NC legislature's impact on the labor market for teachers

The about-to-be approved NC budget will have a far-reaching impact on the teaching profession in NC.  As reported in today's N&O, tenure will be eliminated for newly-hired teachers.  Teachers who earn masters degrees in the future will not receive any salary premium.  The NC Teaching Fellows program is kaput.  Plus teachers, like all other state employees, will receive no pay raise. 

The net effect of all of these steps is likely to be a sharp reduction in the number of young people who enter the teaching profession.  In a free market, salaries would increase should a shortage arise.  But with many years of tight budgets ahead (thanks to the tax cuts passed by same legislature), raises are not in the cards.  So expect the legislature to open up more channels for individuals who do not have teaching certifications to enter the profession.