News Summary
The three largest school districts in Lexington County are implementing significant salary increases for teachers and staff to combat recruitment challenges. Lexington 2 has approved a $1,000 raise for teachers, while Lexington 1 raises starting salaries to $52,000. Lexington-Richland 5 is set to increase base pay for new teachers to $50,992. These measures aim to attract and retain educators amidst a growing teacher shortage in South Carolina.
Lexington, South Carolina — In a significant move to address recruitment challenges, the three largest school districts in Lexington County have announced salary increases for teachers and staff for the 2025-2026 academic year. All districts plan to exceed the state’s minimum starting salary of $48,500 for first-year teachers, with specific amounts varying by district.
The Lexington 2 school district, which serves approximately 8,500 students, has approved a budget that includes a $1,000 salary increase for teachers. Additionally, support staff will receive a 2% raise, while administrators will see a 1% increase. The total financial impact of these salary increments will surpass $1.5 million. Consequently, property tax rates will be raised, estimated to cost homeowners with a $250,000 market value home an additional $20 per year. Initially proposed at $1,500, the teacher raise was amended to $1,000 before the budget’s approval. As of June 19, Lexington 2 reported 18 teacher vacancies and 20 support staff vacancies, a reduction from the over 40 vacant teaching positions just a month earlier.
Lexington 1 school district has also taken similar action, raising its minimum starting salary for teachers to $52,000, reflecting a $3,000 increase from the previous year. Support staff and bus drivers in Lexington 1 will receive a 3% salary hike, while administrators will get a 1% raise. The district has invested over $12 million based on recommendations from its Salary Study Committee, ultimately aimed at providing consistent pay increases and recognizing the contributions of experienced employees. Interestingly, the new budget that accommodates these salary increases does not include property tax hikes for district landowners. By July 3, Lexington 1 had seven vacant teaching positions and serves nearly 27,000 students.
In further developments, the Lexington-Richland 5 district announced that the base pay for new teachers holding bachelor’s degrees will increase to $50,992 for the upcoming school year, with a total pay package, including retention incentives, reaching $54,492. Support staff and bus drivers will receive a 2% pay increase as well. However, the district’s budget will necessitate a 7.4% tax increase. As of July 2, Lexington-Richland 5 was facing 61 teaching vacancies out of a total of 153 vacancies, while serving nearly 17,000 students.
These salary increases come against a backdrop of ongoing teacher shortages that began surfacing in South Carolina in May 2024. This shortage has deprived many students of qualified instructors, prompting action from local and state educational authorities. In a positive turn, the number of teaching vacancies within South Carolina decreased for the first time since the 2019-2020 school year after it peaked last year with a record 1,613 vacant positions at the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year, a figure that subsequently fell by 35% as the new school year progressed.
Additionally, state legislators recently passed a bill that will aid teachers in maintaining their certification after leaving their jobs, which is expected to contribute to better retention rates of educators in the state.
Throughout these developments, Lexington 2 has consistently approved salary increases over the past several years, raising the starting salary to $51,000 for this academic year, up from $50,000 for the 2024-2025 school year. Since the 2021-2022 school year, the minimum starting salary in Lexington 2 has surged by over $10,000, reflecting a commitment to attracting and retaining talented educators. Teachers in this district are remunerated based on their education levels and years of experience, underscoring an effort to ensure fair compensation for all staff.
As school districts continue to navigate the complexities of staffing challenges and compensation, these measures signal a concerted effort to enhance the teaching profession’s attractiveness and ensure quality education for Lexington County students.
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Additional Resources
- South Carolina Daily Gazette
- Lexington Chronicle
- WLTX
- The State
- Post and Courier
- Wikipedia: Education in South Carolina
- Google Search: teacher salary South Carolina
Author: STAFF HERE LEXINGTON WRITER
The LEXINGTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERELexington.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Lexington, Fayette County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Woodland Art Fair, Crave Food and Music Festival, and Railbird Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like Commerce Lexington and Blue Grass Community Foundation, plus leading businesses in education, manufacturing, and technology that power the local economy such as University of Kentucky, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, and Lexmark. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREBowlingGreen.com and HERELouisville.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Kentucky's dynamic landscape.
