Friday, February 10, 2012

Cogdell: County lacks money for CMS raises

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools shouldn't expect Mecklenburg County commissioners to raise taxes or slash services to provide across-the-board raises for CMS employees,  commissioners' Chair Harold Cogdell warned in a letter to CMS officials.

Read his letter here.

Interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh unveiled his proposal to ask commissioners for an additional $25 million to $30 million for raises at a school board session in mid-January.  See the proposal and videos that CMS created to make its case here.

Cogdell sent the letter to CMS board Chair Ericka Ellis-Stewart after meeting with her on Thursday.  Cogdell and Ellis-Stewart were both elected to lead their boards in December.  Cogdell said Thursday was the first chance they had to get together and talk about the 2012-13 budget.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

CMS can clearly cut ineffective programs if they think it is more important to give teachers raises.

Anonymous said...

It seems as long as we have a phys ed teacher making $84,000./year that at least some teachers are way overpaid. There are many, many underpaid teachers who should understand that excessive pay to a phys ed teacher does not help their cause. Why is CMS not giving raises go science teachers yet they can pay this much for gym?

Anonymous said...

So county bureaucrats keeping a seat warm for six hours a day are going to get a pay raise this year...

...but teachers won't?

Anonymous said...

Cogdell recognizes people just don't trust CMS BOE. Teachers unfortunately are caught in the middle.
The discussion should be:
1. Why did the CMS public relations department increase its budget over $2 million/yr.? &
2. How did we get the money to add 7 ( yes, 7) area superintendents ($170M each)?
Maybe cut the administration dollars and CMS will have enough for teacher raises.

Anonymous said...

What is the raise going to amount to if it was to pass? The county supplement 3% raise to a teacher means about $100 per year raise by my calculations.A tank and a half of gasoline will not keep up with inflation nor the loss of vision and dental benefits.

Come on people. WHO do you want to teach your children? Do you care at all about the quality of the person that perhaps spends more time with your children than you do? You usually get what you pay for in this world.There was a crisis and shortage before this recession. How do you see an improved situation on your horizon?

Anonymous said...

3% of $84,000./yr. is a lot more than $100.
For gym?
Why not cut th PR budget and the area superintendents first?

Anonymous said...

Why not just FIRE ALL the teachers. Mitt Romney likes to fire people. Bring him in and he will grow CMS, and get their taxes down to 14%

Anonymous said...

CMS cannot raise the state pay scale.They can add to the SUPPLEMENT, which is around $5,000+

$5000 x 3% = $150

Tank and a half of gasoline for the molders of minds of your children.

Anonymous said...

You havent fired all the teachers in CMS yet. Only about a third that actually went to college to learn the profession. Now continue to rely on TFA and latteral entry.

Yes, great job with the added Baxter cohorts and the PR department.Somewhere in Charlotte the class size just went up another 4 students. THANKS

Anonymous said...

Someone is off of his or her rocker when they claim that a phys ed teacher makes 84,000 a year. Where do these rumors come from and look at the fools who will believe this crap?

Anonymous said...

Go to the Charlotte Observer salary data and type in physical education. They are RIGHT

Anonymous said...

That's the point. It is insane to pay that much to any phys ed teacher and not be able to give raises and to be laying off science, math, language.
I checked it out. The pay is actually $84,708.80.
Crazy isn't it. Someone really is off their rocker. Out of control.

Anonymous said...

Monday I am switching my major from physics to gym. Much more fun, less work.

Anonymous said...

Help.
$30 million for 19,000 teachers works out to a lot more than $1,000. each.
An earlier post said $150. each.
What am I missing?

Anonymous said...

3% Raise to the county supplement for teachers. The average supplement is around $5000 per teacher. So 3% of $5000 would = $150.

Ann, can you explain more?

Anonymous said...

$27 million gap.
$150.X 19,000 is less than $3 million.
Yes, I agree this needs to be clarified since the report by Ann says they want up to $30 million for raises.

Anonymous said...

3% Raise

3% is the rate of inflation.
3% is a cost of living bump that teachers have not had nor will they ever get back.Sure somehow sometime the 3% may return,but this loss combined with health, dental and vision benefits will set teachers back a decade.

Anonymous said...

Yeah but when the time comes this boy will find money to grease that shitheel County Manager with a big bonus. Bet on it.

Anonymous said...

Ann,

From your data article it is stated that principals saw the progress report of their schools before it was made public.

All high school principals in this county make at least $100,000+. This would lead me to believe that either they are inept or liars or both.

Anonymous said...

BOTH.

Anonymous said...

1 physics teacher makes over $60,000./year.
4 biology teachers make over $60,000./year.

29 (twenty nine!!!) physical education teachers make over $60,000./year.

WHAT MESSAGE ARE WE GIVING STUDENTS?

Anonymous said...

3% Raise

Enless years of loss of salary and benefits to the MILLIONS spent on the absurd testing and manipulation of the data. Combine this with the Muri,Cobitz,Baxter and the new PR departmet salaries.What a waist!!! Where is the department of common sense!!!

Anonymous said...

Sometimes Phys Ed teachers also coach a sports team at the school. Is it possible that these salaries also include their coaching salary? I haven't cross referenced the names in the database, but that might explain the higher pay.

Anonymous said...

The only way any teacher can make $84,000 is through a combination of advanced degrees, certifications, supplements and experience.

All teachers are paid on the same scale. To complain about a gym teacher making $84,000 and a science teacher making less than $60,000 is completely missing how the salary scale works within the state.

You can whine all you want about that single particular gym teacher, but they are just being paid according to the pay scale.

No one in CMS - not the gym teacher, principal, superintendent or school board - made a decision to pay the gym teacher more than other teachers. That decision was made by state lawmakers years ago when they devised the step system for teachers.

Please educate yourself before expressing your outrage.

Anonymous said...

So, you don't think it's an outrage that we are laying offf teachers and not giving proper raises, but at the same time the pay structure is way off kilter for phys ed? I think all (including phys ed) should be getting over $100,00./year, but if we are setting priorities I do not think it incorrrect to point out there is an inconsistency in what we say and what we pay. Nobody that I read blamed CMS - just that it is not right.
It is my understanding the posteed salaries do not include the admittedly small coacing stipend.

Anonymous said...

$100,000./year.