Anne Arundel County teachers moved one step closer to a pay raise Monday, when County Executive Janet Owens announced she had fully funded the first year of a three-year salary contract in her proposed county budget.
“I think our teachers deserve it, if we can fully fund it,” said Tricia Johnson, vice president of the Anne Arundel County School Board.
Under a three-year negotiated contract, teachers would receive a 6 percent raise for each of the next three years ? costing the county an estimated $30 million for the first year.
Sheila Finlayson, president of the Teacher?s Association of Anne Arundel County, called the funding “the first step in helping eliminate the disparity” in what starting teachers earn in Anne Arundel compared to neighboring jurisdictions.
Finlayson said the next county executive will have to commit to fully funding the remainder of the contract. Term limits prevent Owens from running again after she completes her second term in office later this year.
“We?ve negotiated what we need to make this an excellent school system,” Finlayson said. “I am making it very clear [to all the candidates] that we fully expect all three years to be funded.”
Owens? budget also included $25 million for all-day kindergarten, $13 million for the county?s ongoing textbook program, and capital money to complete a science lab at Arundel High School and construction at Gambrill?s, Tracey?s, and Pasadena elementary schools and Severna Park Middle School.
Board members and County Council members had worried about the availability of funding for the salary increases after the administration balked early on at the price tag.
