‘I feel seen, I feel heard’ | Knox County Schools approve new budget with pay raises for educators [Video]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knox County Schools passed the budget for the upcoming fiscal year on Thursday. Included in the budget is funding for pay raises across the board, bringing educator salaries to market value for the first time in decades.

School leaders said it’s worth every penny. Teachers in the school district also said they finally feel seen and heard. Chantel Antonas is a seventh grade English teacher at Cedar Bluff Middle. 

She said she joined the field because it focuses on serving students and giving back to the community. She said she earns around $45,000 per year with a master’s degree and five years of experience in the district.

“If I were a single-income household, I don’t know that I would be able to afford an apartment to …