So last week I heard wonderful news that here in North Carolina teacher pay would be raised. I was at a meeting, The Institute of Emerging Issues in Education, and it was announced that the governor had just made a statement that the starting teacher pay would be raised 14% over the next two years. You would think that the ballroom would have erupted in applause but there was silence and people looking around at each other. After eight years of frozen pay (I, like most teachers do not count the 1.2% raise we received as an actual raise) you would have thought we would have been happy but there was a mood of uncertainty. Before we took a break a younger teacher leaned over and asked what does that mean; I responded that the last time they said that starting pay of teachers would be raised all pay was raised but with this administration who knew.
Later that afternoon Governor McCrory showed up at the meeting and outlined part of his plan to raise the average salary of teachers. Then I heard the rest, not all teacher pay would be raised. The teachers with under eight years of teaching experience would get a raise, not everyone. He kept reiterating that this would raise the average salary and keep teachers in the classroom. Yes this will raise the average teacher pay but it also tells experienced teachers that we are not valued by the current political leadership. But raising all of our salaries also raises the average pay.
This proposed plan is bad and if passed will hurt all teachers. I think that the teachers that have been stuck on entry level pay for teaching multiple years have gotten a bad deal. I applaud them for sticking with teaching. It would have been easy for them to decide to switch careers with so little invested into their teaching career. But to raise only one groups based only that they are at the bottom of the pay scale is faulty and shows that young and less experienced (cheaper) is more important than mature and experienced (slightly more expensive).
Currently in North Carolina base pay for teachers is based on years of teaching experience, earned advanced degree (only if the degree had been earned before this year, new degrees aren’t being honored unless the legislators changed their minds again), and being Nationally Board Certified. Each school system can offer a local supplement which is a certain percentage over base pay. Until eight years ago we could count on a small increase in pay because we had taught for another year.
So after checking with the inflation calculator I am now making less than I did eight years ago. Which is depressing, leading me to feel that I unvalued. My bills keep going up yet my pay doesn’t. Oh wait, I take that back as teachers were informed by a legislator that teacher pay had been increased because the state income tax rate was lowered this January. But alas, my bills still go up and almost every community’s sales tax has increased. So no, I haven’t gotten a raise.
So why do I teach and probably more importantly why am I teaching in a state that appears not to value teachers especially those with experience? I did not get into teaching for the money. I would expect a salary that reflects what I do and my experience. I am a good teacher. I now teach in the county that I grew up in, a rural area. Like most states, it is hard attracting teachers to rural areas. To be honest I thought long and hard about not remaining in teaching but staying in my home state.
I spent my summer trying to think about other careers and I kept coming up with they sounded boring. I like working with teenagers. I like teaching history and science. So then I considered moving. I researched the pay for states with a higher average salary which at this point is almost all states. I even calculated the cost of living and realized I would make more in many states. So why did I stay? I also like North Carolina not just because it is home but until recently it was a leading innovator in education. However moving somewhere else and teaching is looking better and better each passing month.
So what should we do about teacher pay? I agree with several legislators that the current pay structure is outdated and needs to be revised. As a teacher the only way I could get a raise was earning an advanced degree or national boards. There is another way to remain in education but that is to move into administration. But much as I would like a raise I do not want to be an administrator. Some people are suited for being a principal but I am not one of them. I have no desire to sit in an office and basically deal with problems. If there were more paid opportunities for teachers to have leadership positions and yet remain in the classroom this would be ideal.
I feel that what should be done is giving all teachers a percentage raise and or restating the old salary schedule before it was frozen and adjusting it with the small increase that was given a few years ago. This should be done while a new system is created reflecting advanced degrees and new leadership opportunities.
My plan is to remain in teaching. All along my plan was to remain in teaching unless I didn’t feel recharged after a summer break. I also had no intention of leaving my home state to teach – it is home. Now I am considering moving and teaching in another state or country. The lack of respect I see being shown from my states elected officials is greatly influencing my decision. The question is will things begin to change back to how they were or into something better or do I need to make the decision to leave and go somewhere where teachers are valued and compensated for their work?
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