Teacher pay raise hangs in limbo amid legislative budget drama

As budget negotiations continue at the West Virginia Capitol, the Gov. Jim Justice's proposed teacher pay raise is in question. (Perry Bennett | West Virginia Legislative Photography)

Amid a glaring teaching shortage, a pay raise for educators and service personnel hangs in the balance as budget drama continues at the Legislature.

West Virginia has a shortage of more than 1,700 certified teachers.

Matthew Anderson is a special education teacher in Fayette County, W.Va. (Matthew Anderson | Courtesy photo)

Matthew Anderson works at Divide Elementary School in Fayetteville. His classroom is for students with behavioral disorders, where he spends his days sometimes dealing with difficult student behaviors while teaching.

“You have more good than bad days,” he said.

Anderson, 35, has been following lawmakers’ ongoing budget discussions, where changes this week mean a teacher pay raise isn’t guaranteed. West Virginia has the lowest average teacher pay in the nation, at $53,000.

“Do I think the people in Charleston understand our frustration and what’s going on in our classrooms? Absolutely not,” he said.

Budget negotiations at the Capitol have become a key point of contention for lawmakers at the end of the legislative session. The federal government could potentially ask the state to give back $465 million it previously received from federal pandemic relief funds. In the years after the money was awarded, West Virginia failed to keep its educational spending at levels mandated by the federal Department of Education as a condition for receiving the funds.

Earlier this year, a school employee pay raise was one of the minimal asks from Gov. Jim Justice in his final State of the State address.

“ I am proposing an across-the-board 5% pay raise for the fifth time … to all of our teachers and service personnel and all those in government,” he said in January.

At this point — as budget negotiations continue — the Senate and House differ on how they think the pay raise s hould happen.

In short, the current bill means teachers won’t know if they’re getting a raise until nearly the start of next school year.

The House had signed off on a proposed pay raise, House Bill 4883 , which also included proposed raises for West Virginia State troopers and employees.

But an amendment made to the pay raise bill — amid the budget negotiations — on Wednesday in the Senate Finance Committee wouldn’t guarantee the pay raises. The  changes made in committee hang the teacher pay raise — which lawmakers knocked down to 4% across the board — on how well the state does in its general revenue collections.

The Parkersburg News-Sentinel explained that the bill now includes a trigger tied to the state’s income tax rates. Depending on revenue collections — and if income tax rates are cut by a certain amount — teachers and other state employees would not receive their raises.

If the reduction doesn’t happen, then teachers will get their pay raise.

“I favor the pay raise, and I’m concerned that many of the public employees in my district could come away with a $200 tax cut if the trigger hits versus a $2,400 pay raise,” said Sen. Mike Oliverio, R-Monongalia.

Fred Albert, president of American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, said “every education employee is watching to see what the Senate does” with the budget bill.

“While the Senate Finance Committee plays games with the raise, the teacher and service personnel shortage rages on in West Virginia, and employees are facing increased out of pocket PEIA costs. The House did their part,” he said. “The full Senate should follow suit, demonstrate their appreciation and respect for our hard-working teachers and service personnel, and pass a 5% pay raise with no strings attached.”

Other bills meant to increase pay for teachers and service personnel failed to make it the full House of Delegates for a vote.

Carrie McComas Sotomayor is a music teacher in Jackson County, W.Va. (Carrie McComas Sotomayor | Courtesy photo)

Carrie McComas Sotomayor, 42, is a music teacher at three different schools in Jackson County.

“Teachers are just like everyone else. We’re feeling the pressures of inflation. We definitely do not work 40 hours, and we contribute our own funds, she said.

This year, Sotomayor spent her own money on music folders and T-shirts so her students could look like reindeer during a Christmas program.

She continued, “To me, an across the board pay raise is needed just to compete with people [going] across state lines. If you’re in the Eastern Panhandle, you’ve got a job just five minutes away that’s much higher pay. I think a pay raise would be a good place to start, but there’s a whole lot more to do.”

Lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn on Saturday at midnight. As of Friday evening, the budget — and the bills it hinges upon — were still being negotiated by lawmakers. Justice issued a proclamation Thursday extending the state’s legislative session by one day so lawmakers could address the budget bill.

The post Teacher pay raise hangs in limbo amid legislative budget drama appeared first on West Virginia Watch .