Decision on teacher pay still pending
By Matt Shaw
Published in News on August 18, 2004 2:11 PM
More than 1,000 Wayne County teachers will have to wait at least three more weeks before finding out what they'll be paid this year.
The county commissioners said Tuesday that they still need some financial information from the school system before they can make a decision on teacher supplemental pay.
The county board now plans to make a decision at its Sept. 7 meeting.
The commissioners have been pushing since June for the school board to raise the supplement for certified classroom teachers from 3.5 percent to 6 percent.
The school board has said that it could only afford to raise the supplement to 5 percent, but it would extend the raise to all certified personnel.
The county has asked the school system for more information on who besides classroom teachers is receiving the supplement now.
The schools have been helpful in providing the information, County Manager Lee Smith said, but the two agencies have different budgeting methods, leading to confusion.
But Smith has been in constant communication with Superintendent Steve Taylor and feels confident that all his questions will be resolved by next week, he said.
"I think by the first meeting in September you'll have all that you need to make a decision," Smith told the commissioners.