“Being competitive in the state, and seeking the very best teachers coming out of college and the very best people who want to come and work, compensation is part of that,” Edmonds said. “That’s why we all go to work, right? To make money.”

The current HCS beginning hourly rate for support staff employee on grade 101 — the first level for staff — is $15.77. If the district were to apply the same 3% COLA to support staff, that would raise that salary to $16.24 an hour. 

The total cost to the district of a 3% COLA to the support staff schedule would be $2.7 million. And the cost of a 3% COLA to the non-teaching professional schedule would be $2.1 million.

There was a lengthy discussion about support staff wages being raised by the same 3% COLA as teacher salaries, with many board members noting they would like to know the total cost of raising those salaries even higher. 

Wendy Hodges, the District 4 (Myrtle Beach, Socastee and St. James) representative, said she did not feel a three-percent increase was significant enough.

“When I see three percent here… I would like to see more for them, considering they are helping, and they are in the trenches every day, so they aren’t having to work three jobs,” Hodges said.

“I don’t see much incentive there. These people are valuable. We have talked about how valuable they are to the school. Three percent on someone making $100,000, that’s big. But three percent on somebody making $15.77, I would like to see more there.”

Jones responded positively, asking the board to consider the type of increase they would like to see for support staff members so the district could look at the cost.

“If it’s a priority of the board to get to a number, give us the number you are looking at, and let us plan toward that [per hour] number,” Jones said.

Neil James, the District 10 (Carolina Forest, Conway, Green Sea Floyds and Loris) representative, was one of the board members who agreed with Hodges on the three-percent raise for support staff being low.