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 implementation would be retroactive to July 1, 2024, if the board approves the schedules at its next meeting.

Dr. Keisha Khan, chief human resources officer, said the study addresses roughly 390 unique classified job titles (examples: bus drivers, custodians, teacher assistants, clerical staff). Kelly Klutz, chief finance officer, gave a fund-level breakdown and said the district’s adopted budget can cover Phase 1 costs; staff also noted that some revenue from school nutrition and after-school funds will be used.

Consultants from the study team explained the rationale: long-term stagnation in pay, legislative minimum changes, and market pressure have created compression and hiring/retention challenges. Consultant Ricky Lopes said the study found that many new hires could be paid at or above the rate of long-tenured district employees because of years without consistent adjustments and different market pressures.

Phase 1 details presented by staff:

- The district has approximately 6,171 employees in pay grades 1–5. Under the Phase 1 recommendation, 4,775 employees in that group would receive increases costing approximately $23.7 million; the average increase for affected employees in that category would be about 13.9%.

- Pay grades 6–9 include fewer employees; Phase 1 would give increases to a subset (staff cited 325 employees) at an estimated cost of $1.9 million, an average increase of roughly 8.5% for those affected.

- Consultants and staff said some employees already paid above the new grade midpoint would not see a reduction in pay and that the district will not reduce anyone’s salary as a result of the schedule change.

Staff said the recommendation establishes a 30-step schedule (steps tied to verifiable years of experience) to make placements transparent and reduce ad hoc placement decisions. The district reported it had collected and verified state service for more than 7,000 classified employees to support placement.

Board members asked questions about equity, timeline and next steps. Vice Chair Dee Rankin and others pressed staff on communication plans to employees: staff said all employees will receive a district-wide notice about the presentation and that, after a board vote, individuals covered by the study will receive personal communications with their new placement and pay information. Staff said a vote on Phase 1 schedules is expected at the board’s next meeting and that implementation (if approved) would be retroactive to July 1, 2024.

Why it matters: CMS classified workers include bus drivers, custodians, teacher assistants and nutrition staff who perform work essential to daily operations. Staff told the board the recommended Phase 1 is intended to increase the minimum hourly rate, reward service, reduce compression, and create a schedule that is more transparent and easier to explain to employees.

What’s next: The board will be asked to adopt Phase 1 salary schedules at a future meeting (staff indicated an adoption request in January). Staff also said they will return with Phase 2 and Phase 3 recommendations to continue adjustments over subsequent fiscal years.