Teachers tell Washington Elementary board stipends fall short amid retention worries

At the Sept. 25 Washington Elementary School District governing board meeting, teachers and a local union representative criticized recent one-time stipends as insufficient to address retention and recruitment challenges.

The complaints came during the public-participation portion of the meeting, where Grant Thompson, a special-education math teacher at Desert Foothills, and Julie Even, speaking on behalf of the Washington District Education Association, told the board the district’s stipend program does not match competitors and undermines morale.

Thompson, who said he has taught in the district three years, urged the board to consider regional salary differences and retention data. “A $300 thank you feels insulting,” he said, describing the stipend offered to some teachers. He compared local pay with cited figures for other districts, saying, for example, that Portland-area starting pay approaches $69,800 and that some districts offer higher special-education supplements. Thompson also said his wife, a district paraprofessional, earns $17.16 an hour here versus about $24.90 an hour in Portland.

Julie Even, representing the Washington District Education Association and speaking on behalf of teacher Bridal Karjinski, said the stipend amounts fell short of expectations even when teachers were grateful for the support. “Her stipend was $560 this year. Yes, she is grateful for the money that was given. Absolutely. Yes, she is still disappointed,” Even said, adding that long-term staff with substantial contributions feel undervalued when district leadership salaries remain far higher.

Board members acknowledged the concerns but made no formal changes at the meeting. Governing Board President Kyle Clayton and members said they understood the frustration and described the district’s limited fiscal flexibility, noting competing demands on district funds and the uncertainties of state and federal funding.

District staff did not present a motion or vote related to stipends during the meeting. Board members and staff indicated they will continue internal discussions about compensation, messaging, and budget options and consider agenda items for future meetings to address employee pay and retention.

The public comment exchange highlighted three concrete points for follow-up: the stipend amounts cited by teachers ($300 and $560 in speakers’ examples), comparative local-market salary data provided by the speakers, and teachers’ plea for the board to prioritize earlier and clearer steps to retain experienced staff. The board did not commit to a timeline at the meeting for further action.