Sullivan County Schools asks for over $6 million to increase teacher pay
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with information regarding the projected budget.
BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Wednesday’s Sullivan County Budget Committee meeting was packed with county teachers as the director of schools asked county commissioners for money to raise teacher salaries. This big ask is one that could result in raising taxes.
Sullivan County Schools asked for $6,236,935 in funding to raise teacher salaries. That figure is included in the school system’s projected $97,670,414 budget for the next school year.
Director of Schools Chuck Carter said the school system wants to get ahead of the governor’s mandate to increase teacher salary to $50,000 by 2026. So, Carter asked the budget committee for a 15% increase to help add the $6,300 needed to get teacher salaries to that mandate next school year.
The Northeast Tennessee Music Census is underway
Carter told committee members the district lost 17 teachers last year to other area school districts.
“And [these teachers] come to me and they say, ‘I don’t want to do this, but I’ve got to think of my family. And I need to do what’s right for my family,'” said Carter.
Carter argued the increase would not only attract but keep existing teachers.
“I feel like this 15% raise is saying, ‘We see what you’re doing. We believe in what you’re doing. And we support what you’re doing,'” said Carter.
He presented how the costs of necessities like utilities and textbooks have gone up, and how the district has found ways to make budget cuts. Carter told the committee how the district is increasing opportunities to receive state funding through the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) then a proposed blended learning program in the high schools.
“We took a carving knife and went through our budget before we ever came over here,” said Carter. “We’re not just asking. Our board went through our budget, through all of our funds. And they found close to two, three million dollars that they could actually put towards reducing that amount.”
“It would almost be unfair just to start rapid fire asking you all questions,” County Commissioner and committee member David Akard told Carter at the end of the presentation. “Because I mean there’s a lot here to digest.”
Watauga Brewing Company to open new French restaurant ‘Courses’ on Thursday
Commissioners came to the decision to take more time to review the information but ensured the room that they wanted to take the right steps in this important decision.
“It’s just a give and take and say, ‘what can we do for the best interest of Sullivan County?'” said Mayor Richard Venable. “And that’s to educate our kids.”
Venable said the county has two options to fulfill this request, cut expenses or raise taxes. He said with a request like this, it is impossible to cut expenses.
Comittee members are reviewing the information and presenting it to the full county commission in Thursday evening’s meeting. They plan to craft specific questions to send to the school system for their leaders to develop answers.
The next meeting with the school district will be May 29, where Mayor Venable said commissioners will dive into the “meat” of the school’s budget.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
