I still do not have specifics of the teacher pay plan outlined by Senate leaders this morning. After the Senate leadership posts the full budget, I’ll have a more thorough analysis of the plan.
Until then, here are my initial thoughts:
1. Holy moly! The Senate budget would give teachers an average raise of 11.2 percent or $5,809 per teacher. At this point only the Senate leadership know where the money will come from.
2. The Senate plan maintains the step system, whereby teachers receive pay increases for each additional year in the classroom. I preferred Governor McCrory’s plan of “banding” the salary schedule, that is, grouping experience levels (and pay) together in five or six bands.
3. It also appears that McCrory’s plan had a greater emphasis on performance, which is preferable to a Senate plan that appears to grant across-the-board raises for those that choose to surrender tenure. Details of the Senate budget may include performance pay provisions not mentioned today.
4. How will the NCAE and other special interest groups respond? Grab the popcorn and watch the show.
5. This will be a good test for my hypothesis that no pay increase will ever satisfy public school advocacy organizations and their members.
6. I predict that the House budget will tweak the Senate education budget but not make substantive changes to it. It will then move through the conference committee lickety-split.
