North Carolina lawmakers return to Raleigh on Tuesday for a new session, still without a full state budget after more than a year of negotiations stalled by divisions over spending.
Teacher pay is expected to be one of the central issues lawmakers will try to resolve. Leaders in both parties agree that raises are needed, but they remain divided on how much to increase salaries and how to structure those raises.
House Republicans have proposed an average 8.7% raise over two years, including a 22% increase in starting pay. Senate Republicans, citing concerns about long-term costs, have backed a smaller plan, offering about 3.3% over the same period, supplemented by one-time bonuses…