New Charleston school budget raises teacher pay, boosts starting salaries to $67,500
The Charleston County School Board approved a $965 million budget for fiscal year 2027, raising teacher salaries by $2,700 to start at $67,500 and increasing veteran teacher pay through experience-based step increases. The budget also expands weighted student funding to $63 million, prioritizing literacy intervention and reallocating staff positions like counselors and interventionists to follow student needs directly.
The Charleston County School Board unanimously approved its fiscal year 2027 budget, allocating $965 million—a 5.4% increase from last year—to raise teacher starting salaries to $67,500, up $2,700 from the current rate. The adjustment takes effect July 1, with veteran teachers also receiving experience-based step increases. Classified employees, including teacher assistants and maintenance staff, will get a 3% salary adjustment. The district’s new budget positions Charleston County Schools among the highest-paid non-union districts nationwide, with starting salaries now exceeding those in Atlanta, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, and Dallas ISD by $1,000 to $2,000. Previous raises in fiscal years 2025 and 2026—$8,000 and $4,000 respectively—had already elevated Charleston to a top-paying district in the Southeast. Weighted student funding, introduced in 2024, has expanded to $63 million, reallocating $31 million from existing funds to support students in poverty, those with disabilities, and English learners. An additional $7.6 million is earmarked for literacy interventions. The budget also shifts $12.3 million in staffing costs, such as assistant principals and counselors, from central district funding to individual schools, ensuring resources follow student needs. Board Chairwoman Pamela McKinney emphasized the budget’s focus on academic achievement and wraparound services, including special education hiring and the new Peninsula Promise initiative. The plan aims to invest in every student from kindergarten through graduation, according to district officials. The budget reflects a trend of competitive compensation for educators, with comparisons to other large non-union districts guiding the raises. Charleston’s pay scale now ranks among the highest in the region, reinforcing the district’s commitment to teacher retention and student support.
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