WRAL News poll: Schools, teachers deserve more money

Legislators have raised teacher pay in each of the past two years, focusing on early-career educators, but Atkinson says much more is needed.

"If we don’t invest now, we are going to pay later," Atkinson said Wednesday when reached by phone. "I just want the General Assembly to find a way."

North Carolina ranked 47th in the country for average salaries for public school teachers, according to recent estimates by the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union. A first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree and no special certifications makes $35,000, while 20-year veterans make $46,500 a year, state records show.

"I have a very definite bias toward education. If I had to choose between education and health care, I would be really hard pressed to say what is more important for the community and for the nation," said Pickard, a Democrat.

"In general, teachers have been sort of shortchanged in terms of the importance of the role that they play in our society. I think they need more recognition, both financially and otherwise," he added.

Pickard said he doubts lawmakers will grant teachers a 10 percent pay raise. "I think it would be tough. It would be a real fight."

Mary Harris, 67, of Cary, said she also supports a 10 percent raise for teachers and more funding for schools.

All state employees need to be rewarded, Johnson said, adding that she believes raises will come during the upcoming legislative short session, "but not at unrealistic rates."

Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union, vice chairman of the committee, said he believes teacher salaries "must move up across the board."

However, the 10 percent proposal "is simply unrealistic in our still-fragile economy," he added.

WRAL News also contacted Gov. Pat McCrory's office to ask about teacher salaries and school funding. The governor's spokesman, Graham Wilson, released the following statement:

"Since 2013, under Governor McCrory’s leadership, North Carolina has committed over $1 billion more for teacher pay through his first term, thanks in part to the largest average teacher pay increase in the country. We look forward to building on these important investments in the upcoming budget to strengthen education and better prepare our students for career opportunities."

The State Board of Education has created a list of six budget priorities it wants McCrory to consider this year. At the top of the list: teacher salaries.

School board members debated whether to request a specific amount, as the state superintendent did, but decided to focus on how North Carolina ranks against other states. They want North Carolina public schools to become No. 1 in the Southeast for teacher salaries. North Carolina is currently ranked 11th out of 12 states in the region, according to state education leaders.

It's unclear how much of an increase it would take to become No. 1. Philip Price, chief financial officer for the state Department of Public Instruction, said last week it "will take some time to determine that percentage," adding that "we are starting that process now."

State Superintendent Atkinson said Wednesday she believes it would take a more than 5 percent raise to become No. 1. Other than teacher pay, Atkinson cited professional development for teachers and textbooks and digital resources for students as her other top budget priorities.

The school board's top budget priorities total more than $200 million in extra funding requests, not including teacher raises, which have yet to be calculated. A 1 percent salary increase across the board, for example, would cost $50.1 million. This year, North Carolina public schools received more than $8.5 billion in funding from the state.

The school board's other top budget priorities include: