(The Center Square) – Starting teacher pay in North Carolina would rise to $50,000 annually, master’s pay for educators would be restored, and the raises for teachers over the next two years would be 8.7% if the state budget proposed by the House of Representatives becomes law.

Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, on Monday evening gave his second tease in four days of the spending plan. The education spending highlights were top of his list, followed by a 2.5% across-the-board raise for state agency employees, community college staff and UNC System personnel.