Saying he is going to fight for his teachers, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps asked the county budget committee for a $3,000 raise for DeKalb County teachers in hopes of retaining quality instructors that are being lured away by higher paying counties.
“We can’t compete with Wilson and Putnam,” Cripps flatly admitted as he addressed County Mayor Tim Stribling and the budget committee, noting that starting pay in DeKalb County for teachers is right at the state minimum. “I know it’s a huge amount to ask for but to get the best people in here we’re going to have to start paying them better.”
The raise, which would technically leave the county on the line for $2,400 per teacher thanks to $600 being kicked in by the state, was called for during a special meeting of the board of education. Increases in insurance premiums next year for teachers will have a major economic impact if they are not countered by higher teacher incomes, the school board fears. The call for raises also includes $1,500 for non-certified employees.
As for the county’s 228 teachers, Cripps told members of the committee that DeKalb needs to do something to recruit and retain teachers.
“When we got our preliminary BEP (Basic Education Program) money, the April statement showed that we are right at $1,800 below the average state salary,” Cripps told the budget committee. “The average is $44,024 and we are at $42,287. We all know that last year our insurance went up tremendously across the board, and everyone was wanting big help in their insurance, but when you look long range what is going to help their retirement it is their highest five years of salary. That is what their retirement is based on. With the increase in salary, that will help offset some of their costs.”
While sympathetic to the teachers’ plight, members of the board were concerned about where the money would come from. Committee members Jerry Adcock figured that meeting the school board’s request would prompt an increase of 37 cents in the property tax levy. In addition to teacher raises the school system is asking for $215,000 is needed for new textbooks, each averaging $150. The schools are also requesting new Chromebooks for third through fifth grades at a cost of $240,000.
While asking the county to help in any way it can, Cripps admitted the state of Tennessee is doing its schools no favors by requiring more and more things of the financially-strapped systems.
“Unfunded mandates are killing small towns like us,” Cripps to the committee. “There’s millions going to testing that could be used to fund employees.”
No decisions were made during the committee meeting. The next budget meeting will be May 31 at 5:30 p.m. at the courthouse.
