With more than 500 teachers hired ahead of the start of the new school year, Charleston County School District officials believe if there had not been $5,000 salary bumps and new incentives, there would be a lot more than just 55 classroom vacancies now.
A task force formed earlier this year that included more than 30 local teachers managed to raise teacher salaries across the board and secure a $5,000 bonus for existing teachers. It also extended the number of years teachers were eligible for a raise from 30 years to 40 years in the field. Other incentives added to the table include extended parental leave.
The task force presented district leaders with data showing the cost of living versus average teacher pay in Charleston neighborhoods.
Under the current CCSD pay scale, teachers with a bachelor’s degree would need 22 years of experience each to be able to afford a home in Charleston County, according to task force members. Even a teacher with a master’s degree making more than $64,000 annually would struggle to pay a mortgage. The base salary would need to be raised to $77,880 for teachers to rent an average apartment in the Charleston metro area.
While the raises and incentives are a win, there is still work to be done, task members said. At an Aug. 17 meeting, members met to discuss next steps to prepare for the coming school year, and look to years ahead.
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- To get dozens of South Carolina news stories every business day, contact the folks at SC Clips.
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