Wake County teacher works second job to 'make ends meet'

"Friday night, sometimes I'll work a double on Saturday, sometimes I'll work a Sunday morning," she said.

Then, Monday through Friday, it is back to the classroom.

McKissick, whose salary is $38,300, said she has worked two jobs for the seven years she's been teaching. Supplements in Wake County bring her total gross pay to $45,000. Supplements in other counties can be much smaller.

Teacher pay supplements vary across the state. Wake County public schools pays the highest average supplement at $8,649, followed by $7,904 in Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools. Four school districts don’t pay their teachers any supplement – Bertie, Clay, Graham and Swain.

"If I did not work an additional job, there is no way I would be able to make ends meet," she said.

She said many of her colleagues also work a second job.

Organizer: Teacher rally will be 'something Raleigh has never seen'

McKissick has kept up with the pace because of her love of education and her students.

"I felt like it was a calling. I felt like this is where I was supposed to be," she said.

And while McKissick said many other good teachers have made the choice to leave the classroom, for those who remain an upcoming march and rally in Raleigh gives them hope.

"We are excited. We are ready for change, and we are looking for change for our students," she said. "It's not just about teacher pay. It's about per-student spending, it's about resources in the classroom, technology and class size."

Budget proposals from state lawmakers and Gov. Roy Cooper differ, but both include some level of increase for educators.

"It is a shame that teachers have to rally for respect and have to come to the General Assembly," Cooper said “What we need to do is pay them what we need to pay them."