Hundreds of North Carolina teachers plan to take personal leave on Wednesday to demonstrate at intersections across Wake County and other areas. The demonstrations are organized by North Carolina Teachers in Action, which plans monthly events through April on the seventh of each month.
As of December, the group had walkout plans at 10 locations in Wake County, two in Gaston County, and one in Mecklenburg County.
Why are teachers striking?
Teachers are calling on state lawmakers to reinstate additional pay for advanced degrees, place a cap on health insurance premium increases, and restore health benefits for retirees.
Durham teacher Matt Townsend said, “Advocacy can do something for kids that deserve a shot, and advocacy can maybe do something to save the teaching profession in North Carolina.”
Wake County third-grade teacher and co-organizer Jennilee Lloyd said, “We’re getting hit harder and harder, and so a lot of educators are at a breaking point where we can’t survive this anymore.”
State data indicates teacher salaries have not kept pace with inflation. In 2025 dollars, some pay steps are thousands of dollars below historical levels.
The House budget proposal includes provisions to restore pay for master’s degrees in teachers’ subject areas and unfreeze step increases. The Senate budget does not include these measures and instead focuses on further tax reduction.
In a May statement, Gov. Josh Stein endorsed the House budget, stating it would make starting teacher salaries the second-highest in the Southeast and provide raises for state employees.
The State Health Plan Board of Trustees last year approved salary-based premiums to address financial shortfalls, leading to increased costs for more than 80% of Wake County school employees. Some now take home less pay despite receiving step increases under a previously approved mini budget.
Only state lawmakers can implement the policy changes being requested. Republican-led legislation in recent years eliminated advanced degree salary supplements, flattened pay after 15 years, and incorporated longevity pay into the main salary scale. Other state employees retained separate longevity pay.
At the time, lawmakers cited research finding little correlation between master’s degrees and student outcomes. More recent studies suggest master’s degrees in subject areas may correlate with higher student achievement. The state instead provides incentives for teachers earning National Board Certification, which requires relicensure every five years.
The Education Law Center, in a recent report, ranked North Carolina last among states and Washington, D.C., in education funding effort—defined as education spending as a share of gross domestic product. The Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank, found state teacher salaries did not keep up with inflation between 2020 and 2023.
North Carolina ranked 39th nationwide for first-year teacher pay in the 2023–24 school year, according to the National Education Association.
Lloyd said some teachers are postponing plans to start families due to concerns about affordability. She and others have argued the state has sufficient revenue to increase education spending.
The walkout efforts gained momentum after anonymous social media posts last fall prompted some teachers to call out on Nov. 7 and Nov. 10. Those absences, though higher than usual in some schools, did not significantly disrupt school operations.
North Carolina Teachers in Action was formed in response, putting forward a public, organized campaign.
On Wednesday, participating teachers intend to gather at intersections near their schools, wear matching shirts, and engage the public in conversations about their policy concerns.
