CMS’ proposed budget includes pay bump for many employees

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill and her staff presented their recommended budget Tuesday for the next year, which includes a pay bump for many employees.

CMS employees speak up after early budget talks point to layoffs

At $2.08 billion, it’s roughly the same as the current budget but district officials are concerned that 54% of it is funded by the state.

“They have now changed the model and they are providing us funding based on the number of students we have in this school year,” said Kelly Kluttz, chief financial officer.

The funding for growth will now come from the state the following year.

CMS 2024-25 budget recommendation

“In a growing district, that is a negative impact,” said Kluttz. If we were losing students, it would not be as painful.”

Nevertheless, the district projects that state-funded teachers’ salaries will increase from $39,000 to $41,000 next year.

The local supplement is also expected to increase for beginning and veteran teachers.

Kluttz said that could move CMS from No. 3 to No. 2 compared to other districts.

“That supplement will be $7,636 for a total of $48,636 in the school year assuming the state budget does not change,” Kluttz said.

Another big piece district leaders want to fund is a compensation study.

“Not all staff will receive an increase,” said Kluttz. “Our pay increases will vary as they’re implemented, and this will take a minimum of three years to implement.”

The major goal in phase one is an increase in the minimum pay rate for some employees and to provide a cost-of-living adjustment in the form of a bonus to classified staff, such as cafeteria workers and bus drivers.

“That would give the employee the bonus so that they would have the equivalent of $20 per hour,” said Kluttz.

But some school board members seem skeptical.

“In year one, we are targeting to increase our minimum pay rate for our pay grades one through three to $17.25 per hour,” said Kluttz.

“They’re going to be classified as a bonus and not have that $20 an hour because of the tax implications. Have we considered that?” said Melissa Easley, school board member.

“If their goal is to get our lowest paid employees to $20 an hour, the only way that we can do it is what we’ve listed here,” Hill said.

VIDEO: ‘Concerning and alarming’: CMS employees speak up after early budget talks point to layoffs