Last month I met with a first-grade teacher who moved here from South Carolina at the start of her career because North Carolinaused to pay our teachers better. Now, she spends $200 to $300 of her own money on her students at the beginning of the school year to make sure they have what they need in the classroom. North Carolina has failed to keep up, and that’s making her think of moving back home. South Carolina spends $5,500 more on each school child than we do here in North Carolina – equivalent to about $8 billion more than we invest in K-12. My budget gives all teachers a deserved pay raise, brings back master’s pay for veteran teachers, and provides teachers with a school supply stipend. Let’s make smart investments to right this wrong.
