Teachers in York will get higher pay. See how much, and compare York County districts
Teachers in the York School District will get paid more starting this fall.
On Tuesday night, the York School District board voted unanimously to approve a $3,000 increase in teacher pay. The change starts with the 2023-24 school year. Superintendent Kelly Coxe said she believes people make the difference in her district, and the board decision reflects it.
“When we can put action to our words, our people can feel the impact of that,” Coxe said.
The district is hopeful the increases will help with recruitment and retention. Especially at a time of widespread teacher shortages across the state and nation.
“Investing in our teachers will have a direct impact on the quality of education and care that the children of our district receive each day,” said assistant superintendent and finance officer Amy Hagner.
State legislators presented versions of a state budget that would increase the minimum teacher salary by $2,500. Yet that move wouldn’t impact area districts, like York, that already pay above the state minimum.
The South Carolina Department of Education publishes salary schedules for districts statewide. For the current year, a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree would make $42,180 in York. That figure is below what the same teacher would get in the Fort Mill ($43,700), Clover ($43,511), Rock Hill ($43,418) and Lancaster County ($42,940) districts. It’s the same amount the teacher would get in Chester County.
Teacher pay increases as years of service accrue, and with more degrees for teachers. A teacher with a doctorate and 20 years experience would get $78,641 in York compared to $81,121 in Clover, $80,171 in Rock Hill and $79,342 in Fort Mill.
The state education department lists average teacher salary by district as recently as the 2021-22 school year. That year, York paid almost $1,000 more than the state average. At $55,786, York was right between Fort Mill ($55,832) and Rock Hill ($55,709). Those districts were above the average pay in Lancaster ($54,036) and Chester ($53,415) counties.
Clover, at $57,436 average pay, was fourth highest among 79 listed districts statewide.
For perspective on the $3,000 increase for York schools, the highest average pay district on that 2021-22 list was Dist. 5 in Lexington and Richland counties which paid a little more than $4,600 more than the state average.
Other districts may plan their own bumps for the coming school year. But, based on salary schedules for the current year, another $3,000 for the first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree would make York the highest-paying district in the state for that position.
This story was originally published May 10, 2023 at 2:10 PM.
