CMS presents classified compensation plan to raise minimum to $20 and phase in raises over three years

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leaders presented the findings and recommendations of a classified compensation study to the Board of Education on Jan. 14, proposing a phased implementation intended to raise the district minimum for classified positions to $20 an hour and address long-standing pay compression.

Dr. Crystal Hill, superintendent, said compensation had been the single most frequent concern raised during her engagement with staff: "The number 1 concern I received from employees was in regards to their compensation," she said, noting that many classified positions had seen little or no adjustment in nearly two decades.

The recommended Phase 1 schedules cover pay grades 1–9 (classified staff only) and carry an estimated first-year implementation cost of just over $25 million, staff said. Superintendent and senior staff said Mecklenburg County had approved $13.2 million toward the initiative during the budget process and that additional local and program funds would be used to fund the first phase. Staff said…