Teachers’ salaries frozen as Beaufort County schools reach coronavirus budget decision

Beaufort County’s teachers will go without a raise next year under the county school board’s proposed 2020-21 budget. School board members agreed Tuesday night to keep the budget at last year’s spending level — and freeze annual pay increases — while the board awaits decisions from the state legislature.

The school board’s 10-1 vote to approve the temporary budget comes one day after S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster signed a $155 million COVID-19 relief package that will keep state government running until the General Assembly passes a new budget in the fall. As a part of that package, McMaster froze annual teacher salary “step increases” to current levels.

These step increases give all district employees a raise every year, based on their years of experience and education level. For most teachers, this is an $800 to $1,500 annual raise.

While every district employee will be affected by the freeze, beginning teachers will be hit especially hard. The district does not have a “step” for second-year teachers, so third-year teachers will be paid their starting salary for the third year in a row.

The district’s $254 million budget is temporary, meaning it can be changed once state lawmakers meet in the fall to pass a state budget. But it still has to be approved over three readings by the county council, a process that will likely begin at the council’s May 26 meeting.

And while the total budget amount is the same, the district is shifting about $570,000 to Riverview Charter School funding and custodial and maintenance expenses, taking it from debt service payments, already-purchased radios and elementary and high school programs due to expanded mobile classrooms in the district and a bump in enrollment at the charter school.

The high school and elementary program funds will now come from savings in employee benefits funds, according to chief financial officer Tonya Crosby.

“We can go back after approving a temporary budget,” board chairwoman Chrisitina Gwozdz said Tuesday. “We’re approving totals really, as opposed to every single line item, and then we can look more carefully or deeper into certain line items if we want to make adjustments.”

Impact on teachers

Beaufort County’s beginning teachers will be hit hard by the freeze. The district does not have a salary step increase for second-year teachers, so those going into their third year of teaching will still be receiving their first-year teacher salary. The step increase for third year teachers ranges from $813 for bachelor degree holders to $1,477 for doctoral degree holders.

Teachers will still receive the same $5,000 locality supplement as last year. Beginning teachers in the district are paid between $36,900 and $50,000 annually, depending on their education level

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic that closed schools and governments statewide, both McMaster and Beaufort County School District were discussing raises for teachers.

In December, McMaster proposed a $3,000 pay raise for teachers, which would have moved South Carolina from 41st in the nation for average teacher salaries to the top 25.

A day after McMaster’s proposal, the school board’s operations committee was presented with three raise options that could have increased annual pay by $6,000:

• Restoring a salary “step” for second-year teachers, providing a pay increase at all levels at a cost of $3.6 million;

• Moving a salary cap for veteran teachers from 24 years of experience to 28, adding to potential pension payouts after retirement at a cost of $3.5 million;

• Increasing a $5,000 annual “locality supplement” to $7,000, paid out in two installments per year at a cost of $5 million.

The district has consistently struggled with teacher retention. The number of teachers leaving Beaufort County School District hit a three-year low last year — but they’re still leaving at a higher rate than the rest of the state’s teachers, according to a report released in December.

Around 15% of district teachers did not return to the district last school year, above the state’s 12.5% annual turnover rate.

This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 3:55 PM.