With North Carolina ranked the nation’s 46th state in public teacher salary, State Superintendent June Atkinson called for personal state income tax exemption for teachers Monday.
The starting teacher’s salary in the state is $30,800, taking five years for them to reach only $31,000.
North Lenoir High School Spanish teacher Jennifer Spence said she’s been making the same salary since the 2006-07 school year.
“We haven’t gotten a raise,” said Spence, who’s been teaching 10 years. “With what teachers make, it just doesn’t make ends meet. I had to find something to do.”
Spence will work at an ECU summer camp while school’s out.
When she got word of Atkinson’s announcement, she said anything would help out.
The superintendent released the statement Monday calling for tax exemption for public school teachers.
“The General Assembly’s proposed budgets do not include salary increases for teachers,” Atkinson said in the release, “but corporations expanding or locating in North Carolina certainly need workers who are educated — the work of teachers.”
Atkinson also said the state falls behind other southeastern states in teacher pay.
“Let’s keep our competent teachers in North Carolina classrooms,” she said in the statement. “Let’s position North Carolina to be a more attractive state for new teachers. Exempt them from paying personal state income taxes. That will at least give teachers more take-home money to support their families and will make North Carolina a little more competitive with our neighboring states.”
Spence said she hopes the state moves forward with motion, and not just for teachers, as she’s an advocate for public service employees.
“I think it should exempt all public service employees,” she said, “but I’ll be grateful for any help I can get.”
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan