Board of Education Submits Updated Budget Request to County 

Guilford County, N.C. – The Guilford County Board of Education approved a resolution Tuesday to request additional funding from the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, indicating that the recently signed state budget and its historic salary increases have caused a financial deficit that was unforeseen when the district’s budget request was sent to county leaders in April. 

The school board requested an additional $5.3 million, which will be used to match salary increases for employees who are paid using local (county) funds. The need for these additional funds was not realized until state leaders presented a budget framework in mid-May.   

On July 7, Governor Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 257, which authorized an average 8% raise for teachers (certified staff), along with a 3% raise for non-licensed employees (classified staff). When developing the budget request to the county in the spring, GCS and county leaders planned for a 3% average salary increase for both classified and certified employees. To compensate teachers equitably across the district and match state-paid salaries with locally paid salaries, the district will need an additional $5.3 million.  

“While we are grateful for the passage of a state budget and the salary increases that it authorized, we must provide equitable pay for employees in similar roles with different funding sources,” says Deena Hayes, chairperson of the Board of Education. “We request the County’s assistance to ensure that the district can compensate employees fairly without having to restrict needed services to families.” 

The county’s budget was approved on June 25, before the state budget was signed into law.  

Read the resolution here.