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'We want to double down on that investment' | NC lawmakers looking to direct more funds to school support staff

North Carolina districts are facing a shortage of support staff for teachers and students. The N.C Joint Education Oversight Committee discussed the issue.

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — School districts in our area continue to see teacher shortages as they head into the second week of classes. 

Teacher vacancies run between a few dozen in some districts and upwards of 400 in others.  

North Carolina districts are also facing a shortage of support staff for teachers and students. The N.C Joint Education Oversight Committee met Tuesday to talk about the problem. 

N.C. Department of Public Instruction gave a report to lawmakers that listed just over 15,000 school employees as instructional support in North Carolina Schools.

“Professional level positions that do not necessarily directly Instruct students on the standard course of study, but they provide instead of support to the classroom teachers and or to the students," Alexis Schauss, NC DPI Chief Financial Officer said.

Districts can’t seem to hire enough of the positions. 

“Challenges in this, are what we've been seeing in all categories, is a competitiveness for these instructional support personnel with salaries in the private industry," Matthew Stover, Catawba County Schools Superintendent said before lawmakers.

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For example, a speech-language pathologist, who is considered support staff can make thousands more in the private field. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said nationwide they make an average of $75,000 while working in education. If they took those same skills to the private sector, they could make upwards of $113,000 on average. 

State lawmakers want to find a way to fund these positions, possibly reallocating other state dollars. 

"A lot of those funds are going to non-educational non-instructional dollars, not that the kids don't need that effort and that support, but the way they're paid for I think we need to prioritize," Rep. John Torbett (R), vice chair of the committee said. 

Pay isn’t the only reason North Carolina Schools can’t seem to hire enough instructional support employees. Stover said work-from-home options also make it hard.

"We are starting to have issues supplying school counselors and when I say that is counselors that have degrees," Stover said. 

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Changes to funding for instructional support positions may come in the next legislative session in 2023. 

"We want to double down on that investment because of what has just occurred," Sen. Michael Lee (R ), another Vice Chair of the committee, said. 

Lawmakers said the need for many of the districts is even greater in rural districts. 

"Wake County, Mecklenburg and Guilford and New Hanover, they got plenty of people up there that are standing up for them," Sen. Tom Mcinnis (R) said. "But a lot of these small rural counties don't have anybody.” 

This is another legislative priority lawmakers must put on their plate.

Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

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