Senate expected to approve teacher salary freeze

By Cindy Landrum  

MAY 11, 2010 10:29 a.m. (0)

Legislation allowing school districts to freeze automatic salary increases teachers receive for each additional year of classroom experience could be one step closer to passing Tuesday.

The state Senate is expected to give final approval to a joint resolution to allow school districts to waive state-mandated teacher salary step increases next school year.

The resolution would then be sent back to the state House of Representatives to see if it concurs with an amendment the Senate added to clarify districts would have to pay teachers and school and district administrators for changes in their education level.

Under the state’s minimum teacher salary schedule, salaries rise for each year of experience a teacher has in the classroom, up to 22 years. Teachers also get increases for earning a higher degree.

Some school districts, such as Greenville County Schools, pay more than the state’s minimum salary schedule.

According to the resolution, school boards would have to take a public vote to suspend the teacher salary step increases.

School districts which suspend the teacher raises would be prohibited from raising salaries of district and school administrators.

Greenville County Schools proposed the idea to legislators as a way to save teacher jobs.

“When you are forced to make cuts, it doesn’t make sense to give raises to others when you can use those funds to save jobs,” said Oby Lyles, school district spokesman.

The district would save $2.5 million and 42 teaching jobs, he said.

At the district’s first budget work session last month, Superintendent Phinnize Fisher told the board it was looking at about $30 million in cuts.

At the time, the superintendent told trustees that it would have to consider cutting 226.5 teaching positions, 31 full-time elementary science instruction positions, 30 custodians and  31 district-level personnel.

That budget was based on the district being required to give teacher salary step increases.

The board will give first reading to the budget on Thursday.

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