Carney announces 9% teacher raises

Gov. John Carney was so excited about raising teachers’ salaries that he couldn’t wait until Thursday’s state-of-the-state address.

“We will not be outcompeted by states around us,” he said to a crowd of officials and students at Nellie Stokes Elementary Jan. 17 in the Caesar Rodney School District. “My budget that I’ll present next week will contain significant salary increases for the teachers in our state.”

Officials are betting those increases in Carney’s proposed 2024 fiscal year budget will help Delaware stay competitive with surrounding states and hopefully reduce ongoing vacancies in public schools.

A Public Education Compensation Commission has been tasked with addressing educator salaries, but its report is due in November. Delaware Secretary of Education Mark Holodick said Carney’s decision to raise teacher salaries may help prevent educators from leaving the profession.

“Challenges exist here in Delaware,” Holodick said. “One thing has become crystal clear; we can’t wait until November.”

In addition to teachers leaving their careers early, the problem of filling those vacancies is compounded by difficulty recruiting teachers, he said.

To help with recruiting, Holodick said a 3% across-the-board increase for all educators will be included in Carney’s budget. To support teachers already working in classrooms, he said, they will receive another 6% increase, for a total of 9%.

“We need to be regionally competitive,” Holodick said. “These increases help us become immediately competitive right now, and help our schools not only recruit, but also retain.”

Delaware State Education Association President Stephanie Ingram said she supports Carney’s pay raise plan and the value he has placed on educators. “The education shortage crisis is real and a result of numerous factors,” she said, adding more steps should be taken.