CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – The Horry County School Board will put together its first salary study in nearly 15 years, according to HR Committee Chairman, David Cox.
One reason behind the study is to make sure the district is staying competitive in a time of severe teacher shortages across South Carolina.
“The shortage of teachers is very concerning,” said School Board Chairman, Joe DeFeo. “The shortage of teachers is going to be very, very bad if this continues. In five to ten years, we’re simply not going to have the teachers to teach.”
However, the study will include nearly all positions in the district, including janitors, teachers, food service employees, aids and the Superintendent.
“We are doing a salary study from the ground to the ceiling,” added Cox.
Another reason for the study is to look at a shortage of bus drivers. We already know Horry County Schools pays their bus drivers lower hourly wages than drivers are paid in Georgetown. A starting salary rate in HCS is $12 per hour but in Georgetown, they make $12.24 an hour.
“We’re doing a study on their salary to make sure it’s equitable,” said Cox. “They move over 24,000 students a day and that’s a big responsibility because that many parents are entrusting these men and women with their children.”
Cox said the district will hire an outside company to complete the salary study.
“The first step in any process and in any decision is to get facts,” he concludes.
The company hired will look at ten other school districts’ compensation as well as the City of Myrtle Beach, Coastal Carolina University, Horry-Georgetown Technical College and Horry County.
Horry County Schools Spokesperson Teal Harding says the school district is not yet accepting bids from companies who would like to do the study. A date on when the bid process will begin was not available as of Thursday evening.