CMS Board unanimously approves district’s proposed budget; heads to Meck County

CHARLOTTE — Major pay raises could be coming to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools staff if Mecklenburg County approves the district’s budget.

The CMS Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday night to ask the county for a $578 million budget -- a $40 million increase from last year. The district’s total budget is $2.1 billion, but the county only needs to approve $578 million of it.

CMS is proposing a 10% pay increase on the supplement for teachers and certified staff. Teaching assistants would receive a minimum pay of $16.50 an hour.

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The county will discuss the proposal in the coming weeks.

“In approving the $2.1 billion budget, the Board affirmed its strong commitment to ensuring that each and every child in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has the strategically aligned resources necessary to succeed and thrive,” CMS said in a statement sent to Channel 9.

The budget also included the following four goals from CMS:

More funding for the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) program, including facilitators and interventionists in schools
More funding so students have access to college and career readiness coursework
More staffing to address students’ social and emotional needs
Elimination of multiple central office positions

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“For too long, governing bodies have argued about budgets as if they are only numbers on a page, but a thoughtful budget is more than that,” Board Chair Elyse Dashew said. “Each number in the budget represents our assessment of the needs of our students and how best to meet those needs. It is our responsibility to ensure the children of Mecklenburg County have access to a sound basic education. This is only possible with adequate funding, strategically aligned and thoughtfully deployed, as laid out in the budget we voted on tonight.”

CMS said the request from the county is $40 million more than last year’s budget allocation because it includes funding required for charter schools, employee pensions, and the opening of two new schools.

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