[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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",6501073,"mediaKeyId","5588614-024f202b10a1b40e6f1ad31f2debb60b","parentId",5588614,"title","Washington Elementary board approves superintendent communication protocols and performance-based compensation goals","audioSeconds",1537,"startMs",7512840,"endMs",9050000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5588614-024f202b10a1b40e6f1ad31f2debb60b&start=7512&end=9050","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5588614-024f202b10a1b40e6f1ad31f2debb60b/thumbnail_7512840.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6501073/Arizona/Washington-Elementary-board-approves-superintendent-communication-protocols-and-performance-based-compensation-goals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501073-23e7c5257f8dbf3b43098f13d31b880b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770386292&Signature=lwW-EfLyIBanxfN731uplS-94Rwx2oy~AGVrJR5wpD8xYBnJr3Er-qAE~fd72q7kuVuCXe9U3rpwxcteWgukllwvgg2FOVRkDzBXCuxy272xLDXuW1uW6e-~Nwk9b86-XG9xbPpMI0sBA3Qmz8DN9Jj-suMFItnoHnzKEC6IpSRdavGMZuPQtM5uTcJF2bsywMwgilVMJyla8CwJUmYLgoMzmN~PDlp936rEzNCVnkrNPb4R38ixPhH9e3ELNP~29W~PAJWWCvBwCn2bNOj3-2ObAIepGUleH~EgEkB-R7yqIt6a522RH8TD7eYhJFAP2UhCWKOcAPUhaK-20wsJ7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washington Elementary School District","date","2025-08-11T22:51:29Z","article","The Washington Elementary School District governing board voted on Aug. 14, 2025, to adopt a board–superintendent communication protocol, approve performance-based compensation goals (to be used for superintendent performance pay), and to name three superintendent guardrails focused on resource equity, special education needs and students' holistic well-being.

The board approved the communication protocol after a study session and related review. The vote passed with no opposition recorded during the roll call for that item.

On performance-based compensation, Dr. Hector Hightower, the interim superintendent, described the packet the board had reviewed in work sessions and said the proposed goals drew on stakeholder feedback and prior discussions. \"From our discussion and our dialogue, it really revolved around creating two academic goals that we discussed at length at the work study session and also adding two of the highest scoring goals from the stakeholder feedback that our governing board members received,\" Dr. Hightower said.

Board members debated how the district would measure the goals. Several members raised whether to rely on the state standardized assessment or local formative tools such as STAR and i-Ready for monitoring progress. One board member said the state test is the public-facing measure the community looks to; others argued that local formative assessments are useful for monitoring curriculum effectiveness and implementation. Dr. Hightower and district staff said the state assessment would be used for the one-year goal but that progress monitoring would include local measures such as STAR and i-Ready.

The board then selected superintendent guardrails (limitations and accountability expectations for the superintendent). After discussion, members adopted three guardrails: 1) the superintendent shall not allow an inequitable distribution of resources across schools; 2) the superintendent shall not neglect the needs of the special education student population; and 3) the superintendent shall highly regard the holistic needs of students, including social, emotional, extracurricular and physical well-being. The motion to adopt those guardrails passed with one member voting no and the motion carried.

Board members also discussed guardrail counts and scope; the board limited additional guardrails to a maximum that would keep the superintendent’s performance expectations focused and measurable. Several members asked staff to clarify how each guardrail would be monitored and reported.

Ending note: The approved protocols, goals and guardrails set the framework for superintendent evaluation and performance pay; district staff will return with implementation details and measurement methods for board review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","WESD Regular Governing Board Meeting and Executive Session - August 14, 2025, at 6:15 p.m.","oneSentenceSummary","The WESD governing board approved board–superintendent communication protocols, two performance-based compensation goals, and three superintendent guardrails tied to accountability and equity; the board debated measurement methods for academic goals.","taxTitle","Washington Elementary School District (4260), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",12983,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6501078,"Teachers, union urge Washington Elementary board to fix pay gap between new hires and returning staff",1090,1706420,2796845,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5588614-024f202b10a1b40e6f1ad31f2debb60b&start=1706&end=2796","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5588614-024f202b10a1b40e6f1ad31f2debb60b/thumbnail_1706420.jpg","/articles/6501078/Arizona/Teachers-union-urge-Washington-Elementary-board-to-fix-pay-gap-between-new-hires-and-returning-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501078-9c380dceb109059cd21ce7f70c98aa3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770386292&Signature=UHPD4hOcjzmOCR0PQAWbwejHDydGTgs272MyVebV1R5-lHa3q4nfOt1HErr~JcHW6s3Yg4gX8vhrWOr0kCBVvi2Os9IQ1dklOb5fL-1VhxzLF883Jffxemm4EKTNohsQwWvyq48Gu3tog74RIg8kphZOe9kJ9HTykLtURP57Yl50XDdeX74jVK4r08EKRcTmqzFcutfBv8oXE~z3vxaMms7BJBO7JGMTE291PV1klL6wY4McHM76oV~kEB2fueLDUEYkCUagQqS3uCdiU-rhEdqu3h~qOav8fNKb6Aj6u5BbndxnrYly8PS7d-oQ5rL6~RC7-IYAWt40d6HNREPItQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Washington Elementary School District governing board meeting on Aug. 14, 2025, seven district employees and the WDEA union urged the board to address what speakers described as a growing salary inequity: a new-hire salary placement the speakers said pays some recently hired teachers thousands of dollars more than experienced district staff.

The concern centered on a salary placement schedule that speakers said appears on the district website and that they said results in “salary compression” — a situation where new hires receive starting pay higher than returning teachers with equal or greater experience. Jamie Peterson, a student services specialist at Royal Palm Middle School, told the board she would earn about $7,000 more if she were hired today under the new schedule.

\"If I walked into WESD today as a brand new hire, I'd be offered $7,000 more than what I'm making after 4 years of service and dedication,\" Jamie Peterson said. She said the gap is forcing experienced educators to consider leaving the district.

Several other speakers gave concrete examples and calculations. Julie Benier told the board she had previously estimated a districtwide cost to fix placements at $13 million but said her own spreadsheet — extrapolated from figures for one school and then across 33 schools — showed a much smaller number. \"If we use that number and multiply it by the 33 schools in our district, the cost would be just under $3,800,000, obviously much less than $13,000,000,\" Benier said.

Kelly Fortner, a district teacher, said the posted new-hire placement for her experience and education level was $64,500 — $4,839 more than her current salary. Kathleen Burke, a teacher at Shaw Butte, said a new hire with identical qualifications made $2,143 more than she does. Britney Karjinski, president of the Washington District Education Association, said the typical gap she had heard from returning educators ranged from about $5,000 to $6,000.

Speakers framed the issue as a retention and equity problem. \"When teachers leave, students lose connections and relationships,\" Jamie Peterson said. Others called the practice unfair to teachers who have taken on district-specific training, leadership and community work over multiple years.

Board members did not take an immediate vote to change pay. Instead, at the end of the meeting a board member asked the superintendent to place a specific item on a future board agenda: to conduct a salary study addressing compression and to have the district's IBM committee review the study and present results to the board. That request was made as a future-agenda item rather than as formal board action at the meeting.

Discussion vs. formal action: the public comments portion of the meeting consisted of public testimony and union statements (discussion). The board recorded no immediate change to the salary schedule during the meeting; the board member request to direct the superintendent to present a salary-study plan was a request for staff follow-up and a future agenda item, not a final decision at this session.

Clarifying details provided to the board included cost estimates and individual examples of salary differentials: Jamie Peterson said a $7,000 differential for her case; Julie Benier provided a districtwide estimate she calculated of just under $3.8 million (contrasting with a $13 million figure she said she had been told); Kelly Fortner cited a $4,839 gap in her case; Kathleen Burke cited a $2,143 gap for her situation. Speakers also said the posted schedule had the effect of raising new-hire offers above the pay of current employees with comparable qualifications.

The board did not change the posted salary placement during the meeting. Board and staff discussion later in the agenda acknowledged the comments and directed staff follow-up through a future agenda item to present options for addressing compression.

Ending note: Several speakers thanked the board for listening and urged prompt action; the board's next steps were limited to directing a future agenda item, with any concrete policy changes or budgetary decisions to be considered at later meetings.","At the Aug. 14 Washington Elementary School District governing board meeting, multiple teachers and the WDEA union urged the board to address a new-hire salary schedule that places some incoming teachers at higher pay than longtime employees and asked the board to study salary compression.","actionData","errors"]

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Washington Elementary board approves superintendent communication protocols and performance-based compensation goals

Teachers, union urge Washington Elementary board to fix pay gap between new hires and returning staff