The 2 numbers that make Durham’s superintendent think school workers can get higher pay
Interim Superintendent Catty Moore said a couple of numbers stood out as she conceptualized a proposed budget that could significantly increase Durham County’s spending on public schools.
One of those numbers was 42. That’s what the Public School Forum ranked Durham among North Carolina’s 100 counties in relative funding effort, a measure of how much a county spends on education.
Another was eight. That’s what the forum ranked Durham’s ability to pay.
She highlighted those statistics when she revealed her recommended $217 million budget, up $26 million — or 12% — from last year. In a letter to the Board of Education, Moore wrote it was “bold yet necessary.”
“I’ve actually spoken to county budget staff about making sure they looked at it too,” Moore told the school board last week.
About a third of the increase would cover substantial raises for classified staff, among the district’s lowest-paid workers, who led protests after budgeting mistakes led their salaries to change twice last year.
It also includes pay raises for teachers and people with master’s degrees, plus money for maintenance and repairs.
School leaders hope the proposed raises will keep staff from job hunting ahead of next school year, even though the pay isn’t guaranteed.
“It all depends on us getting this full ask,” board member Natalie Beyer said during the meeting last week. “I don’t want us to overpromise to folks again.”
Want to weigh in?
Like many large school districts, Durham County supplements pay provided by the state legislature for school employees.
That leaves the fate of this year’s proposed schools budget — and a possible tax increase to pay for it — in the hands of the county commissioners.
The school board will hold a public hearing on Moore’s proposed budget at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at 511 Cleveland St. in downtown Durham.
Arrive early to ensure you can speak.
The county commissioners will hold a public hearing on their proposed budget, which will include the amount they plan to give the school district, May 28. They will pass a budget in June ahead of the new fiscal year that starts July 1..
This story was originally published April 15, 2024 at 11:35 AM with the headline "The 2 numbers that make Durham’s superintendent think school workers can get higher pay."
