In a show of unity, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board has voted to raise the wages of its classified staff, ensuring a significant pay bump for nearly 4,000 employees. The decision, made on a Monday night, marks a substantial shift in compensation for positions including bus drivers, custodians, and teacher assistants, and is the district's first overhaul of such nature in nearly two decades. As reported by WBTV, the pay increase was approved unanimously and is set to be rolled out in three phases.
Under the newly approved wage structure, classified employees in pay grades 1-5 will see an average raise of 13.9 percent, as per Chair of the Board of Education, Stephanie Sneed's statement to WBTV. The second and third phases of the plan, still awaiting board approval and funding, aim to implement additional changes to better reflect the years of service and annual cost-of-living adjustments. Sneed further acknowledged the essential function of these employees, describing their role as crucial to the everyday operations that keep schools running.
Demina Gaskin, an instructional assistant, expressed relief to WCCB Charlotte upon learning about the approved wage increase. "When you are able to manage your finances and not have to worry about having to get a second or third job, it allows you to be, um, a productive employer," she said. With pay rates for teachers remaining under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina state legislature, this wage increase is centered exclusively on support staff.
Commencing from the 2024 school year, retroactive pay will be disbursed to the affected employees. Local advocacy groups, as reported by QC News, deem the salary increment a much-needed step, but note that further work remains to align wages with the actual cost of living. Addressing the efforts to improve staff wages, CMS Board Member Melissa Easley stated, "We know that this is not everything. We wish we could do more. You deserve more, but we’re working towards that." Acknowledging the partial nature of the current progress within a broader landscape of financial need.
The initial phase of these raises is already accounted for in the budget set by the Mecklenburg County Commissioners, amounting to more than $25 million. The subsequent phases will continue to build on this groundwork, striving to achieve what Board Member Lenora Shipp described as essential justice work, as she told QC News, "This is a group that have definitely felt overlooked, not seen, not heard and they do tremendous work every day in the school district."
