When Union County passed its budget earlier this spring, the Board of Commissioners expected that its $8.8 million increase to Union County Public Schools would go toward increasing teacher salary supplements. So far, that hasn’t happened.
In a statement to WFAE, Union County Public Schools says it has decided to delay teacher supplement increases since the state hasn’t passed a budget. But Union County Commissioners say they anticipated their $8.8 million increase in school funding would lead to $1,000 raises for teachers.
The commissioners sent an open letter to the school board after learning that some communications suggested the county was to blame for failing to provide adequate funding.
“I was, one, shocked that they didn’t get it, and then I was shocked that this board was blamed that they didn’t do that,” said Union County Board of Commissioners Chair Melissa Merrill at a meeting last week.
The commissioners are pushing the school district to fund the supplement increases. But they can’t legally dictate how the money is spent.
School board chair Rev. Jimmy Bention Sr. told WFAE there was a misunderstanding amplified on social media. The district had initially asked for a more than $14 million increase in the budget to fund $2,000 raises — that much is not in dispute, and is mentioned in the county’s letter as well.
Bention said that school officials were responding to questions about that $2,000 supplement. He said the district never would have implied that the county had not provided funding for a supplement at all.
“It was just simply said, ‘Oh, the county did not fund that, that $2,000 or enough money to get the $2,000.’ That's a true statement,” Bention said. “However, you can't take that statement and then go out and say that the county board of commissioners didn't fund us. That's a false statement.”
Bention said the district put a pause on the funding to monitor the state numbers and determine the precise raise amount for teachers. The board’s finance committee is set to discuss the issue at its meeting this month, where a recommendation is expected.
Union County was ranked 37th across the state in its teacher supplement — a county-funded add-on to the state’s base salary. Last spring, district leaders had been hoping a $2,000 increase would put it in the top 10, while a $1,000 increase could help it crack the top 20, depending on whether other districts had higher supplement increases.
In a statement to WFAE, Union County Schools said the district shares a commitment with the county board "to invest in our employees and increase compensation."
"Leaders are evaluating current funding to determine what level of teacher supplement increase will be recommended to the Board of Education for the 2025-2026 school year," the statement said. "At the October Finance Committee meeting, staff will present recommendations for a local supplement increase."
