Current North Carolina Master of Education graduates earn between 10 and 15 percent more than teachers in N.C. who do not hold a master's degree. But that bonus is no longer guaranteed.
As a result of Governor McCrory's $7.9 billion education budget, M.Ed graduates are no longer ensured bonuses.
The changes go in effect on Jan. 1. In order to make sure Elon grad students are elligible for larger salaries, graduate students in Elon's Master of Education program are being pushed to graduate early.
"In spite of everything that happened, I would still recommend that a teacher get a master's degree," Interim Dean of the School Education Deborah Long said.
President Lambert agrees and hopes this won't stand.
"I think it is exactly the wrong message to give to teachers and that is I hope a law that will not stand," President Lambert said. "You want to continue to invest in the professional development of teachers. They are doing the most important work imaginable in the world and for very low pay. That I think in my personally opinion is bad public policy."
Governor McCrory has defended his budget and has called it fiscally responsible. Governor McCrory's education budget also calls for an additional $12.4 million to fund services for at risk four-year-olds and provides $12 million for digital learning efforts.
Long says despite the absence of the pay raise, there is still value in a Master of Education degree at Elon
"Education is something no one can take away from you, you can lose your car, your health, your house. But once you have an education, you have it for life," Long said.