New Hanover Co. teacher assistants impacted by pay change

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A change in the way teacher assistants in New Hanover County are paid have some worried about their monthly income.

Starting July 1, TAs will go from salaried to hourly employees. The change is a result of the New Hanover County School Board voting to require newly hired TAs to get their CDLs and drive a bus.

While that’s being done to combat a school bus driver shortage, TAs say its causing a shortage in other areas: their paychecks.

Teacher assistant Sarah Jane works at Eaton Elementary, a year-round school.

While they will get paid the same amount annually, how it is distributed each month will vary. Jane says her paycheck is currently a steady $1,500 a month. But once she becomes hourly, she will only bring home $557 for the entire month of October because Eaton is on intersession the first two weeks of the month.

The New Hanover County School Board is holding a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

Tonight on WWAY News, we’ll find out what a school board member has to say about the change and hear more from Jane.