According to the Fiscal Research Division of the N.C. General Assembly, Governor McCrory and state legislators have authorized the following average pay increases for teachers over the last four years:

2013-14: 0%

2014-15: 7% average

2015-16: 3.8% average with bonus and 2.2% without bonus

2016-17: 4.7% average

Total (cumulative average): 15.5% (with bonus) or 13.9% (without bonus)

Salary changes for individual teachers depended on their years of experience and other factors.  As such, not all teachers received the same percentage increase every year.

Update: A frequent critic of North Carolina Republicans questioned the “cumulative average” figure.  In response to his valid concerns, I emphasize that its value lies in representing the relative effort of the N.C. General Assembly and Governor McCrory to raise the average teacher salary over the last four years.  Actual raises, as well as the increase in the “state average,” depend on several factors and were likely lower than the percentages listed above.

In other words, do not cite the 15.5 percent or 13.9 percent figures, only the yearly increases.  In a few months, we’ll be able to calculate the actual percentage increase of the state average salary over the last four years.