Cooper: Budget proposal will have 5% teacher pay raises

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says his upcoming two-year budget proposal will contain sizeable pay raises for teachers as part of his effort to get their salaries up to the national average by the early 2020s.

Cooper announced his idea Monday at a Charlotte public school. He says the spending plan will include average 5 percent raises for the next school year and another 5 percent increase for the year after that.

Cooper says the $813 million investment wouldn’t require tax increases.

The Democratic governor will soon present his budget to a Republican-controlled General Assembly that has been raising teacher salaries in recent years.

GOP lawmakers and former Gov. Pat McCrory generally focused on beefing up salaries for early- and mid-career teachers compared to the most veteran instructors.

(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

2/20/2017 3:38:14 PM (GMT -5:00)