Governor McCrory is proposing an average pay raise of 5 percent for teachers next year. The governor revealed a list of education budget priorities in a speech in his hometown of Jamestown Tuesday.
He says his proposed raise would increase the average teacher pay to more than $50,000. That would still be much lower than the national average of more than $57,000. Currently, the state’s average teacher salary is about $48,000. That ranks North Carolina as 47th in terms of the National Education Association’s pay scale rating.
McCrory says his budget, which will be released later this month, will also include an average 3.5 percent bonus for teachers and principals. Teachers with more than 24 years of service could rake in $5,000 bonuses. The governor hopes the pay increases will help with retention of teachers. He also wants to spend $2 million on a scholarship program to attract top math and science teachers to the state.
