The board is sending the letter to four North Carolina lawmakers: Senate president pro tempore Phil Berger, House Speaker Destin Hall, Representative Carson Smith and Senator Brent Jackson.
"My personal belief is that if we don't stand up for our teachers, who will?" said board chair Beth Burns. "It's part of our job as elected officials to go up to the next level when we need something. It's part of our job to tell anyone who can help us we need more."
Pender County is one of several area school districts pushing for a pay raise. New Hanover County voted 5-1 last month to send a similar letter to state representatives. Onslow County voted to request a pay raise in December. Other rural North Carolina school districts — including Harnett, Lee, Catawba, and Granville — have sent letters with the same demands.
Board members are requesting a 5% pay increase and a salary floor of $50,000 for starting teachers. They stated that the 3% pay raise given to teachers in 2023 was not enough to cover the 3.8% rate of inflation, and amounted to "de facto pay cuts."
"Our educators, support staff, and students merit better compensation and support," the letter reads. "Elevating teacher pay to a level that truly reflects the dedication and hard work of those shaping North Carolina's future generations is an investment in the long-term success of our schools, communities, and state.
North Carolina currently ranks 38th in the nation for average teacher salary. The North Carolina State Board of Education previously called for a minimum 10% pay raise in 2023. Governor Roy Cooper recommended an 8.5% teacher pay increase in his 2024-2025 budget.
Rep. Smith and Sen. Jackson have not yet responded to WHQR's requests for comment.
Read the letter in its entirety below:
