GREENSBORO, N.C. — The state budget is now law and included were raises for state employees.
However, for teachers, the 7% pay raise will not apply to everyone.
North Carolina has more than 101,000 public teachers throughout the state.
All are state employees and count on legislators and the state budget for their salaries, including raises.
With the state budget now law, pay raises will be allocated to public school teachers throughout the state.
In reality, teachers will receive their pay increase based on their years of experience.
For instance, first-year teachers will see a 10.81% increase through the 2024-2025 school year, which comes out to $4,000.
Teachers with one year of experience will see their pay increase by 9.87% or $3,750 over two years.
However, teachers with the most experience will see the smallest rise.
Educators who have spent 15 or more years in the classroom will only see a 3.62% raise, through next school year, which totals only $1,800.
Beyond year 15, teachers will only receive one more raise until retirement, and that will not come until year 25.
Joanna Pendleton with the Guilford County Association of Educators said state legislators need to prioritize experienced teachers.
"Our veteran folks are the folks who have already made the mistakes and have a lot of the experience that benefits our students and helps them to achieve and get the best education possible. To leave out our veteran educators is not doing anybody any favors," said Pendleton.
She also said that the inadequate dispersion of pay raises is also contributing to a growing teacher shortage.
"Part of a teacher shortage is veteran teachers, not being respected, and not being retained. If we were serious about public education in North Carolina, we would be all about recruiting and retaining excellent teachers," said Pendleton.
Although the state sets the base pay for teachers, local supplements help to attract and retain teachers.
Those supplements will vary from district to district:
- Alamance-Burlington School System: $5,864
- Asheboro City Schools: $3,690
- Caswell County Schools: $5,091
- Davidson County Schools: $3,640
- Davie County Schools: $4,319
- Elkin City Schools: $5,864
- Guilford County Schools: $7,465
- Lexington City Schools: $5,270
- Montgomery County Schools: $4,541
- Mt. Airy City Schools: $3,665
- Randolph County Schools: $3,587
- Rockingham County Schools: $2,813
- Thomasville City Schools: $3,085
- Wilkes County Schools: $4,626
- Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools: $7,740
- Yadkin County Schools: $4,790
The statewide average teacher supplement for teachers is $6,053, according to the NC Department of Instruction.
Unlike the base pay, those supplements are allocated by funds from county and city municipalities that help to fund local districts.