Superintendent seeks to make CMS teachers the state’s highest-paid
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teachers and support staff could see raises of more than 2.7% as well as more social workers and counselors hired under Superintendent Earnest Winston’s 2022-23 proposed budget.
Winston recommended an operating budget of $1.7 billion to the school board during a virtual meeting Wednesday night. In addition, the budget includes $332 million in temporary COVID-related money from the federal government.
The board could vote on the budget April 26.
“This budget request is about moving forward,” Winston said. “Not looking back.”
He emphasized the urgent need to address disruptions in learning due to the pandemic. “We must improve outcomes,” he said.
Winston’s budget recommends investing $66.8 million in current employees, which includes $32.3 million for an average 2.7% increase for teachers, instructional support staff and assistant principals and a 2.5% increase for principals and non-certified staff.
Winston also wants $7.9 million to increase the local supplement for teachers and instructional support staff as well as $6 million to raise minimum pay from $15 to $16.50 an hour for teacher assistants.
His operating budget proposal requests $579 million from Mecklenburg County, an increase of $41 million, or about 7.6%, over the current year. In addition, the proposal requests $23 million for capital needs. The district is asking Mecklenburg County to help move teacher pay to the highest in the state “so we can attract teacher talent at the same levels we work to attract business leader talent,” Winston said.
Winston said full support from the county also would allow CMS “to properly maintain our facilities,” including indoor air-quality improvements and preventive maintenance at schools.
According to the budget proposal, CMS is actively recruiting more school psychologists and “realigning funding” for 10 social workers, three counselors, five behavior interventionist counselors and two psychologists. The goal, Winston says, is to reduce student-to-counselor, social worker and psychologist ratios, which now are well above national recommendations.
“This is a one-time opportunity to change students’ lives,” Winston said. “It is critical that our community bring everything to bear in changing how we approach public education. We must do so to prepare all students to thrive.”
‘Opportunity for all students’
Winston said his budget proposal aligns with district goals that include raising English language arts scores at the College and Career Ready level among Black and Hispanic third-graders, and raising high school student math scores, among others.
“CMS must do a better job of providing equity of opportunity for all students, particularly for Black and Hispanic students,” Winston said. “This budget request reflects the need to change and to focus on what will improve student outcomes most dramatically.”
Board members will hold a work session on the proposed budget Tuesday. The board also will hold a public hearing and work session on Winston’s proposed budget at its regular meeting April 5.
This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 10:20 AM.
