Welcome
Over the next few months, the NC Department of Public Instruction will release key personnel, financial, and student enrollment information for each of the state’s 115 school districts. This week, I examine one of those data sets — full-time equivalent, state-paid classroom teachers.
Bulletin Board
- Attend. A list of upcoming events sponsored by the John Locke Foundation can be found at the bottom of this newsletter, as well as here. We look forward to seeing you!
- Donate. If you find this newsletter mildly informative or entertaining, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the John Locke Foundation. The John Locke Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that does not accept nor seek government funding. It relies solely on generous support from individuals, corporations, small businesses, and foundations.
- Share. The North Carolina History Project seeks contributors to the North Carolina History Project Encyclopedia. Please contact Dr. Troy Kickler for additional information.
- Discuss. I would like to invite all readers to submit brief announcements, personal insights, anecdotes, concerns, and observations about the state of education in North Carolina. I will publish selected submissions in future editions of the newsletter. Requests for anonymity will be honored. For additional information or to send a submission, email Terry at [email protected].
- Revisit. We have archived all research newsletters on our website. Access the archive here.
CommenTerry
Much of my discussion will center on the table included in the Facts and Stats section of the newsletter. Take a minute to review it.
Welcome back.
The table represents full-time equivalent (FTE), state paid, classroom teachers as of the 3rd pay period. The FTE counts were obtained through the NC Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) Educational Directory and Demographical Information Exchange (EDDIE) database. The EDDIE database includes information on school district contacts, school calendars, teacher counts, student enrollment, and many other items of interest. NC DPI bills it as "the authoritative source for NC public school numbers and demographic information."
A few cautions are in order. First, the data does not display changes in teachers paid with federal and local funds. Although much of the funding for teaching positions comes from the state, it is important not to discount fluctuations in federal and local funding streams. In some cases, increases in state-funded teachers were offset by decreases in the number of teachers paid by funds from other sources. Similarly, decreases in teachers may have been balanced by increases in funding from other sources. NC DPI will release more detailed personnel information early next year. At that point, we’ll know how many teaching positions were funded by state, local, and federal sources during the current school year. A CommenTerry on those figures is all but guaranteed.
In addition, the table does not include student enrollment data. Student enrollment statistics are important because increases and decreases in FTE teachers may reflect commensurate changes in student enrollment. So why not include this information below? Although various student enrollment counts are available for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, they are not available for 2013-14. Problems with DPI’s new PowerSchool data system have delayed the release of student enrollment figures for the current school year.
Finally, the teacher counts listed below reflect decisions made by central office staff and school boards to fund a range of instructional positions. School district officials may have used their budget flexibility to fund other types of instructional positions, namely teacher assistants and coaches. In other words, changing priorities, not changing budgets, may have produced changes in teacher counts.
The Republicans maintained a majority in the NC General Assembly during the three budget years selected. During this time, they have been criticized for, well, everything. But the most vocal criticisms came from those claiming that mean-spirited Republicans were destroying public education in North Carolina.
If that were the case, we would expect FTE to decrease, not increase, beginning in 2011. But NC DPI data show a 1,431 or 2 percent increase in classroom teachers between 2011-12 and 2013-14, as well as a small increase from 2012-13 to 2013-14. While it remains to be seen whether this increase kept pace with statewide student enrollment growth, it undermines the idea that the Republican leadership in the NC General Assembly decimated public school classrooms.
The FTE counts for state-funded classroom teachers are one part of a much larger story, but that does not mean they should be discounted or worse, ignored.
Facts and Stats
Full-time equivalent (FTE), state paid, classroom teachers as of the 3rd pay period, 2011-2014
Note: Districts are organized by LEA number and not LEA name.
LEA No. |
LEA Name |
2011-12 Teacher Count |
2012-13 Teacher Count |
2013-14 Teacher Count |
FTE Change, |
Percent Change, |
10 |
Alamance-Burlington Schools |
1,516 |
1,307 |
1,586 |
70 |
5% |
20 |
Alexander County Schools |
348 |
354 |
346 |
-2 |
-1% |
30 |
Alleghany County Schools |
115 |
116 |
115 |
0 |
0% |
40 |
Anson County Schools |
237 |
242 |
237 |
0 |
0% |
50 |
Ashe County Schools |
227 |
223 |
216 |
-11 |
-5% |
60 |
Avery County Schools |
147 |
162 |
166 |
19 |
13% |
70 |
Beaufort County Schools |
436 |
432 |
436 |
0 |
0% |
80 |
Bertie County Schools |
198 |
176 |
200 |
2 |
1% |
90 |
Bladen County Schools |
357 |
365 |
343 |
-14 |
-4% |
100 |
Brunswick County Schools |
680 |
726 |
717 |
37 |
5% |
110 |
Buncombe County Schools |
1,721 |
1,765 |
1,743 |
22 |
1% |
111 |
Asheville City Schools |
258 |
269 |
276 |
18 |
7% |
120 |
Burke County Schools |
839 |
858 |
876 |
37 |
4% |
130 |
Cabarrus County Schools |
1,891 |
1,836 |
1,929 |
38 |
2% |
132 |
Kannapolis City Schools |
384 |
388 |
388 |
4 |
1% |
140 |
Caldwell County Schools |
885 |
881 |
883 |
-2 |
0% |
150 |
Camden County Schools |
129 |
132 |
136 |
7 |
5% |
160 |
Carteret County Public Schools |
503 |
499 |
548 |
45 |
9% |
170 |
Caswell County Schools |
210 |
203 |
202 |
-8 |
-4% |
180 |
Catawba County Schools |
1,001 |
1,011 |
974 |
-27 |
-3% |
181 |
Hickory City Schools |
291 |
294 |
302 |
11 |
4% |
182 |
Newton Conover City Schools |
184 |
197 |
181 |
-3 |
-2% |
190 |
Chatham County Schools |
510 |
515 |
542 |
32 |
6% |
200 |
Cherokee County Schools |
229 |
234 |
234 |
5 |
2% |
210 |
Edenton-Chowan Schools |
167 |
163 |
164 |
-3 |
-2% |
220 |
Clay County Schools |
85 |
94 |
86 |
1 |
1% |
230 |
Cleveland County Schools |
1,131 |
1,117 |
1,068 |
-63 |
-6% |
240 |
Columbus County Schools |
405 |
410 |
399 |
-6 |
-1% |
241 |
Whiteville City Schools |
150 |
157 |
164 |
14 |
9% |
250 |
Craven County Schools |
907 |
914 |
889 |
-18 |
-2% |
260 |
Cumberland County Schools |
3,456 |
3,497 |
3,446 |
-10 |
0% |
270 |
Currituck County Schools |
188 |
238 |
243 |
55 |
29% |
280 |
Dare County Schools |
285 |
292 |
293 |
8 |
3% |
290 |
Davidson County Schools |
1,226 |
1,226 |
1,233 |
7 |
1% |
291 |
Lexington City Schools |
225 |
209 |
222 |
-3 |
-1% |
292 |
Thomasville City Schools |
153 |
158 |
152 |
-1 |
-1% |
300 |
Davie County Schools |
405 |
422 |
414 |
9 |
2% |
310 |
Duplin County Schools |
643 |
632 |
593 |
-50 |
-8% |
320 |
Durham Public Schools |
2,242 |
2,172 |
2,147 |
-95 |
-4% |
330 |
Edgecombe County Public Schools |
450 |
453 |
422 |
-28 |
-6% |
340 |
Forsyth County Schools |
3,480 |
3,551 |
3,515 |
35 |
1% |
350 |
Franklin County Schools |
607 |
618 |
609 |
2 |
0% |
360 |
Gaston County Schools |
1,959 |
2,053 |
2,085 |
126 |
6% |
370 |
Gates County Schools |
144 |
146 |
142 |
-2 |
-1% |
380 |
Graham County Schools |
95 |
97 |
97 |
2 |
2% |
390 |
Granville County Schools |
527 |
549 |
524 |
-3 |
-1% |
400 |
Greene County Schools |
215 |
237 |
237 |
22 |
10% |
410 |
Guilford County Schools |
4,639 |
4,833 |
4,606 |
-33 |
-1% |
420 |
Halifax County Schools |
243 |
241 |
218 |
-25 |
-10% |
421 |
Roanoke Rapids City Schools |
190 |
200 |
199 |
9 |
5% |
422 |
Weldon City Schools |
73 |
75 |
76 |
3 |
4% |
430 |
Harnett County Schools |
1,205 |
1,304 |
1,452 |
247 |
20% |
440 |
Haywood County Schools |
520 |
515 |
506 |
-14 |
-3% |
450 |
Henderson County Schools |
858 |
874 |
880 |
22 |
3% |
460 |
Hertford County Schools |
211 |
205 |
216 |
5 |
2% |
470 |
Hoke County Schools |
579 |
560 |
568 |
-11 |
-2% |
480 |
Hyde County Schools |
75 |
66 |
65 |
-10 |
-13% |
490 |
Iredell-Statesville Schools |
1,354 |
1,395 |
1,353 |
-1 |
0% |
491 |
Mooresville Graded School District |
335 |
354 |
352 |
17 |
5% |
500 |
Jackson County Schools |
235 |
236 |
241 |
6 |
3% |
510 |
Johnston County Schools |
2,130 |
2,228 |
2,248 |
118 |
6% |
520 |
Jones County Schools |
95 |
97 |
99 |
4 |
4% |
530 |
Lee County Schools |
618 |
637 |
646 |
28 |
5% |
540 |
Lenoir County Public Schools |
548 |
601 |
587 |
39 |
7% |
550 |
Lincoln County Schools |
758 |
780 |
772 |
14 |
2% |
560 |
Macon County Schools |
288 |
297 |
297 |
9 |
3% |
570 |
Madison County Schools |
188 |
175 |
197 |
9 |
5% |
580 |
Martin County Schools |
245 |
254 |
250 |
5 |
2% |
590 |
McDowell County Schools |
428 |
460 |
445 |
17 |
4% |
600 |
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools |
8,732 |
8,196 |
8,611 |
-121 |
-1% |
610 |
Mitchell County Schools |
156 |
165 |
145 |
-11 |
-7% |
620 |
Montgomery County Schools |
295 |
285 |
269 |
-26 |
-9% |
630 |
Moore County Schools |
492 |
808 |
731 |
239 |
49% |
640 |
Nash-Rocky Mount Schools |
1,053 |
1,041 |
995 |
-58 |
-6% |
650 |
New Hanover County Schools |
1,558 |
1,596 |
1,539 |
-19 |
-1% |
660 |
Northampton County Schools |
168 |
198 |
161 |
-7 |
-4% |
670 |
Onslow County Schools |
1,495 |
1,662 |
1,756 |
261 |
17% |
680 |
Orange County Schools |
478 |
487 |
478 |
0 |
0% |
681 |
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools |
728 |
666 |
712 |
-16 |
-2% |
690 |
Pamlico County Schools |
113 |
111 |
114 |
1 |
1% |
700 |
Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools |
433 |
406 |
396 |
-37 |
-9% |
710 |
Pender County Schools |
495 |
501 |
531 |
36 |
7% |
720 |
Perquimans County Schools |
126 |
128 |
131 |
5 |
4% |
730 |
Person County Schools |
325 |
329 |
319 |
-6 |
-2% |
740 |
Pitt County Schools |
1,563 |
1,588 |
1,576 |
13 |
1% |
750 |
Polk County Schools |
170 |
181 |
188 |
18 |
11% |
760 |
Randolph County Schools |
1,099 |
1,116 |
1,214 |
115 |
10% |
761 |
Asheboro City Schools |
316 |
341 |
350 |
34 |
11% |
770 |
Richmond County Schools |
496 |
508 |
506 |
10 |
2% |
780 |
Public Schools of Robeson County |
1,630 |
1,626 |
1,638 |
8 |
0% |
790 |
Rockingham County Schools |
935 |
919 |
943 |
8 |
1% |
800 |
Rowan-Salisbury Schools |
1,278 |
1,306 |
1,256 |
-22 |
-2% |
810 |
Rutherford County Schools |
555 |
579 |
585 |
30 |
5% |
820 |
Sampson County Schools |
537 |
561 |
566 |
29 |
5% |
821 |
Clinton City Schools |
198 |
197 |
195 |
-3 |
-2% |
830 |
Scotland County Schools |
396 |
410 |
414 |
18 |
5% |
840 |
Stanly County Schools |
608 |
574 |
615 |
7 |
1% |
850 |
Stokes County Schools |
483 |
482 |
475 |
-8 |
-2% |
860 |
Surry County Schools |
576 |
570 |
560 |
-16 |
-3% |
861 |
Elkin City Schools |
86 |
72 |
87 |
1 |
1% |
862 |
Mount Airy City Schools |
110 |
120 |
118 |
8 |
7% |
870 |
Swain County Schools |
133 |
126 |
140 |
7 |
5% |
880 |
Transylvania County Schools |
226 |
228 |
223 |
-3 |
-1% |
890 |
Tyrrell County Schools |
47 |
49 |
48 |
1 |
2% |
900 |
Union County Public Schools |
2,518 |
2,619 |
2,604 |
86 |
3% |
910 |
Vance County Schools |
515 |
495 |
493 |
-22 |
-4% |
920 |
Wake County Schools |
9,298 |
9,748 |
9,438 |
140 |
2% |
930 |
Warren County Schools |
176 |
183 |
164 |
-12 |
-7% |
940 |
Washington County Schools |
125 |
122 |
117 |
-8 |
-6% |
950 |
Watauga County Schools |
269 |
273 |
276 |
7 |
3% |
960 |
Wayne County Public Schools |
1,309 |
1,340 |
1,297 |
-12 |
-1% |
970 |
Wilkes County Schools |
627 |
622 |
621 |
-6 |
-1% |
980 |
Wilson County Schools |
745 |
764 |
780 |
35 |
5% |
990 |
Yadkin County Schools |
395 |
392 |
381 |
-14 |
-4% |
995 |
Yancey County Schools |
170 |
175 |
174 |
4 |
2% |
9999 |
North Carolina |
92,492 |
93,842 |
93,923 |
1,431 |
2% |
Education Acronym of the Week
FTE — Full-Time Equivalent
Quote of the Week
"NC DPI is often asked to report the FTE for different groups of non-certified personnel. The General Assembly, Governor’s Office, State Budget Office and others use this information for various purposes and the accuracy is important. The Division of School Business uses the monthly payroll files as the authoritative source for this data and calculates the FTEs using the different data elements submitted monthly by the LEAs. This allows us to avoid surveying the data from the LEAs."
– NC Department of Public Instruction, Finance Officer Newsletter No. 014-13/14, November 1, 2013
Click here for the Education Update archive.