FARGO — Driving past a McDonald's on South University, a flashy help wanted sign caught Robin Nelson’s attention. As a board member for Fargo Public Schools, the $17 an hour advertisement came as a shock.

Part-time help or short-term substitute teachers in Fargo’s public schools earn $112 a day, which averages to $16 an hour. Beginning paraeducators earn about $15 an hour. There are bonuses and perks that the district offers, but base pay is still lower than a fast food worker’s hourly wage.

And that is a troubling fact for Nelson and other board members.

“How are we going to continue to compete with those types of salaries?” Nelson said.

“I have sincere and growing concerns about the financial limitations imposed on our school districts from the state legislative level and how those limits will hamper districts' ability to provide competitive salaries, especially in today’s job market,” Nelson said during a recent school board meeting.

The state legislature limits how much school districts can raise property taxes through mill levies, as public school systems in North Dakota are funded in part through property taxes.

With an annual budget of about $197 million and an average cost per pupil of $14,491.29 as of last school year, 57% of the district’s funds come from the state, 29% comes from local property taxes, 11% comes from the federal government and 3% from grants and other sources, said district spokeswoman AnnMarie Campbell.

During the last legislative session,...

Read Full Story: https://www.inforum.com/news/fargo/with-fast-food-workers-making-more-than-su...