SC teachers now get paid parental leave. How does it compare to other southeast states?

South Carolina is the first state in the southeast to offer six weeks of parental leave for school district employees, among the highest amount compared to other southeastern states without teachers having to dip into vacation or sick days.

The new law took effect in June, but Gov. Henry McMaster held a ceremonial bill signing Wednesday morning at the South Pointe High School Gymnasium in Rock Hill to highlight the benefit.

“When it comes to a student’s academic achievement, we know that quality classroom teachers matter more than any other aspect of schooling,” McMaster said according to a press release by his staff. “This policy, coupled with a 41% increase in minimum starting teacher pay since 2018, will help us continue to improve our ability to recruit and retain the best teachers.”

Less than one fifth of the nation’s largest school districts offer paid parental leave for teachers, according to a survey by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Georgia offers three weeks of paid leave and Alabama, Florida and Mississippi abide the 12 week unpaid leave, required under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

North Carolina offers eight weeks of paid leave.

South Carolina passed a law in 2022 where state employees were granted the six weeks off and paid, but teachers weren’t included. Now, the law includes school district employees, colleges and employees at state agencies.

To mirror the benefit given to state employees, the new laws require school districts to provide up to six weeks of paid maternity leave for the birth or adoption of a child and two weeks of paid time off if the school district employee is a co-parent.

Sherry East, president of the South Carolina Education Association, said they are “thrilled and thankful” that teachers will now be included under paid leave.

“I think it’ll be an incentive for folks to go into teaching,” East said. “I think everybody hopes it’ll keep people in the classroom.”

She added that while the proposal is helpful, the association wishes the state was paying for it instead of the responsibility being allotted to the districts. She said they are going to continue to push for funding from the state.

East also mentioned the current teacher shortage, brought upon by a number of issues including teacher pay. While the new law is a step in the right direction, there’s still many issues to address.

The state has been working to increase teacher pay as a way to address the teacher shortage. The minimum starting salary in S.C. is $42,500, but the state has a goal to raise the minimum to $50,000 by 2026, the press release read.

“Six years ago, the minimum starting teacher salary was $30,113,” the release read.

This story was originally published August 16, 2023 at 4:26 PM.