[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6537446,"mediaKeyId","3553273-0e0e87115ffb69248bb285fae3492ef9","parentId",3553273,"title","Mesa board approves 2025–26 compensation plan including $900 one‑time stipend for returning employees","audioSeconds",3577,"startMs",954000,"endMs",4531000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3553273-0e0e87115ffb69248bb285fae3492ef9&start=954&end=4531","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3553273-0e0e87115ffb69248bb285fae3492ef9/thumbnail_954000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6537446/Arizona/Mesa-board-approves-202526-compensation-plan-including-900-onetime-stipend-for-returning-employees","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6537446-5115c4fe47cf3ca6f4c84be7fa4c0ed9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775022833&Signature=Rx52sLiBdb7YQHizYHJdRCdiwKQFP55bMDpPIWU59GGGgmwuhwQwnDcerxzdxnaJKXO0vWlo8WD~RCDQE~t4Ie58m01lRhKruYsSMR2PyARrnOgcJ126MRh2yBir-NOq26hpblTR-ICQssk5jBOB9re7s2vv9OLQnRDA-4CD6sE7xUWvb2aCr5pYaseIyD7aNjmAVmkY9GP0VyxyR4cKDjFQRpE~U-3oBi-wGQzjC3xmsk5KDbsDaeHch0LbPCZPb6Fz1gceD0JBxW9u4Pgau7zbX0Z8QylXuN3aaz~1g5dF8796EpURGoqIHfgAlsA5yNbbcaj-eoPOgbWUfHJsAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mesa Unified District (4235)","date","2025-05-28T15:37:52Z","article","The Mesa Public Schools Governing Board approved the district's 2025–26 compensation plan Tuesday, voting 5–0 to adopt recommendations that include a $900 one‑time payment for returning employees and a set of procedural changes intended to improve transparency and payroll timing.

The plan, presented to the board by district staff member Mister Wing, includes a $900 one‑time stipend prorated by FTE for returning certified and certain non‑classroom employees; the district expects to pay a portion of the stipend from Classroom Site Fund (Prop 123) dollars and other one‑time state maintenance and operations funding. \"A $900 stipend for returning employees\" was described by Mister Wing as a one‑time payment and not ongoing compensation.

The compensation package grew out of the district's formal meet‑and‑confer process, which district teachers'and classified staff said involved regular meetings since November. Kelly Berg, a math teacher at Dobson High School and president of the Mesa Education Association, said the employee groups worked together in the meet‑and‑confer process and urged board approval: \"It is my hope that you will approve these recommendations.\" Tiffany Matthews, president of MESPA (which represents classified employees), thanked the district and employee groups for the collaborative process and noted the inclusion of a reopener clause should the state provide additional funding.

Key provisions approved by the board:
- $900 one‑time stipend for returning employees, prorated by FTE; district staff said some funding will come from Classroom Site Fund (Prop 123) and state one‑time m&O dollars. The district said the $900 payment will not apply to new employees.
- Addition of a midyear salary adjustment opportunity for staff who complete college credits, intended to reduce delays when credits are completed after the prior single adjustment window.
- A one‑year, limited change allowing certain less‑than‑12‑month office staff (elementary and junior high secretaries/registrars/office specialists) to work the day following fall and winter breaks for the 2025–26 school year only.
- Proposal to cap hourly summer pay for 9‑month classified employees who accept temporary summer work at $25 per hour (aligned with the district's noninstructional teacher rate), as a one‑year policy the presentation said.
- Publication and annual review of salary schedules (minimum and maximum per pay grade); the district said the schedules will appear internally and as part of job postings. Legacy employees whose pay exceeds new maximums will retain existing wages and be transitioned as legacy employees, staff said.

Board members who spoke during the discussion framed the plan as the product of negotiation and compromise amid limited funding. Board member Benson and others thanked the meet‑and‑confer teams and HR for their work; Benson asked for confirmation that legacy employees would not lose wages under the new ranges, and staff confirmed they would be treated as legacy employees. Board member Walden praised the transparency of posting salary ranges and the plan to return to negotiations if additional funding becomes available.

Mister Wing told the board the $900 stipend would be prorated and that roughly \"a little over $4,000,000\" would be paid from the Classroom Site Fund toward eligible certified employees, and that state one‑time m&O funds were being leveraged to extend some payments beyond classroom‑eligible staff. Board discussion clarified that Prop 123 (Classroom Site Fund) is statutorily limited to classroom teachers as defined by statute; the district said it used other state one‑time funds to extend the stipend to additional returning employees where allowable.

Several board members requested follow‑up work: a third‑party stipend audit over the summer, clearer descriptions on stipend schedule rows (for example, distinguishing high school and junior high stipend amounts), and further review of how combined teams and participation affect stipend allocations. The board asked staff to return with clarifying documentation and to implement the midyear credit‑submission change and salary schedule publication as described.

The board approved the 2025–26 compensation plan by a 5–0 vote. The approval followed public comments from labor representatives who asked the board to adopt the negotiated package.

The governing board's vote is final for adopting the plan; staff said communications would go to employees about the plan and the district's timeline for implementing changes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Governing Board Virtual Meeting - May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Mesa Public Schools Governing Board approved the district's 2025–26 compensation plan Tuesday, voting 5–0 to adopt recommendations that include a $900 one‑time payment for returning employees and procedural changes intended to improve transparency and payroll timing.","taxTitle","Mesa Unified District (4235), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",13601,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6537441,"Votes at a glance: Mesa board approves personnel requests, contracts, instructional materials and stipends",0,1404000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3553273-0e0e87115ffb69248bb285fae3492ef9&start=1404&end=1404","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3553273-0e0e87115ffb69248bb285fae3492ef9/thumbnail_1404000.jpg","/articles/6537441/Arizona/Votes-at-a-glance-Mesa-board-approves-personnel-requests-contracts-instructional-materials-and-stipends","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6537441-a5d574232693d09145c163c9b2216b75/orig.mp4?Expires=1775022833&Signature=gACUhDNfJwlEgis6tuWTfnF~DNMSqZ43PAUJQ4S2NsHFVAekHhqEg4jErFaFlqtK0HmcQJpJs57WQN34lPRJNP4A1HuyUjjHr6f3uoGdMh7OqAiqRAjFQKWmK3CJ0NA0lmv~ATSaylusW1tqhee2KBPNhgQFWQoT8OOcWiSy0btp99gNtxOfixsUlEoQhbgSLsOn8t9rzHoX-aBxdpYePgU2mf5mhf7qCge0rZQ~TBuemMCrUWIcRXsDgzZNU0h6NRjRzVLIXwIP29TT2n9Z2vwxio4D0-bhmGAXmi~Jq1sL5Aki5LDqHRTsXKA0ZMrUPleTXjY9MxHGKOtFA4s8ug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mesa Public Schools Governing Board on Tuesday approved a series of routine and action items in a single meeting, voting unanimously (5–0) on personnel matters, contract renewals, sole‑source approvals, a contract increase for Apple computers used in career and technical education (CTE), instructional resources and a stipend/temporary salary schedule.

Votes and key details
- Personnel request (including addendum): Approved 5–0. The board approved personnel items and said two incoming principals will be recognized at the June 10 meeting.
- Consent agenda: Approved 5–0. All consent items were approved as presented with no roll calls requested.
- 02/2526 contract renewals (procurement \"opening of the store\"): Approved 5–0. District staff said renewals include contracts established by prior awards as well as cooperative and sole‑source transitions that often follow an original competitive award; the amounts are maximums based on historical spending and usage is controlled by budget allocations.
- 02/2526 cooperative contract renewals: Approved 5–0.
- Annual sole‑source approvals for 02/2526: Approved 5–0. District staff explained many sole‑source vendors began as competitively awarded contracts and later become sole source because replacement would be costlier or disruptive (for example, core student information or accounting systems).
- Contract increase for Apple computers (CTE): Approved 5–0. The board approved a $1,000,000 contract increase to purchase Apple computers for career and technical education multimedia classrooms; staff said the timing allowed devices to be imaged and ready by the first day of school and could avoid price increases.
- Instructional resources (MA67 Financial Algebra and MA57 Introduction to Statistics): Approved 5–0. Board members noted the materials went through the 60‑day public process.
- 02/2526 stipend and temporary salary schedule: Approved 5–0. Board members discussed clarifying descriptors (for example, differentiating high school and junior high stipend rows) and requested a third‑party stipend audit; staff said the district spends approximately $40,000,000 annually on stipends and an audit will be completed this summer.

Board members asked clarifying questions before several votes. On the contract renewals, Member Hutchinson asked whether out‑of‑state employee travel requires board approval; staff confirmed that out‑of‑state travel requires board approval and tighter controls have been added because of budget constraints. On sole‑source approvals, board members asked whether volunteer fingerprinting costs are borne by volunteers; staff said volunteers are not charged for fingerprinting and the district cannot charge them.

For the Apple contract increase, Member Walden asked for background comparing this request to a prior laptop refresh; staff said availability of CTE funds and a fast vendor turnaround prompted the earlier refresh and the vendor was able to deliver units to be ready by June 30.

All motions were approved by a 5–0 vote. The board adjourned the meeting at 6:24 p.m.","At its virtual meeting the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board approved a slate of routine and action items, including personnel requests, contract renewals, sole‑source approvals, a $1,000,000 contract increase for Apple computers for CTE, instructional resources and the temporary stipend schedule; all motions passed 5–0.","actionData","errors"]

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Mesa board approves 2025–26 compensation plan including $900 one‑time stipend for returning employees

Votes at a glance: Mesa board approves personnel requests, contracts, instructional materials and stipends