NC teachers could make more money under new bill filed
'This is really a bill to be competitive, we want to be able to attract and retain the best teachers,' Representative Erin Pare said. She's the primary sponsor of House Bill 192, which would raise base pay for teachers statewide.
'This is a public school bill, so this is for the state portion of a teacher salary,' Representative Pare said.
The bill would increase starting pay for teachers statewide to $50,000 a year. Right now, it's $41,000. That does not include district supplements and the bill leaves that open to individual districts.
It would take some budget negotiations, but sponsors say it's all about setting priorities.
'This $50,000 starting pay is what a lot of the larger school districts in North Carolina are asking for, and I think it makes a lot of sense, it's where we should be,' Representative Pare said.
Sponsors say they haven't heard from the North Carolina Association of Educators on the bill yet and whether they support it. But in the General Assembly, it's getting wide support.
'I think there is a shared interest in doing more with regard to teacher pay among a lot of my colleagues,' Representative Pare said.
That's despite debates over funding public or private schools in the state.
'I'm a big supporter of public schools and school choice, you can do both, and you should do both, we should fund both,' Representative Pare said.
The bill was just filed this week so it doesn't have a committee hearing yet.
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