GCS Increases Salaries
The Greenville County Schools Board of Trustees unanimously approved an amendment to the FY 23 General Fund Budget. The amendment was in response to the state budget including an increase of $10 million in revenue, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor last week.
The amendment addresses several priorities that were established early in the budget process including pay increases for teachers and other employees and the reduction of reliance on the General Fund – Fund Balance as outlined below:
Higher Starting Pay for New Teachers – For years, Greenville County Schools has led the state in starting pay for teachers. In FY 22, GCS was #1 with a starting salary of $42,515. In FY 23, the starting teacher salary will be $45,075.
Pay Increase for All Teachers – All GCS teachers will receive $2,500 in addition to a step increase. The approved FY 23 budget includes a $2,000 increase to every step on the teacher salary schedule. The approved additional increase of $500 brings the total increase to every step on the teacher salary schedule to $2,500. The average teacher salary in GCS will be $65,027, and experienced teachers with a Master’s can make up to $80,256 and up to $97,356 with a Doctorate.
Pay Increase for All Employees – Non-teaching staff members who are eligible, such as bus drivers, food workers, custodians, groundskeepers, administrative employees, etc., will receive at least one step increase or at least a 3-percent raise effective July 1. Some employees will receive additional step increases based on the number of years of experience in their current position to address internal inequities in pay that are a result of missed step increases in previous years. GCS also increased its minimum hourly pay rate to $15 per hour.
Reduced Reliance on the General Fund – Fund Balance – An additional $3.30 million, combined with the $5 million that was already earmarked in the FY 23 budget, allows the district to further reduce its reliance on General Fund – Fund Balance by a total of $8.3 million, which better positions the District for the future.
“Within the school, the greatest influence on student success is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. Greenville County Schools is focused on remaining a top-paying district in South Carolina so we can recruit and retain the best workforce to educate our students and serve our community,” said Dr. W. Burke Royster, Superintendent of Greenville County Schools.
These increases will further advance the District’s goal of maintaining and improving competitiveness as the national and statewide teacher shortage continues, while also helping to address inflation.