FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) – Educators with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in North Carolina aren’t getting the raise they expected due to a multi-million dollar calculation error, according to a statement released by the school system.

The original proposed salary schedule sent out to educators had a $16 million calculation error, and the school board is working to revisit the schedule.

WSFCS Superintendent Tricia McManus shared a statement, saying in part that the Board of Education had approved a new supplement model before the holiday break that “listed a significant increase for our Certified Employee supplement.”

“Since that approval, an error in the original calculation has been discovered. Because of that calculation error, the amount approved was roughly $16 million dollars above what was budgeted for local increases,” McManus explains. “It was a significant calculation mistake and thankfully it was captured before the schedule was ever implemented and executed. I join our Finance and Human Resources teams in sincerely apologizing for the mistake and I regret the formula error was not captured before the salary schedules were made public.”

An updated salary schedule is expected to be presented to the Board of Education next week, and a new supplement schedule will be released.

“While it likely will not be as high as the amounts portrayed in the previously approved schedule, as we have said from the beginning of this process, we are committed to ensuring a significant supplement increase for our staff.  The goal of our proposal will be to minimize the gap between what was published in December and what is more in line with the amount of money available for supplements,” McManus says.

According to McManus, the proposal will include a minimum average annual supplement increase of $1,800 with the beginning teacher annual supplement being a minimum of $6,400. While the raise won’t be as high as previously expected, it “will be greater than in years past.”

“It is no secret that educators are severely underpaid. While I have little control over state and national funding, I can continue finding local ways to add to our WS/FCS educator pay,” says McManus. “I promise to keep this a priority.”