With signs and chants, members of the Durham Association of Educators gathered outside Durham Public Schools’ Fuller Building before the School Board meeting Thursday afternoon.
DAE members say inadequate pay is a problem.
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The group says DPS salaried staff are working extra hours without pay, and that DPS hourly workers do not make a living wage.
They argue those issues trickle down, with burnout and high staff turnover impacting students.
DAE is asking for extra duty pay and for all classified staff to be paid $22 per hour. They also want to see a multi-year plan created to reach $25 per hour.
Thursday’s meeting includes a discussion of the proposed budget, and the School Board will likely vote on their budget proposal at their meeting at the end of March.
DPS administrators have proposed a raise of 12% for classified staff to bring them up to about $19 an hour, but DAE argues that still isn’t enough.
"We're really encouraged to see that they raised from 17 and change to 18 and change to now proposing $19.22 to align with the county, but our classified workers need more to live their best lives," said DAE president Mika Twietmeyer. "We really want our workers to be compensated, from custodians to counselors."
While DAE concerns may be heard at the School Board level, the ultimate decision on local funding rests with Durham County, and as discussed in a joint County-School Board meeting Tuesday, the outlook is not bright.
National trends of slowing job growth, less state funding, and lower enrollment at DPS are all factors.
County Budget Director Keith Lane used the term “inflection point,” alluding to lost jobs in Durham County, and a public-adjacent economy, meaning top employers include public entities such as the County and School District that rely on money from federal and state resources.
Elected officials all agreed they have “difficult decisions” to make for the upcoming budget.
The School Board’s next meeting is scheduled for March 26.