In Spring, the Georgia Assembly passed a 3% raise for many state employees, including certified teachers, school nurses and school nutrition staff.  The raise did not extend to additional school system employees like bus drivers, janitors and administrators.

Also, the state did not pass on the $694,720 that Fannin County School System needs to pay for the 3% raise.  Instead, the state only sent $487,424.  The May 31^st Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that other school systems across the state did not receive enough money to pay for the 3% raise.

This September, all Fannin County School System employees will receive a one-time supplement of at least $500.  The supplement is calculated from an employee’s base pay.  For those employees who make more than approximately $16,670 per year, the supplement will be proportional to the employee’s annual salary.  For example, an employee which makes $25,000 will receive $750, pre-tax, supplement.

At this time, the supplement will only be for the 2016-2017 school year.  As Superintendent Henson explains, though the state passed a 3% salary raise, the state did not include the raise on public school employees’ salary schedule.  Also, the state’s budget projects for the 2017-2018 school year do not reflect a carry-over of the 3% raise into the 2017-2018 school year.  Because of these two reasons, the School Board is only able to promise a supplement for this school year.  In 2017, the School Board will learn if the state makes the 3% raise permanent.