CHARLOTTE, NC —Β Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Ann Clark is asking for almost $40 million more for next year’s budget.
The bulk of that money would go to pay teachers and staff, as the district fights to retain top talent.
“There are zero neighboring states who have an average teacher pay lower than North Carolina,” said Superintendent Clark.
Clark wasted no time in talking about the challenges ahead for the district, especially when it comes to hiring, and keeping, teachers and staff.
“We’re beginning to see our employees leave CMS to take a comparable lateral job making thousands of dollars more,” said Superintendent Clark.
Clark’s 2015-16, $1.3 billion budget asks Mecklenburg County for $39.9 million more than this year, with $16.2 million of that going to fund raises for all employees.Β And almost $9 million to support student literacy.
“That we maintain existing teacher assistant positions, that otherwise would be cut by state cuts, that were put in place at the beginning of this year,” said Superintendent Clark.
The Superintendent’s budget is a big increase. And even though the county says it is strong financially, CMS has to make its case to commissioners and deal with uncertainty in Raleigh.Β
“I don’t see new money coming forth from the state, and it’s yet to be seen what will happen at the county level,” said CMS Board Member Ericka Ellis-Stewart. “It’s always a very, very delicate balancing act.”
That balancing act makes budget items, like an additional $8 million in state mandated funding for non-CMS charter schools, a tough pill for board members to swallow.
“We’ve got a $40 million ask,” said CMS board member Rhonda Lennon. “We’ve got 8 million of that is going to charter school pass through. That means we don’t see it. We don’t control it. There is no accountability.”
The first public meeting to discuss the Superintendent’s proposed budget is scheduled for this Thursday evening at 6pm at Hopewell High School in Huntersville.
