CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission or, PEPSC, approved a next step in their current documents, “Pathways for teaching professionals.”
PEPSC is a group of educators that makes recommendations to the State Board of Education.
The document addresses ongoing challenges in the state’s public education system, including a teacher shortage and wages.
Under the current system, teachers’ starting salary is $37,000 and goes up to $54,000.
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In the commission’s documents, components include licensure to be divided into four levels. For teachers to move from level to level and see an increase in pay, their effectiveness would be based on student growth based on state tests, reviews from the principal, and other measures like student surveys.
Supporters say it would help recruit more teachers and encourage student learning.
“I think as a result of what occurred in the meeting yesterday, we will have a clear path for that both how we're doing, what we're doing, and the recommendations that we come to," PEPSC Chairman Dean Van Dempsey, from UNC Wilmington, said.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher and advocate Justin Parmenter told WCNC Charlotte the approach is misguided.
“What I'd like to see is teachers being paid well without having to jump through hoops, having to prove they're doing a good job," Parmenter said. "I think we have a lot of accountability already. Teachers are evaluated. Those evaluations are a part of renewing our licenses. We are observed constantly by peers and administrators. And I think the system that we have is working pretty well. The problem that we have is, the pay is so low, the benefits are so poor, competition from the private sector is so intense, we just can't get people to want to become teachers."
Dempsey said PEPSC will continue its work with the “Pathways” document and wait to hear from state leaders to see what is already in line with current statutes and policy.
Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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