.
McCrory and supporters hope a raise in teacher starting pay will make North Carolina more competitive with neighboring states that may offer comparatively higher salaries.
While these reforms address issues related to teacher compensation and tenure, lawmakers stopped short of addressing how performance and student achievement factor into hiring and retention practices. Incorporating a full menu of reforms that give teachers true autonomy in the classroom while rewarding them as professionals will allow educators to achieve the best results with their students.
