ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Teachers and instructional staff in Buncombe County Schools will not receive a state-funded salary supplement this year after the district lost eligibility for the program, officials said.
In an email sent to employees Monday afternoon, district leaders said the North Carolina certified teacher and instructional personnel supplement — known as PRC071 — will not be included in April paychecks. The district no longer qualifies for the funding because of an increase in the county’s assessed property value.
According to the district, eligibility for the supplement is tied to a county’s adjusted property tax value, which must fall below $50.9 billion. Buncombe County’s tax base rose to about $62.3 billion, exceeding the threshold and disqualifying the district. Officials said Buncombe is now one of four public school systems in the state that do not qualify for the supplement.
District spokesperson Ken Ulmer said the loss of the supplement is also tied to the lack of a finalized state budget.
“For our teachers to receive the PRC071 state supplement, the legislation requires deliberate action by the legislature each year,” Ulmer said. “Had the proposed Senate budget passed, eligibility for the state supplement would have been set at $70 billion for a county’s assessed taxable real property, and Buncombe County teachers would have been eligible this year.”
Ulmer said district leaders had expected the issue to be resolved through the state budgeting process but noted that the North Carolina General Assembly has not yet approved a budget.
He added that while Buncombe County government does not control eligibility for the funding, school officials appreciate the county’s continued support and advocacy.
Teachers in the district received the PRC071 supplement during the 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years after lawmakers approved state budgets that included the funding.
District officials did not disclose how much the supplement would have been or how many employees were impacted.