The Wake County Public School System wants to use savings to cover utilities and academic and literacy help for students, in a proposal to adjust the school system's budget for local and federal changes in funding while the system continues to wait for a state budget.
The district presented its plan to the school board on Tuesday during an afternoon work session, but the board isn't scheduled to vote on it until Nov. 18 at the earliest.
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District officials believe they have $13.2 million to spend on utilities and academic assistance based on increases in federal and local funding that weren't expected when the board proposed its budget last spring, as well as cost savings.
But that won't come close to covering the $34.7 million in increased compensation that the board had anticipated from the state. The board expected a 3% increase in base salary for staff from the state budget, but a mini-budget for the state authorized only a step increase for an additional year of experience, rather than changing base pay. The step increase represents a raise for each teacher of less than 1%.
"It's bad news that our employees aren't receiving compensation increases," said Terri Kimzey, the district's senior budget director. But it's good news that the district has found savings to cover areas where they were seeing unexpected shortfalls, such as $1.8 million less for literacy coaches from a change in federal spending rules.
Board Member Lynn Edmonds noted that the lack of a state budget, coinciding with an increase in state health plan premiums, means some school employees and other state employees will see a drop in their paychecks come January, if the North Carolina General Assembly doesn't approve a budget with base pay raises. About 84% of the district employees saw an increase in their health insurance premiums.
This spring, the school board expected to spend $13.6 million on salary supplements and other wage increases after state base pay had been adjusted. The 1.5% proposed increase in supplements would amount to about $100 to $200 more for teachers for the entire school year.
Educators have been frustrated without a new state budget and with average pay that ranks toward the bottom nationally, according to National Education Association data. Some have discussed organizing a callout, though many others have suggested more planning before taking action.
The issue has also frustrated parents.
"They should be the best-paid people in the county," said Gus Franceschi, a Wake County Public School System parent.
Parent Patricia Stupka supports teachers taking some kind of action.
"Anything to make their voices heard, they should do it," she said. "It's unfortunate that they have to do that."
The mini-budget approved by state lawmakers in July includes step increase payments for teachers and most other certified staff whose additional year of experience warranted a pay increase. Step increases weren't authorized for principals, central office administrations and many support staff, such as bus drivers, instructional assistants, nutrition staff, custodians and school front office. Most teachers with 15 or more years of experience didn't receive step increases because the state flattens pay for more steps after 15 years.
The mini budget also adjusted funding for this school year, in part, for changes in enrollment and special education identification last school year.
The Wake school board has already adjusted its budget for some of those changes.
But the state funding received so far is $62.6 million short of what the school board proposed last spring, because of differences in wages and salaries, a lack of funding for enrollment growth for this school year and several other things. The school board assumed a 3% increase in salaries and wages for all staff, and the step increases approved represent pay increases of less than 1%.
Federal funding is up $17.7 million from what the school board anticipated last spring, largely from restricted grants that can't be spent on anything else.
Local funding is also up $9.9 million from the board's proposed budget last spring, largely because $5.4 million moved from the county's fund balance.
Using unexpected savings, the district is proposing $13.2 million in new spending, including $3.2 million on utilities, $2.5 million on targeted academic assistance, $1.8 million on literacy coaches and several million more on increased costs from state and federal changes and other needs.
In the presentation for Tuesday's meeting, district leaders list several risks of spending the savings, including the potential for the state to pass further bills with unexpected financial impacts and various expenses that could increase throughout the school year.