The Voice For Educators
Support Western North Carolina
Our hearts are with everyone in Western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene. The strength and resilience of these communities as they come together to rebuild and support one another is truly inspiring. Small acts of kindness can make a world of difference in times like these. Please consider contributing to local relief efforts to provide vital resources and aid as these communities recover and heal. The 27 counties affected are Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Many of our North Carolina teachers, students, and their families have been impacted by this devastation firsthand. Most school districts have education foundations that work directly with the teachers and students. Please consider donating to them; there is a list with links on our webpage. You can also donate to the relief efforts by donating to Samaritan’s Purse (Based in Watauga County), the American Red Cross, or other local relief funds. Also consider adopting a classroom or family to directly impact those still working to rebuild. You may reach out to the local fire departments or school district for more information. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the PENC staff with any questions.
Be An Informed Voter!
These elections determine who will hold influential positions that can directly impact your working conditions and students' learning environment. By voting, you can advocate for policies that support the profession and improve the quality of education for all students. PENC will not endorse candidates or tell you how to vote, but we believe it is important for you to make an informed decision at the poll. To facilitate your information gathering, we compiled a list of questions for the candidates mentioned above to elicit their views on several topics of interest to the education community. Their unedited responses have been published on the following pages for your review.
Taking the time to understand each candidate’s stance can help ensure that you are making a choice that aligns with your values and the needs of your students. Every vote matters, and as educators, your voice is essential in shaping the future of education. Stay informed, stay engaged, and make your voice heard at the polls.
Meet The Candiates
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
State Superintendent
Josh Stein Rachel Hunt Maurice “Mo” Green
Mark Robinson Hal Weatherman Michelle Morrow
Questions for Governor, Lt. Governor, & State Superintendent Candidates
Question 1:
The teacher shortage is continuing to impact our schools. What is your plan to address the teacher shortage crisis in North Carolina?
Question 2:
Would you support a 60/90 teacher pay scale for NC educators? This would be a starting base pay of $60,000 and a top pay of $90,000.
Question 3:
What is your position on restoring Masters Pay for all educators?
Question 4:
What is your position on restoring the NC Teaching Fellows Program to its original form which includes all subject areas and grade levels?
Question 5:
What is your position restoring retirement healthcare benefits for new hires and current teachers without this benefit?
Question 6:
What is your point of view on opportunity scholarships? How do you plan to hold schools that are receiving the opportunity scholarships accountable for student proficiency and academic growth?
Question 1 Teacher Shortage Crisis
THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES RESPOND
Josh Stein Responds D
Our state is facing a serious teacher shortage, with one in nine teachers leaving the profession in the last year. We need to raise teacher pay to recruit and retain the best. We must increase our investment in support staff, including nurses, counselors, and bus drivers, so that teachers can focus on teaching students. Finally, we must make it easier for people to enter the classroom in the first place. With a stipend for student teachers, we can help more people afford to become teachers in the first place.
Mark Robinson Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question
THE LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES RESPOND
Rachel Hunt Responds D
Our current pay structure is driving talented teachers out of the profession and discouraging new educators from entering it. I put forward a budget amendment this session to increase teacher pay because it will help us attract and retain high-quality teachers who can provide the excellent education our children deserve.
Hal Weatherman Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question.
STATE SUPERINTENDENTS CANDIDATES RESPOND
D
Maurice “Mo” Green Responds
One of my core campaign pillars is to “revere educators.” This was instilled in me when I was young thanks to my Mother My Mother was called to give back to those in need and became a special education teacher. In her classroom, she demanded excellence of her students, then celebrated all of their accomplishments: big and small. I have continued that reverence throughout my professional career.
We must return North Carolina to a state that values teachers and treats them as such. Teaching is a noble profession, but our state has woefully underpaid and consistently disrespected educators, including those in the music and arts They are professionals, and I will advocate to provide the pay they should earn, respect they are due, and professional development opportunities they need to be excellent Our educators play a pivotal role in our children’s lives, and we must pay them more and give them the appreciation they deserve.
I believe that North Carolina must first start with paying teachers more. The base starting salary must be increased dramatically I think it is a mistake to implement other strategies before addressing the fundamental issue of low base salaries. As a result, I will advocate for dramatic increases in educator compensation And know that when I say educator, I mean bus drivers, teacher assistants, cafeteria workers and support staff who provide services to our children.
STATE SUPERINTENDENTS CANDIDATES RESPOND CONTINUED...
Once a plan is developed and implemented to increase base teacher pay, then, I would advocate for the implementation of strategies such as: increases in salaries for both inputs (additional certifications, degrees) and outcomes (student achievement); increases in salaries for teacher leaders; school-wide bonuses for performance; and recruitment and retention bonuses for high-performing teachers I would also work with leaders in colleges and universities to encourage more students to earn their teaching license in addition to their chosen degree I would also seek additional resources for professional development I will work with stakeholders across organizational and partisan lines to address the teacher shortage crisis in North Carolina.
Michelle Morrow Responds R
The first issue that needs to be addressed to help recruit and retain teachers is safety and discipline within our classrooms. With nearly 1500 teachers being assaulted on the job last year, the lack of respect and protection is a major reason why we are losing excellent educators and are struggling to get young people to consider the profession.
I would encourage a code of conduct for schools to adopt and expect our administrators to create a culture of civility, collaboration, and respect so that learning can happen.
Another problem that teachers refer to is the increasing administrative demands that consume educational time in the classroom. We need to look at streamlining some of our reporting processes and delegate as many non-scholastic responsibilities to staff not responsible for in class learning, as possible.
I would also seek to expand the Teaching Fellows Program to attract upper level math and science teachers, in addition to EC instructors and seek to broaden our reciprocity with surrounding states to allow a smoother transition for teachers relocating to NC.
If we encourage internship opportunities for our juniors and seniors (ie, Teacher Cadet program) to work in elementary and middle school classrooms and possibly shadow administrators, CTE instructors, coaches and other staff, our young people
“EVERY VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA IN 2024 IS A CRUCIAL PART OF OUR DEMOCRACY. LET'S ENSURE OUR VOICES ARE HEARD AND OUR FUTURE IS SHAPED BY OUR CHOICES.”
Question 2
Educator Salaries
THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES RESPOND
Josh Stein Responds D
As Governor, I am committed to raising teacher pay – and unlike last year’s budget, I’ll include real increases for veteran teachers North Carolina is ranked 42nd in starting teacher salary and 41st in average teacher salary, and it’s long past time we do right by our teachers. And as a state, we must also recommit to funding our public schools and raising teacher salaries.
Mark Robinson Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question
THE LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES RESPOND
Rachel Hunt Responds D
I would absolutely support this as a starting point, teachers deserve to be paid like the professionals they are Having a fair base rate is critical to recruiting and retaining teachers
Hal Weatherman Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question.
THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES RESPOND
Maurice “Mo” Green Responds D
Yes, I would support a base pay scale of at least $60,000 for starting base pay and at least $90,000 for top pay. North Carolina is currently among the lowest in the nation for beginning teacher pay
We must provide a more competitive base salary to create a promising pipeline for aspiring educators to enter. If we do not raise base pay, we will lose a competitive edge to recruit educators; and if we don’t raise the step increases, we will further lose the ability to retain them.
Michelle Morrow Responds R
Yes, I would support a base pay of $60,000, but I am not sure why we have to cap the earning potential of our educators. I would like to see more diverse Advanced Teaching Roles included in our districts across the state and pay increases for hard to fill positions and increased responsibilities.
Question 3 Master’s Pay
THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES RESPOND
Josh Stein Responds D
I support reinstating Masters Pay to keep our most experienced teachers in the classroom
Mark Robinson Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question.
THE LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES RESPOND
Rachel Hunt Responds D
I recently put forth an amendment for this year’s budget to reinstate Masters Pay for North Carolina educators. North Carolina should be a state where educators want to teach and grow, not a stepping stone to other states with better pay.
Hal Weatherman Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question
THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES RESPOND
D Maurice “Mo” Green Responds
I strongly support restoring Masters Pay for all educators in North Carolina and will advocate for such as State Superintendent
Michelle Morrow Responds R
I would like to see our teachers treated as the professionals they are and believe their compensation should be based on their success in the field, the difficulty/responsibility of their position and the cost of living in their respective district I am in favor of increased pay for advanced degrees if the degree is required for the position and/or significantly enhances the success of our students
Question 4 Teaching Fellows Program
THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES RESPOND
Josh Stein Responds D
We must make it easier for people to enter the classroom in the first place. Again, I’ve proposed a stipend for student teachers, so that we can help more people afford to become teachers in the first place, and support the restoration of the Teaching Fellows program.
Mark Robinson Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question.
THE LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES RESPOND
D
Rachel Hunt Responds
We absolutely must restore the NC Teaching Fellow Program to its original state. The program is exactly what North Carolina schools need to fill our current educator vacancies.
R
Hal Weatherman Responds
The candidate opted not to respond to this question.
STATE SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES RESPOND
Maurice “Mo” Green Responds D
I strongly support restoring the Teaching Fellows program and will advocate for such as State Superintendent. I will also collaborate with stakeholders to expand the ways that people can enter the educator pipeline. We must continue to seek innovative ways to recruit teachers and retain them in the profession
R
Michelle Morrow Responds
I am in favor of restoring the Teaching Fellows Program to include all subject areas and grade levels
Question 5 Healthcare Benefits
THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES RESPOND
D
Josh Stein Responds
The candidate did not have a direct response for this question.
Mark Robinson Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question.
THE LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES RESPOND
D
Rachel Hunt Responds
We should absolutely restore retirement benefits for new hires. The attack on teacher pay and benefits has been disastrous for our teacher recruitment and retention rates.
Hal Weatherman Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question.
STATE SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES RESPOND
D
Maurice “Mo” Green Responds
If you enter the classroom now, you will not receive healthcare benefits when you retire In 2017, lawmakers removed healthcare coverage for retirees from the state government, including educators I would advocate to restore retirement healthcare benefits for new hires and new teachers Access to quality, affordable healthcare should be available to everyone and especially our educators
Michelle Morrow Responds R
I am in favor of offering several options for retirement benefits for our new hires and new teachers I have not examined the cost/benefit analysis and the old system well enough at this point to make a definitive decision
Question 6 Opportunity Scholarships
THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES RESPOND
D
Josh Stein Responds
Every child in North Carolina has a constitutional right to a sound basic public education. The General Assembly’s decision to use vouchers to take money away from public school kids and give it to millionaires sending their kids to unaccountable private academies, including those that discriminate on the basis of disability, wealth, religion, or faith, is wrongheaded. Parents should have the right to choose where they send their kids to school, but taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill. North Carolina is ranked 49th in the nation in the share of our state’s economy that we invest in public schools; we can’t afford to defund public schools to enrich parents sending their kids to private schools. Rural communities are particularly harmed by this voucher scheme, since they often lose tax dollars without parents having meaningful school choice options to consider for their children. We need to prioritize our public schools so students can learn the skills they need to compete. As a State Senator and Attorney General, I have negotiated the Leandro settlement and fought for our state to fully fund our public schools, and I will continue that fight as Governor
R
Mark Robinson Responds
The candidate opted not to respond to this question.
THE LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES RESPOND
Rachel Hunt Responds D
I have a longstanding commitment to championing North Carolina's public school system. I have consistently voted against measures like opportunity scholarships that divert public funds away from our schools and towards unregulated private institutions, and I am steadfast in my dedication to this cause.
Hal Weatherman Responds R
The candidate opted not to respond to this question
THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES RESPOND
Maurice “Mo” Green Responds D
In general, I do not support the use of taxpayer public funds to allow students to attend private or parochial schools. My opposition grows exponentially when these types of programs are allowing wealthy families, who can already afford to pay the tuition for private schools, to receive vouchers, and are draining significant funds from public schools, like in North Carolina, where public schools are required by its state constitution and are already woefully underfunded North Carolina’s taxpayer-funded private school voucher program diverts desperately needed funds from students in our public schools Our state is, sadly, already 48th in the nation in funding for public education and its educators are woefully underpaid, making it extremely challenging for our state to meet its constitutional mandate to provide a system of free public schools where all students can receive a sound, basic education.
Michelle Morrow Responds R
I believe that healthy competition improves every school system and that parents have the ultimate right and responsibility to determine which school environment will best suit their child(ren) and help them reach their full potential Any school receiving tax money from our state should be held to the highest standards of conduct and academic excellence The quality of education should not change between campuses or zip codes
Questions for State Treasurer Candidates
Question 1:
What credentials do you bring to the table that make you qualified to serve as North Carolina’s State Treasurer?
Question 2:
What would you do to protect NC’s state retirement system for teachers and state employees?
Question 3:
What is your position on restoring Masters Pay for all educators?
Question 4:
What do you view as the threats to public education in the coming years?
Question 5:
Do you support restoring retirement healthcare benefits for new teachers?
Question 6:
What is your point of view on opportunity scholarships? How do you plan to hold schools that are receiving the opportunity scholarships accountable for student proficiency and academic growth?
Question 1 Candidate Qualification
D
Wesley Harris Responds
I am a PhD Economist with a specialty in public finance and have served in the NC House of Representatives since 2018. During my time in the legislature, as the only PhD Economist in the legislature, I have been the lead Democrat on all financerelated issues as far as I’m aware, there is no elected Democrat in this state who has a better understanding of the state’s finances than I do, meaning I’ll be able to hit the ground running on day one with a strong idea of the state of our Treasury. Additionally, I am a native of North Carolina, growing up in rural Alexander and Iredell Counties as the son of a lifelong public-school teacher and product of our public schools. I know the importance of not only investing in our educators, but all state employees and ensuring their healthcare and retirement benefits are unquestioned. If you devote your life and career to the people of North Carolina you need the confidence to know that North Carolina has your back.
Brad Briner Responds R
The State Treasurer of North Carolina is responsible for many things – the common theme across them all is essentially being the investment advisor for North Carolina To this point, I have spent the last 25 years as an investment advisor to UNC-Chapel Hill and to very wealthy families throughout the United States, culminating most recently in running the family office for Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Throughout this career I have built high-performing investment programs, managed large teams, and negotiated many complex business transactions, which comprise the basic responsibilities for our Treasurer as well. Moreover, I have deep experience serving on investment committees, boards of directors, and in other governance roles that comprise many of the Treasurer’s duties I am currently the chairman of the investment committee and on the board of Trustees for Phillips Exeter Academy, am on the board of Trustees for UNCChapel Hill, have been a member of the Debt Affordability Advisory Committee to the state Treasurer for over a decade, and am on the board of Directors for a publicly traded investment company (Boston Omaha Corp). Our next Treasurer must particularly possess deep investment expertise, as the key issue facing the next Treasurer is fixing the dismal investment performance of our pension plan. My opponent has no experience in investments whatsoever
Teacher Attrition
D Question 2
Wesley Harris Responds
In order to protect our retirement system we just need to be smarter about how we invest our money. North Carolina has one of the best funded pension plans, but also one of the worst performing The reason for this is that 14% of our pension fund is sitting in cash instead of being invested For comparison, most similar sized pension plans in this country have about 1-2% of their plan in cash That means that we could take 70% of those cash reserves and invest them in the most conservative, risk averse portfolio and over the past 5 years could have had an additional $10 billion dollars in the pension fund, which not only would have helped keep the fund solvent, but also allowed us to give any cost of living adjustment we could have dreamed of. There doesn’t need to be any radical investment strategy taken, we just need to be smart with the resources we have. The next biggest issue is we have to prevent the legislature from undercutting the pension plan by allowing groups to leave like what has been done with UNC and ECU Health. To keep the plan solvent, we need everyone to buy into the pension and I am committed to making sure that the pension remains a defined contribution plan and will do everything I can to halt any attempt to dismantle it by the legislature.
Brad Briner Responds R
North Carolina’s Retirement System has substantially underperformed its peers, costing North Carolina taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Our state should adopt the structural reforms that were recommended 10 years ago, moving away from a “sole-trustee” governance model and into a fiduciary board model where multiple appointed professionals serve alongside elected officials to direct the pension –something 47 other states have already adopted. We must also adopt an asset allocation that reflects the long-term nature of Retirement System obligations and best practices in risk management. We should achieve superior returns within each class by focusing investments on top managers rather than “spreading it around” and by using scale economies to extract fee concessions While the path forward is clear, much work will be required to implement it I believe that my background in finance, deep interest in these topics, and stubbornness in pursuing the right answers all make me the best candidate to fix our Retirement System’s problems It is through better performance that we will protect the retirement system; I am the only candidate with the experience and plan to do just that.
Question 3
Wesley Harris Responds D
I am a strong proponent of restoring Masters Pay for educators. We need to incentivize not only educators continuing their professional development, but reward them for increasing their skill level and expertise.
Brad Briner Responds R
While advanced degrees are required for some professions, I have seen no evidence to suggest that a master’s degree is effective in improving outcomes for students in public education Counties like Wake have implemented higher wages for teachers that have obtained higher degrees, and I support local governments using their resources as they see fit We should continue to invest in an education system that maximizes resources, retains teachers, and prepares our kids for the future
Question 4
Threats to Public Education
Wesley Harris Responds D
The biggest threats to public education are coming from a lack of investment from the legislature, a siphoning of desperately needed resources from the public schools to unaccountable private schools, and a bloated bureaucracy that is micromanaging our schools and educators that is pushing more and more educators away from the profession You cannot have strong public education if you are unwilling to invest in it and treat the professionals in the schools as professionals instead of political footballs. The attitude from the General Assembly to point to the failures of our public education system and respond with a lack of funding and micromanagement is the biggest threat we face today. We need to champion public schools, work with them to give them the resources they need, and let educators do what they are trained to do: educate. I grew up in rural North Carolina and if it wasn’t for my public school education, I would have none of the opportunities I have today. I owe my life to our public schools and I will fight for them every day. Master’s Pay
Brad Briner Responds R
The biggest threat to public education in the coming years is inertia. We have seen a large and growing percentage of our students opting out of traditional public schools and pursuing private or charter education. And yet we do not seem to be interested in exploring why parents are making those decisions, and what we can do to improve the traditional public education product to better compete for those students Additionally, an underperforming pension and SHP makes the benefits to current employees and retirees less attractive, thus reinforcing the need to protect and fix these programs
Question 5
Healthcare Benefits
Wesley Harris Responds D
Yes. The promise we make to our teachers is if you spend your career dedicated to the teaching of our next generation, we will have your back in retirement. We cannot make that promise if we don’t provide our teachers with quality and affordable healthcare once they retire. And new teachers need to have faith that we will support them their entire careers and once they retire. That is one of the best ways we can recruit more people to want to become teachers and help make our entire public education system stronger. These are investments in our people, investments in our communities, and investments that need to be made.
Brad Briner Responds R
Our current financial trajectory for the State Health Plan is dire, with the current State Treasurer projecting a loss of over $106 million this upcoming fiscal year, so in order to preserve the SHP we must first implement bold, fiscally-sound reforms to meet our current plan obligations and lower the cost of healthcare for retirees and families. Stabilizing the state’s health plan will be my first priority if elected, then we can consider these options.
Question 6 Benefits For Educators
Wesley Harris Responds D
I intend to use my role on the State Board of Education to advocate for education and do whatever I can to get the politics out of education. We also need to make sure we uplift the voices of actual educators so that the board can give them the tools they need so our educators and public education system in general can thrive. As I mentioned earlier, while sometimes the State Board of Education should step in, we should limit the micromanagement of our individual school systems and make sure we are creating a system that has a defined set of goals, and our system has the tools necessary to achieve those goals. This includes working with the other members of the board as well as the legislature to find out what problems we have, and developing solutions that work for everyone. Additionally, I believe that each community knows how to best educate their children and while certain standards must be created and monitored on the state level, we need to promote more independence in our local systems where parents, teachers, and their communities can come together and do what’s best for their children and community.
Brad Briner Responds R
I plan on using my role on the SBoE to focus on improving quality in the traditional public education system I believe we have much to learn from other providers of education and will consistently push the board to consider new and better ways of doing things so that we can better prepare our children to maximize their potential as adults
North Carolina Voter Guide
Register To Vote
Make sure you're registered to vote! You can either fill out the North Carolina voter registration application and mail it in, or use the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) services. Same Day Registration and Provisional Voting are also available at early voting sites.
How To Vote
North Carolina's absentee ballot by-mail request deadline: October 29, 2024
Any registered voter in North Carolina can request, receive, and vote via a mail-in absentee ballot, with no special circumstance or reason required. To do so, voters must submit an official N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form.
North Carolina's early voting dates: October 17 to November 2, at 3:00 pm
North Carolina allows in-person early voting via absentee ballot for registered voters on select days at one-stop voting sites prior to Election Day.
General Election: November 5, 2024
North Carolina's polling hours on Election Day are 6:30 am to 7:30 pm
Levels of Membership
Educator:
$198/Yearly or $16.50/Monthly
Support:
$90/Yearly or $7.50/Monthly BT-1 Teachers:
$90/Yearly or $7.50/Monthly
Associate:
$25/Yearly