NC NEWSLINE – The North Carolina State Board of Education on Wednesday focused on increasing pay for teachers and other school staff as it discussed its legislative priorities for the upcoming 2026 short session.
Geoff Coltrane, senior director of government affairs at the Department of Public Instruction, warned that he expects “very limited revenue” in the year ahead and that legislators in Raleigh may not even pass a full budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. He urged members to narrow their requests for a better chance of success.
“Our plan is, when possible, to really prioritize our budget legislative request based on the new strategic plan and those sort of critical must-have items,” Coltrane said, “so that we’re taking to the General Assembly a very narrow, tailored and strategic list of items that we hope to get across the finish line.”
Rachel Candaso, the 2025 North Carolina Teacher of the Year, said she worked two extra jobs in 2023-24 to supplement her income. Jason Johnson, the 2025 Principal of the Year, said some of his teachers also work nights at stores like Walmart, Costco, and Old Navy.
“Teacher pay has to be a focus, because as a school leader, I need teachers planning and I need teachers giving feedback to students,” Johnson said.
North Carolina currently ranks 43rd in the nation for average public school teacher pay, according to the latest data from the National Education Association. North Carolina’s average salary of about $58,292 is nearly $14,000 below the national average of $72,030.
The General Assembly adjourned in late July without a two-year spending plan, passing a resolution to meet just one day each month until the 2026 short session begins in April.
The governor’s 2025-26 budget proposed a 10.6% raise for teachers and 6% for principals, while legislative versions ranged from 2.3% to 8.7% for teachers. But with no final budget passed into law, educators received no across-the-board raises — only salary step increases.
Candaso also noted the $13 billion needed for school repairs and renovations. “Students need to attend schools that are equipped for 21st-century learning and provide heat, air conditioning, and other basic needs,” she said.
Candoso said she teaches at a school built in the 1970s that will cost half a billion dollars to renovate. “I can only imagine what it’s like across the rest of the state, especially in schools built before the 1970s,” she added.
Johnson called for more mental health staff, noting social workers and nurses are often the first adults students confide in. “I cannot imagine running a school without a social worker or a nurse. Students sometimes come to school just to see them.”
Other board members called for more funding for support staff, statewide telehealth networks, and literacy programs.
Coltraine said DPI will bring a proposal to the board early next year in anticipation of the short legislative session, which begins in April.
