Support for CHCCS budget expansion from a local teacher- please read

[carolyn mitlehner]

To whom it may concern:

Good afternoon, my name is Carolyn M., and I teach fifth grade in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School District. I am writing to express my support for the CHCCS budget request that will be discussed at this evening’s meeting. While I would love to speak at the meeting, I will have my toddler with me and will need to get her to bed, so I hope that you all will read this and understand the passion behind my statements:

I am currently finishing my 3rd year of teaching, so I will return in the fall with a full license. I have been in the district since 2020 as a student teacher, and have already seen drastic changes to the makeup of the district. Before I became a teacher however, I was a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, like many other employees of this school district. I hold two undergraduate degrees in both Human Development and Family Studies, and Sociology. As well as a Master’s of Arts in Teaching, also from UNC.

A few years before I became a student at UNC, the university removed the option to receive a Bachelor’s in Education, and only presented the option to take a 5th year to earn a Master’s. At the time, this was a viable option for me, so I stayed the 5th year, and graduated debt free. For many students in my cohort, this 5th year presented as a major financial burden, one they are still working to pay off to this day. I believe that because our district does not offer Master’s pay, and the surrounding districts do, many students from recent cohorts have been opting to seek employment in those districts instead. When I began my career, I was in a place to take accept lower pay, but now with a child of my own and the desire to purchase a home for my child to grow up in, this no longer seems like a justifiable option. How can it be justifiable to be the closest district to a university that forces an extra year, but does not pay its employees what they have earned?

At this time, my boyfriend and I rent a home in Durham where we reside with our daughter, two dogs, and one cat. Our rent is $2000 a month for a small, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home, and this price is on the lower end for the area. When the owners bought the house 8 years ago, they paid around $160,000, and the house is now “valued” at $360,000. As someone who lives in it, it is not worth that price. The walls are cracking, everything is outdated, and the property is never dry. After rent, a monthly car payment, utilities, medical bills, and occasional childcare for our daughter, the combined income of my boyfriend (who works part-time so he can stay home with our daughter as we cannot currently afford daycare) and I leaves very little wiggle room in our tight budget. I do not say this to complain, but rather to paint a picture of what young professionals, families, and individuals who are just starting out are having to deal with.

I have come to realize that even though I love CHCCS with all of my heart, it may no longer be a viable option for my family. It is becoming more likely that I will take the path of many members of my cohort, and leave for a higher paying district. I do not want to do this, and I know so many of my peers do not want to either, but with added responsibilities due to so many positions in our district being cut, the perks of working in CHCCS are starting to dwindle. As I mentioned earlier, I have witnessed many changes to the make-up of our school and district as a whole in my short time working here. This coming year, we will be losing part of our TA support, we will no longer have an ITF at our school, we will only have one district coach rather than two, and as teachers, we will be asked to make up for that loss. This may not sound like a big deal, but those were some of the perks that set CHCCS apart from other districts. To lose that and also not be paid even close to what we deserve, is difficult to wrap my head around.

I may be a young teacher, but I am a great teacher. I am qualified, I consistently reflect on my practice, and I put my students first in everything that I do. There are so many young teachers who would be an excellent addition to CHCCS, but they may never even apply knowing that life is becoming less and less affordable, and there are surrounding districts with better options. I would love nothing more than to complete my 30 years in CHCCS, have my daughter learn from the incredible educators that I know and love, and continue to work with members of my exceptional school community. I just don’t know how much longer I can justify working here for so little while also trying to do what is best for my family.

Please consider the budget requests brought forward this evening, and know that there are individuals like me who are counting on you to do what is best.

I will leave you with one last thought. I remember being in 5th grade, and learning from my teacher that the state was removing Master’s pay for teachers. Luckily for her, she would be “grandfathered” in. At that time, I already knew I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up, and I was sure that by the time I became one, this matter would be rectified. I was wrong. While the state may be failing its educators, our county and district do not have to. Please rise to this occasion and help keep excellent teachers in our local schools. Please do not push us away and fail us like so many others have.

Thank you,
Carolyn M.

[Jamezetta Bedford]

Ms. Mitlehner,

On behalf of the Board, thank you for your email describing a truly typical scenario of teacher budgets, opportunities, challenges and such. I assume that was you last night at the meeting with your toddler. Thank you for attending. 

I don't know the financial basis of the choices the School Boards have made in our two districts in Orange County and neighboring districts. CHCCS is the highest funded district per pupil $ in the state for local dollars and has been for decades. The school board has chosen other priorities over restoring Master's Pay. As county commissioners we have provided local funding across the decades without directing the School Boards on how to allocate and spend those funds. It will be a loss for our community should you move to work in another school district/setting. This specific advocacy belongs at the school board level.  

We hear you and others in advocating for more school funding. Others are advocating that we hold the line on tax increases so that they can afford to stay in the county. We are balancing the needs. And, yes the cost of housing has dramatically impacted Triangle residents, particularly younger, elderly and low income  or fixed income households. It is a critical issue. 

The BOCC will continue with budget work session (schools are tomorrow night) and will hold a second public budget hearing on May 29 at 7:00 at the Whitted building in Hillsborough. We will adopt the budget on June 17. 

Thank you,

Jamezetta Bedford, Chair

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From: carolyn mitlehner <carolynm...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2025 4:04 PM
To: ALL_BOCC_MANAGER_CLERK <OCB...@orangecountync.gov>
Subject: Support for CHCCS budget expansion from a local teacher- please read

 

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