Budget Request For Teacher Pay Disparities Gets Fully Funded
The Chesterfield School Board approved the superintendent’s number one budget priority of getting teacher salaries in line with national averages. The district got a financial boost from the county in helping pay for phase one of the three year teacher plan. But despite the help from the county, board members say there are still holes in the budget. (Photo: Ian Stewart/VPM News)
On Thursday, the Chesterfield School Board approved the superintendent’s number one budget priority: getting teacher salaries in line with national averages. The district got a financial boost from the county to help pay for phase one of the three year salary plan. But board members say there are still holes in the budget the county could fund.
Chesterfield County Administrator Joe Casey speaking during the Monday news conference. (Source: Screenshot from Chesterfield YouTube page)
Chesterfield’s Board of Supervisors announced on Monday a contribution of $10 million to help shrink the pay gap between the county’s 4,700 teachers and teachers nationwide.
The money would help fund a nearly $24 million proposal by the Chesterfield School Board to “decompress” teacher salaries, more substantially increasing their wages as they work more years with the school district.
As of now, Chesterfield teachers don’t see a substantial salary increase through their first 15 years of working with the district. Under the new pay plan, teachers would see an average raise of 5%. Mid-career teachers who have been with CCPS between 12 and 18 years would see the biggest increase about 9 to 11%.
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Nationwide numbers for the current teacher shortage are still being calculated, however, Covid-19 might be exacerbating the teacher shortage, say experts studying the issue. (Photo: Crixells Matthews/VPM News)
For former fifth grade teacher Brandy Samberg, the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t the root cause of her decision to leave the teaching profession after six years, but it did help push her out the door.
“I left in the long run because of COVID,” Samberg says. “Just with concerns of my own kids being in virtual school and needing that assistance, especially with my girls starting kindergarten at the same time. I knew from my experience and then [from] virtually teaching last year, it made work life balance really impossible.”
The school’s operating budget for fiscal year 2022 is an increase of more than $55 million from a year ago. The district says there’s an almost $40 million gap, which they hope the state or county can fill.
Some teachers on edge as schools prep for return to in-person learning
Teachers on edge as schools prepare to return to in-person learning
By: WTVR CBS 6 Web Staff
Posted at 6:07 PM, Jan 27, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-27 18:07:39-05
RICHMOND, Va - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) said Wednesday that vaccinating teachers in the Commonwealth is a priority but not a requirement to reopen school buildings to in-person learning.
âWhile we want our teachers to all be vaccinated, while we want the staff to be vaccinated, thatâs not what opening our schools, or getting our children back into the classroom, is totally dependent on,â Northam said during a news conference Wednesday.