Carroll County teachers likely won?t see raises anything like the 7 percent they got this school year due to state budget woes.
The county expects to receive no more than a $1.7 million increase from the state for 2008-09, bringing the total to $143.8 million, Carroll officials said. That would amount to a much smaller increase than the fast-growing county schools typically get from the state, and the budget could be cut more, said Superintendent Chuck Ecker.
“It?s bad now, and I think it?s only going to get worse during the legislative session,” Ecker said.
The county typically loses about 200 teachers a year, said Barry Potts, the head of the county teachers union, but this year schools could lose 300 if salaries don?t remain competitive.
“That would be pretty devastating,” Potts said.
The 7 percent increase brought salaries for first-year teachers, which had been among the lowest in the state, to about $40,000. Teacher salary negotiations for next year begin at the end of the month and likely will be contentious, Ecker said.
He also said more than 30 new positions are needed for Ebb Valley Elementary School, slated to open in the fall, and Manchester Valley High, opening the next fall.
Potts said that decreased state funding puts his group at an immediate disadvantage to negotiate salaries.
“We?ve definitely got a huge issue because of cutbacks from the state,” Potts said. “Getting the funding for that could be a challenge.”
The state?s budget cuts came in early November during the special session called by Gov. Martin O?Malley.
