Horry County Teachers Could Receive $2000 Raises
School educators in Horry County, South Carolina, might be looking at a $2000 wage increase according to district leaders’ recent proposal. The initiative, which also includes other non-teaching positions, is part of a $1.2 billion budget due for approval later this month.
Richer Rewards for all Education Staff
Alongside this enticement for teachers, the raise will also apply to special needs paraprofessionals, bus drivers, counselors, coaches, assistant principals, and principals. District records show that the collective total of these raises would exceed $9 million.
The Horry County Board of Education members plan to endorse the budget in their June 10 meeting. Following initial approval, the budget will go through a public hearing for final approval on June 17.
Increased Bonuses for Teachers
In their June 3 meeting, the board, after lengthy discussion, consented to doubling bonus amounts for teachers from $1000 to $2000. This comes in addition to the proposed 2% raises. The discussions around the allocation of extra funding for teachers and staff created heated debate among board members.
Fair Pay for Lower Wage Brackets
The board studied multiple budget scenarios, with some board members standing against the proposed budget, citing concerns over non-teaching professionals getting higher raises than teachers. Amid discussions about finding more funding for higher teacher raises, the board noted that some employees at the upper spectrum of the district’s wage bracket might not qualify for the 2% raises under the planned policy.
Impact on School Safety Measures
Board members decided to remove hiring additional assistant principals and behavioral coaches in several schools to fund higher teacher bonuses. This decision will help to save the district nearly $5.7 million, which will then be used for the extra $1000 in teacher bonuses.
More Raises in Proposed Budget
The budget proposal also features wage increases for bus drivers, amounting to over $284,000, and hourly rate rises for special needs paraprofessionals, totaling nearly $1.04 million. Staff members conducting safety searches in the mornings will receive an additional $20 per day, cumulative of over $3.6 million.
Prospect on Budget Approval
With considerable debate surrounding the proposed budget, it remains to be seen what final action the board will take. These proposed raises come at crucial moments when teachers and staff in the education sector are having to adapt to new ways of teaching and functioning in the education sector due to the pandemic’s consequences.
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