Let’s reform how we pay teachers

During the just-ended 2024 election campaign, candidates for offices such as governor, legislature, county commission, and state superintendent of public instruction talked a lot about raising the pay of public schoolteachers in our state — as well they should have.

Even after adjusting for living costs, for example, the average first-year teacher makes nearly $1,000 more in Georgia than in North Carolina, $2,000 more in South Carolina, $2,500 more in Florida, and $8,000 (!) more in Texas.

Now, the pay differences aren’t as pronounced at other levels of teacher experience. Nor are North Carolina public schools primarily vying with districts in other states for talent. What these data really tell us is that school districts in other states are competing more aggressively for folks who might otherwise choose to work in other education jobs — inside or outside their home states — or pursue other careers entirely.

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