CHARLOTTE – The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education approved salary increases for employees and the addition of 72 student-support positions district-wide on Nov. 15.
“We have waited to do this because we were hoping to have a state budget,” school board chairwoman Mary McCray said. “We care about our employees and our students, and we are committed to doing what’s best for them despite uncertainty in Raleigh. We’d prefer to have a state budget rather than taking these actions piecemeal but lacking that, we decided to do something now.”
The board’s action will put in place step increases (set by state salary schedules) and an increase in the local supplement for teachers and certified staff. It will also give increases to principals and assistant principals. Other employees will get a 3% raise. Hourly employees such as cafeteria workers and teacher assistants will get raises to bring their hourly pay to $13.22.
All raises will be retroactive to July 1, the start of the district’s fiscal year. The retroactive amounts will be paid by Jan. 31.
The district will also add 72 positions to support social and emotional health, something that will benefit students, McCray said. The district has 550 such positions.
“Social and emotional health is essential if students are going to be able to achieve in school,” she said. “Adding these will help us provide better support in our schools. We’re still not where we need to be, but these 72 positions will move us closer.”
Raises will be funded by money appropriated from the state and county.
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