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Metro school district’s affordable housing plan points out disconnect in cost of living, teacher pay

By Courtney Francisco, WSB-TV
By Courtney Francisco, WSB-TV

DECATUR, Ga. — At least one local school district is getting creative to keep good teachers in your child’s classroom despite challenges with teacher pay.

City Schools of Decatur wants to gives staff an affordable place to live. The board of education approved a measure allowing the superintendent of act on their behalf to apply for two zoning permits.

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The permits would give the district the option to work with the Decatur Land Trust to potentially transition properties the district owns into affordable rental options for CSD employees.

The houses are located on land on Westchester Dr. and McDonough St. The BOE predicts the properties could be turned into duplexes. However, that is uncertain at this time.

While offering affordable housing to teachers could be seen as a benefit, Georgia Association of Educators said it’s a reminder of the real problem. President of the teachers union said that problem is teacher pay.

“I think it says a lot about pay,” said President Lisa Morgan. “When educators cannot afford to live in that community, it does have a disconnect.”

Morgan is pushing lawmakers to increase salaries statewide but said, “I don’t see it getting better over the next few years.”

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That’s why she’s not surprised to hear districts like CSD getting creative to keep and recruit good teachers.

SCD offers first-year teachers with a bachelor’s degree $48,947 a year. That’s more than the state minimum requirement of $39,092.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median yearly income in Decatur is $123,617. Monthly housing cost for a person with a mortgage in Decatur is $2,890.

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