DeKalb County decides against slashing teacher salaries | Schools

ATLANTA -- The DeKalb County School District has decided not to cut teacher salaries for the 2012-2013 school year despite facing a shortfall of about $70 million.

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On Tuesday afternoon, Superintendant Cheryl Atkinson sent out a statement saying she intended to submit a balanced budget to the board and that it would not include a reduction in pay.

Last month, teachers had received letters showing their contracts would be worth 6.25 percent less than last year.

The DeKalb County School district is now saying that those letters were sent out by "mistake."

District spokesman Walter Woods told Jeff Hullinger Monday that salaries would be "adjusted" after the school board approves the budget.

And that the letter was standard operating procedure.

Dave Schutten, President of the Organization of DeKalb Educators, said, "Teachers are making less than they were 5 years ago."