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A needed boost
On Tuesday, the county’s School Board voted unanimously to give its teachers an eight percent raise next year — one percent more than the state-mandated figure.
It was a noteworthy vote; the county’s budget process is generally marked by cutting, not raising percentages of increases, particularly above state minimums.
But it was a wise decision, and one which the county’s Board of Supervisors ought to support.
Despite three years of 10 percent raises, Rappahannock still languishes in the cellar when compared to the state’s 133 other school divisions in teacher pay. Those 10 percent raises were also state-mandated, which means that the county’s relative ranking didn’t move at all.
To make matters worse, neighboring counties in Northern Virginia are entitled to special supplementary compensation for teachers by the state, which recognizes that the cost of living is higher and the competition keener among the school districts surrounding the D. C. Metro area.
Although the state hasn’t yet adopted this thinking, Rappahannock is for all intents and purposes also a part of that competitive market. Just look at the increase in the county’s population for whom the county is a bedroom: in the morning they commute to jobs in Fairfax, Prince William and even into the District of Columbia or the suburban Maryland counties across the river.
There’s no reason why teachers won’t start taking the experience they’ve gained in the county’s schools and market it at a higher price in nearby counties. They don’t even have to move — thev can still enjoy the county’s lifestyle while
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