Announced 8 percent teacher raise based on 'scuttlebutt'

Reporters in Charlotte and Raleigh weren't the only ones caught by surprise.

"That is news to me,"  said Sen. Tommy Tucker, R-Waxhaw.  Unlike Tarte,  a Cornelius Republican,  Tucker is a member of the conference committee trying to reconcile the Senate and House budgets.

Tucker said lawmakers remain  "all over the board"  on teacher pay plans,  with average estimated raises ranging from 2 percent in the governor's plan to 11 percent in the Senate's.  He said there have been no developments since last week's agreement on Medicaid spending.

The Senate, House and governor's budgets all call for significant teacher raises,  though none proposes a flat percentage.  The conference committee is still working through plans to revamp the pay scale.  Major differences remain on how to award and pay for raises.

Senate leader Phil Berger's office said the same thing:  "We are not aware of any budget deal on teacher pay."

So what inspired Tarte,  a first-term senator who serves on the Senate education committee,  to announce an agreement?  "That's just the scuttlebutt in the hallways,"  he said,  adding that indications are that 5 percent to 8 percent will be  "the baseline to start from."  The raise item,  tucked in the middle of his legislative update,  "got everybody reading anyway," he said.

Meanwhile,  Garinger High School teacher James Ford,  who is North Carolina's teacher of the year,  plans a trip to Raleigh today to distribute a letter to lawmakers and the governor urging them to find a compromise on teacher raises.

He said he isn't taking a stand on which plan he prefers.  Instead,  Ford says he'll emphasize the common ground they already have:  "I'm glad they recognize the importance of attracting and retaining quality teachers.  It's something that has to be done.  There's so much in the balance."

http://obsyourschools.blogspot.com/2014/07/tartes-raise-announcement-based-on.html