Last year, the board increased wages by an estimated 6%, which were increased again by 4.5% in the new plan.
“We have had retention issues with teachers; we’ve had morale issues on campus; it has been harder than ever to be in education,” Board President José Macias said. “Last year, I was really proud to lead a 6% raise because it told our teachers we appreciated them. It also sent a huge message that we want them to stay.”
The details
Under the new plan, a 4.5% increase to the midpoint rate for teachers, nurses, counselors and librarians was added, which makes the starting salary for new teachers $60,264, according to documents submitted by district staff.
Auxiliary and paraprofessional staff, which includes police officers, bus drivers and other positions, received a 5.5% raise on the midpoint. Administrative/professional staff was given a 3% raise on the midpoint.
Alongside these wage increases, various incentives for all staff were approved within the plan.
Meeting highlights
Originally, the raise for teachers was set as a 3% increase. During the meeting, the board of trustees approved an additional 1.5% increase, which adds an estimated $3 million expense to the budget.
Trustees Suzanne Kenoyer and Jennifer Rodríguez voted against the additional increase due to concerns about the budget deficit and ensuring the district is not spending an amount that may be unsustainable.
“Recurring costs cannot continue to dump into the general fund,” Kenoyer said. “We can’t take out a fund balance every year in a deficit budget.”
The district will also be undergoing an audit that focuses on the compensation plan and helps provide data to give the district information on where improvements can be made.
Macias said the board of trustees will be tasked with hard decisions by the time the audit is complete and the next budget comes around.
“We have work to do; we have compensations to adjust; and the work is going to continue in earnest as we finish this year, so I will go ahead and make that motion,” Macias said.
The full compensation plan discussion can be watched here.
