Mike Parker: Pool of teachers drying up
In the modified words of “Cat’s in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin, “I long since retired” as a teacher. In June of 2011, I said my good-byes to students and staff at Farmville Central High School and entered the wonderful world of retirement.
When I taught, I cared about my students and their learning. I sought to find better ways to convey the information they needed to succeed in both college and the world of work. Although early in my life I never wanted to be a teacher, I discovered that teaching was not something I did. Teacher is what I am.
But lately, I have developed sadness for those who followed me in this profession that lays the foundation for all other professions and vocations. Although teachers have never received the respect they deserve, I have seen even the small respect they have been afforded decline precipitously.
One area where this respect has declined is in teacher pay. According to NC Newsline, our state now ranks 48th in average teacher pay. Those who claim teacher salaries are going up base their claims on beginning teacher salaries.
According to the North Carolina teacher pay scale for teachers with a Bachelor’s degree, those who enter the classroom with no experience are paid $4,100 for 10 months, for an annual salary of $41,000. Next year, that teacher will receive a $75 monthly raise, and a teacher beginning their third year will receive an additional $75 per month, for a total monthly salary of $4,250. That salary creep continues until a teacher reaches year 15, when the monthly salary is $5,388. The salary schedule calls for that monthly salary to remain the same from year 15 until year 25 – 10 years with no raise. In 2013, the legislature took away pay for a Master’s degree – unless the teacher’s job required a Master’s.
When I began working at Dobbs School as a teacher, the State promised me 80-20 health insurance coverage – and a lifetime health benefit once I reached Medicare age. I now pay for Medicare and receive a Humana Health Care Advantage Plan funded by the state. The same five years that saw me vested in the retirement system also counted for being vested in the health plan.
In October 2006, the health care provision changed. An employee had to work 20 years to qualify for the health benefit. As of January 1, 2021, retirees no longer qualify for health care benefits.
Two of my children who went into education attended college as North Carolina Teaching Fellows. This scholarship/loan program provided a set amount to the student, with the understanding that upon completion of their degree, they would teach for four years to repay the loan.
The idea behind the Teaching Fellows program was to attract “the best and the brightest.” My daughter, who was a Teaching Fellow, is finishing her 30th year as a teacher, and my son is now in his 22nd year. Both also earned National Board Certification for teachers.
But in 2011, the General Assembly decided to eliminate the Teaching Fellows program after the 2011 recipients graduated in 2015. By eliminating the program, the legislators ignored data showing how effective it was.
According to the report, A Legacy of Inspired Educators – A Report on the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program 1986-2015, the final class of nearly 500 Teaching Fellows joined 4,632 Teaching Fellows who were then teaching in the state’s 100 counties. Since the program began, 8,523 Teaching Fellows graduated. Of those teachers, 79 percent were employed in the public school system at least one year after completing their initial four-year teaching service requirement, and 64 percent were still in the public school system six or more years after completing the service requirement.
You cannot imagine how many dedicated teachers have told me that, given current conditions, they would never encourage their students to pursue a career in education.
The sad fact is that teachers not only have endured increasing disrespect in the classroom from students and parents, but they also work for a state system that has sent a consistent message to teachers that they are no longer valued.
No wonder our state has a teacher shortage. At the start of the 2025-2026 school year, North Carolina’s 115 public school districts reported 2,155 vacancies. The main problem is that not enough people want to become teachers because of lower salaries compared to other jobs that require a four-year college degree.
I wonder when people will wake up and realize that our kids deserve dedicated teachers who are valued and well-compensated. If current trends continue, education in our state will its decline.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
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