Governor McCrory Talks Teacher Pay And School Safety At Riverwood Middle School | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Clayton, N.C.     Governor Pat McCrory highlighted teacher pay, school safety and technology today during a visit at Riverwood Middle School, where he toured classrooms and held a roundtable discussion with educators.

    "As a former student teacher, I enjoy visiting classrooms throughout the state to see our hardworking teachers in action," said Governor McCrory. "I'm proud of what we have accomplished to improve education in schools and to boost average teacher pay to more than $50,000 for the first time in state history."


    For the 2016-2017 school year, Riverwood is piloting a program in conjunction with Governor McCrory's Safer Schools Task Force called S.T.A.M.P., which will focus on building relationships with students and creating greater student advocacy.

    Since 2013, the McCrory administration has invested more than $1 billion in new funding for teacher pay, including the largest teacher pay raise in the nation.

    The most recent budget signed by Governor McCrory includes an average 4.7 percent raise that boosts the average teacher pay to more than $50,000 for the first time in state history. With the robust health and retirement benefits provided to every teacher, average total compensation totals $67,000.


    To ensure students have the resources they need to succeed, funding for textbooks and digital resources has tripled since Governor McCrory entered office in 2013. Additionally, increased funding for classroom connectivity will make North Carolina one of the first states in the nation to connect all classrooms to robust Wi-Fi by 2018.

    Since 2013, K-12 education funding has increased by 13 percent and education comprises 57 percent of the state's $22.3 billion budget.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov