Perspective | Why teacher pay isn’t just policy, it’s personal

When I read about Gov. Josh Stein’s proposed budget and the teacher pay raises included in it, I didn’t think first about politics. I thought about my life.

I am a 22-year veteran teacher. My husband is a teacher. Many of my closest friends are teachers. For us, this isn’t a headline, it’s our reality.

North Carolina hasn’t passed a full budget in years, and in that time, teacher pay has largely stood still. That stagnation isn’t just frustrating, it’s exhausting. Teachers across our state have continued to show up every day for our students, even as the financial side of this profession has fallen further behind.

Stein’s proposal includes an average teacher raise of about 11%, with even larger increases for beginning teachers. On paper, that’s a number. In real life, it’s groceries, gas, and the ability to breathe a little easier at the end of the month.

North Carolina currently ranks near the bottom nationally in average teacher pay; we are currently 43rd in the country. We feel that every day. We see talented young teachers leave. We see fewer college students choosing this profession. And those of us who stay do so because we love it and because we know the impact we make every day, not because it’s financially sustainable.

Real numbers matter: Over the past decade, inflation has risen by 37%. Teachers with 15-plus years of experience have only received around a 7% pay increase. These numbers are not sustainable or respectful. They are a slap in the face to those who have devoted their lives to educating our children. 

I have been so fortunate to travel the state as the 2025 Southeast Regional Teacher of the Year, and talking to educators in every region has solidified my support for Stein’s pay raise for teachers. I have met educators who work second and third jobs just to make ends meet. I have met educators who cannot afford to live in the county they teach in due to unreachable housing costs. I have met teachers who must decide between medication and putting food on the table. There are educators across our state who cannot afford basic necessities, let alone a vacation or summer enrichment for their own children. 

That’s why this raise matters.

It matters for recruitment because we cannot attract new teachers if they can make significantly more just by crossing state lines. 

It matters for respect. 

Respect for the long hours that stretch far beyond the school day. Respect for the emotional weight teachers carry as we support students through challenges, both academic and personal. Respect for the years of experience that veteran teachers bring into the classroom, experience that cannot be replaced, but is too often undervalued.

Upon examining the proposal, it is apparent that the raise for veteran educators is not what we hoped; however, the issue is not new, it dates back almost 20 years. This issuse cannot be fixed over night. It has come from years of devaluing educators and public education.

Stein’s budget proposal is the first step in the right direction and will hopefully open doors and conversations around continuing to increase teacher pay, with a new focus on veteran educators. I appreciate that this proposal shows the governor is listening to educators and recognizing the need for meaningful pay increases, and I strongly support that effort. 

This pay raise also matters for retention because even the most dedicated educators reach a point where passion alone isn’t enough.

And it matters for people like me, who have spent decades in the classroom, still giving everything we have, but quietly wondering how long we can afford to keep doing it.

Educator pay raises aren’t about getting rich. No teacher expects that. There’s a phrase that’s said ironically in education: “I became a teacher for the money and fame.” And while we all share a little chuckle when we read it, we cannot let North Carolina become a laughing stock in education. The over 90,000 public school teachers and over 1.5 million public school kids deserve so much more. They deserve teachers who are paid a wage that reflects their hard work and long hours. 

The teacher pay conversation is about respect. It’s about stability. It’s about being able to continue doing the work we love without sacrificing our own financial well-being.

For my family, for my friends, and for my students, this isn’t just a budget line.

It’s a lifeline.