Budget director says administration will find a way to fund raises if GDOE can't cover it

One way or another, educators will get their well-earned pay raises.

That’s the administration’s pledge even if the U.S. Department of Education does not approve the use of the federal funds that local officials are counting on. 

There’s been plenty of celebration over the governor’s announcement of a 20 percent pay hike and increments for teachers and administrators. But in a budget hearing Thursday, Superintendent Jon Fernandez confirmed he still has to get USDOE’s blessing to use some $10 million dollars in federal funding for current fiscal year raises. Budget Director Lester Carlson says not to worry, he’s got it covered.

"I don’t think anybody questions the need for retention and morale that this is primarily designed to address," he said. "Now we’re squabbling about money at a time when the general fund now is $63 million dollars over adopted, that’s just month to month."

For next fiscal year and beyond, GDOE will need another $30 million to cover it. And shortly after yesterday’s budget hearing education chair Sen. Telena Nelson introduced a bill appropriating the additional $30 million for GDOE in Fiscal Year 2023. But Carlson says that was already accounted for as well.

"The chairman of ways and means he was in coordination and communication throughout the process," he said. "And he made positive statements to that effect as well, that he will ensure that it's incorporated into the ’23 budget. So I’m not really sure why we’re talking about the cart before the horse."

It may be because the announcement of the $10 million in raises for this year came before getting approval from USDOE, and because the $30 million is not part of GDOE’s FY23 budget request.

"From the administration’s standpoint, we will make the funds available to DOE if it's necessary to be able to cover ’22 teacher raise requirements. Simple, we’ll find a way." 

When pressed on where specifically the money would come from?

"It's kinda like when I serve you pork adobo, you’re gonna love it, but you’re not gonna get outta me the recipe. You’re just gonna say how did you do this," Carlson said. "Well I did it, but you don’t need to know how I did it, just as long as I did it."

Hundreds of GDOE teachers and administrators are counting on it.