CHAPEL HILL – Amid budget cuts in North Carolina, your local U.S. Representative, David Price’s bill entitled the Keep Teachers Teaching Act, would allow schools to apply for federal grants to develop programs that aim to keep teachers working in education.

“The strongest local districts and state systems could apply for the funds and then we would disseminate the results,” Price says.

The Congressional Research Service says that half of all K-12 teachers move to a different career after five years of being hired.

“There are many reasons for that, but my fear is that in North Carolina, those reasons have just become stronger,” Price says.

Both Congressman Price and the co-sponsor of the Keep Teachers Teaching Act, North Carolina Representative G. K. Butterfield, say the education bills they are introducing into Congress are meant to help states like North Carolina where budgets have cut back on education.

“Part of it is being diverted to public schools through vouchers, but part of it is just for a nice tax cut, mainly for wealthier people,” Price says.

Rep. Price is also co-sponsoring a bill that Rep. Butterfield introduced that would increase the federal funds for teachers who work in low-income schools.