NCAE
6
News Bulletin
March 2017
Governor Cooper Proposes Budget that Invests in Education
Gov. Cooper has unveiled his first budget, a $23.8 billion spending plan that invests in education, health care, economic development, and public safety. The governor’s budget includes pay raises for ALL educators, a scholarship program to attract new teachers into the profession similar to N.C. Teaching Fellows, and a phase out of the private school voucher program. “Governor Cooper’s long-term vision for making North Carolina a top tier state for public education will return North Carolina to its rightful place as a beacon of hope for our students, families, and communities,” said NCAE President Mark Jewell. “By making long-term investments in our classrooms and educators, we can truly give our students the schools they deserve.”
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Draws talented North Carolina students by reinstating a similar program to N.C. Teaching Fellows by providing $10,000 scholarships per year for four years to students who commit to teaching in N.C. public schools after graduation.
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Invests $30 million of lottery funds in classroom support staff, textbooks, and digital learning materials.
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Invests $15 million to help low-performing schools.
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Provides a $20 million flex funds to local school districts to use for additional instructional support like teacher assistants, nurses, social workers, or others.
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Proposes funding 4,700 additional early childhood education slots.
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Free Community College tuition through NC GROW scholarships.
Cooper’s Education Budget Highlights: •
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Average teacher pay increases of 5 percent each year for the next two years. It’s the largest investment in teachers in a decade. Gov. Cooper’s budget puts N.C. on the path to lead Southeastern states in three years and reach the national average in five. Invests $20 million for 6.5 percent salary increases for principals and assistant principals – administrators rank 50th in average pay. Gov. Cooper is proposing the largest pay raise for ESPs and other educators not on the state teacher salary schedule in nearly a decade. State employees would receive a recurring 2 percent or $800, whichever is greater, along with a one-time bonus of $500. A 1.5 percent one-time cost-of-living adjustment for retirees. Phases out the private school voucher program.
Cooper also released a forward-thinking proposal to have North Carolina rank in the top 10 in these categories by 2025: Early Childhood: Increase pre-kindergarten enrollment from 22 percent to 55 percent. K-12: Improve high school graduation rate from 85.6 percent to 91 percent. Higher Education: Increase percentage of adults with higher education degrees from 38.7 percent to 55 percent. To review Governor Cooper’s complete budget, click here.