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Supplement for beginning teachers now the highest in the state

The WS/FCS Board of Education approved salary increases for teachers and certified support staff at its regular meeting Tuesday, Dec. 14. The board also approved principal and assistant principal salary increases along with more pay for substitute teachers. The board also heard about upcoming employee bonuses. The recommendations were presented earlier in the evening at the board’s finance committee meeting by Chief Financial Officer Andrea Gillus.

“We’re very excited about this,” Gillus said. “There are some significant increases in the budget for our certified staff.”

Teachers and certified support staff will see an increase of 1.3% to the state salary schedule. The average increase, including the step, is 2.5%. Psychologists, speech language pathologists and audiologists will receive an additional $350 monthly supplement to be included in their state base pay. School counselors will receive an additional $100 per month supplement to be included in their state base pay. Certified support staff are all other non-teacher positions that are paid on the certified pay scale such as counselors, psychologists, social workers, audiologists, facilitators, speech pathologists and media coordinators.

A local supplement increase for teachers will come from an additional $6.2 million in Article 46 Sales Tax Revenue for fiscal year 2021-22. First-year 10-month teachers on the bachelor’s schedule will receive $8,200 annually in local supplements. The total annual salary for a first year 10-month teacher on the bachelor’s schedule will be $43,660. Total teachers and certified staff total salary increases, including supplement, will range from 6% to 20% including the step. WS/FCS will also receive $2.8 million in state funding to allocate as a supplement to teachers/certified staff; the criteria and allocation method for this supplement has yet to be determined by the state. This will be a change to the salary schedule that will be brought to the board of education for approval at a later date.

By comparison to other school districts in North Carolina, the increased supplement amounts will make WS/FCS teacher salaries among the highest in the state for beginning teachers. The approved 21-22 teacher and certified support salary schedules can be seen here.

Principal salaries will increase 2.5%. The assistant principal pay schedule will include a similar 2.5% average increase including the step on state base pay. Including increases to local pay, assistant principals will receive a 4% to 8% total salary increase including the step.

The state has approved an increase to classified and central office salaries as well. Classified employees will receive a salary increase that is the greater of 2.5% or an increase to a $13 per hour minimum wage. District staff will bring new classified and admin salary schedules to the Jan. 11 meeting for approval.

New pay rates for employees will be reflected in January paychecks for all staff except hourly and 10-month classified staff. Hourly and 10-month classified employees will see their February paychecks reflect work performed in January. Retro pay for work performed from July 1 to Dec. 31 will be paid out by March 2022.

For substitutes, the non-licensed daily sub rate increases to $120 from $80. The licensed daily sub rate increases to $145 from $103. The non-licensed long-term/building based daily sub rate would increase to $155 from $117.27. The effective date of the proposed increase would be Jan. 1, 2022. There will be no retroactive pay for substitutes.

The board also heard about staff bonuses including:

• A holiday bonus of $700 for teachers and certified staff that are paid on the certified pay schedule and a $500 bonus for all other employees. This bonus is for employees employed as of Dec. 1, 2021, and was paid on Dec. 16. These bonuses are for all permanent employees and retirees filling a permanent role or working consistently for the school district.
• The state fiscal recovery bonus of $1,000 to be paid out to all full-time permanent employees employed as of Dec. 1 will be paid out on Dec. 20. These bonuses will be prorated based on percent employed.
• The addition state fiscal recovery bonus of $500 for full-time permanent employees employed as of Dec. 1, 2021, whose annual salary is less than $75,000 will be paid out in January. These bonuses will be prorated based on percent employed.
• An $1,800 principal bonus for those employed as of Jan. 1, 2022, will be paid out by Jan. 31, 2022.
• There are other state bonuses to be paid by Jan. 31, 2022, that we are awaiting additional guidance from DPI on.
• An additional $1,500 ESSER funded bonus will be presented to the school board for approval with an anticipated February 2022 pay date pending approval.
• A spring appreciation bonus of $700 for teachers and certified staff that are paid on the certified pay schedule and a $500 bonus for all other employees. This bonus is for employees employed as of May 1, 2022, and will be paid in May 2022. These bonuses are for all permanent employees and retirees filling in a permanent role or working consistently for the school district.
• All bonuses will be taxed at the bonus rate and are not retirement eligible.
• Employees on leave will receive the bonuses when they return to work.

The entire salary/supplement increase and bonus presentation took place during the finance committee meeting which was preceded by the curriculum committee.