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Charlotte County school leaders ask county for local funds to boost teacher pay
Summary
At a March 19 joint work session, Charlotte County Superintendent Robbie Mason told the Board of Supervisors CCPS needs local matching funds to supplement a state-proposed 3% raise, asked for an additional 2% for teachers, proposed $5,000 longevity raises for long-serving teachers, and outlined costs to reach regional pay averages.
Superintendent Robbie Mason told the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors on March 19 that Charlotte County Public Schools needs local funding to make teacher pay more competitive and to retain staff.
Mason, speaking at a joint budget work session at Central Middle School, said the district’s proposed budget follows the Governor’s proposed budget and that the State is proposing a 3% raise for all employees. "CCPS has the lowest teacher salaries in Region 8," Mason said, and the district is asking the county for a local supplement so teachers receive an additional 2% (for a total 5%). He said providing that supplement would require about $330,000 in local matching funds.
The request also includes a proposed $5,000 longevity raise for each teacher with more than 30 years of service, which Mason estimated would cost roughly $100,000 in local funds. Mason said it would cost about $850,000 to raise teacher salaries across the district to the regional average.
Mason also told supervisors that principals and paraprofessionals are paid below competitive levels. To address pay compression and to give the county a clearer budgeting tool, he recommended creating salary steps or, preferably, pay bands — a structure he said most counties use and one Supervisor Gary D. Walker said would aid budgeting.
Mason clarified the district’s formal request as: local matches to the state proposal, $100,000 for longevity raises, and $165,000 to cover the additional 2% teacher-only supplement; he said the school board will present a formal proposed budget to County Administrator Daniel N. Witt by April 1.
Administrator Witt noted that the county’s 1% sales tax has been beneficial to the schools and commended school staff member Brette Arbogast for work on school improvements funded through those revenues. Supervisor Walt Bailey asked about the mechanics of a step system; Mason said five-year intervals are common and reiterated his preference for pay bands as a cost-saving approach.
The work session included a review of district academic indicators — Mason said SOL pass rates are above state levels, the district improved its pass rate by about 6.3%, and cited NICHE rankings that place CCPS among the top districts in the state for teachers and workplaces. School Board member R. B. "Jay" George thanked the Board of Supervisors for their continued support. No formal votes or binding decisions were taken at the session; the meeting was adjourned.
