Rock Hill schools approve teacher pay raises. Here’s how York County schools compare.
Rock Hill school district leaders have approved a $172.6 million budget with teacher pay raises for 2019-’20.
The budget raises the starting annual salary for new teachers with a bachelor’s degree to $40,000.
The school board gave final approval to the budget Monday.
Rock Hill leaders also previously approved a $1,000 bonus for certified staff and a $500 bonus for all support staff, to be paid in the fall. The district is offering a $500 signing bonus for math, science and special education teachers.
Rock Hill’s budget includes a state-mandated 4% pay raise and step salary increase for teachers. South Carolina lawmakers are set to approve Tuesday a $9 billion budget that includes the teacher pay raise, reports The State newspaper.
A step salary increase is included for eligible Rock Hill employees, and all district employees will receive a 4% raise, according to the district. The budget includes a 5% raise to all salary supplements.
The budget includes three new special education teachers, six classroom assistants, a physical therapist and two language immersion teachers, The Herald previously reported. A security technician, two nurses and five mental health counselors also are included in the budget.
Rock Hill’s budget is funded with $107.8 million from the state and $63.4 million in local revenue, according to the district. Salaries and benefits account for $150.2 million, or 87%.
A tax increase will amount to $36 more in taxes each year on a $100,000 business, according to the district.
Tax increases apply only to businesses, non-owner occupied homes and rental properties, The Herald previously reported. Act 388, South Carolina’s property tax reform measure, replaced tax on primary homes with a one-time sales tax increase on retail purchases to support school operations.
Teacher salaries in York County:
Rock Hill:
Rock Hill’s new pay of $40,000 is up from $34,673 in 2018-’19 for teachers with no experience and a bachelor’s degree, according to the district. The salary increases to $40,137 at one year with a bachelor’s degree and $40,920 at five years. Salaries increase with more advanced degrees.
Teachers with a doctorate and at least 25 years of experience will make $79,235 in 2019-’20, according to the district’s updated teacher salary scale. Rock Hill teachers who hold a doctor’s degree with no experience will make $53,664.
Fort Mill:
Fort Mill is the highest paying school district in York County for teachers.
Fort Mill schools set new teacher pay at $40,250 starting in 2019-’20, up from $36,800 for 2018-’19, according to the updated salary scale. Teachers with a doctorate and at least 25 years of experience will make $79,756.
Clover:
Clover school district leaders have increased starting teacher pay to $40,075 for 2019-’20. Clover’s updated salary schedules will be released soon, said Bryan Dillon, spokesperson for the district.
York:
York teachers will see the state-mandated 4% pay raise and step increases. Starting teachers with a bachelor’s degree will make $38,850 in 2019-’20, according to the district’s updated salary scale. This is up from $35,520 in 2018-’19.
York teachers with at least 23 years of experience who hold a doctor’s degree will make $79,524, according to the 2019-’20 scale.
York school district leaders approved on June 12 a $49.4 million budget for 2019-’20, said Tim Cooper, spokesperson for the district. The budget includes a 4% raise for all employees, step increases for eligible employees, increased utility and other operational costs and costs related to employee benefits.
Chester County:
First-year teachers in Chester County will make a minimum of $38,851 starting in 2019-’20, The Herald previously reported. Teachers with a doctor’s degree and at least 24 years’ experience will make $76,219. Updated salary schedules are on the district’s website.
Other schools:
York Preparatory Academy, a public charter school in Rock Hill, approved raising new teacher pay to $40,000 earlier this year. Teachers with a doctor’s degree and at least 25 years of experience will make $77,418, according to the school’s salary schedule.
This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 4:09 PM.
