Board reviews and moves several HR items: teacher contract packet, support-staff premium increase proposed

The Milton School District HR committee presented multiple personnel and compensation items at the May 12 board meeting, including teacher contract documents for 2025–26, proposed support-staff pay adjustments, and a recommendation to increase the employee portion of support-staff health insurance premiums.

Administration reported the board previously ratified the 2025–26 bargaining agreement with the Milton Education Association, which resulted in a base wage increase of 2.95 percent and a departmental adjustment of $343, setting the new teacher base wage at $50,600. Human Resources presented a compiled package for board consideration that includes an updated salary matrix and contract templates for the coming school year. A motion to approve the 2025–26 teacher contracts was made during the meeting.

On health insurance, administration estimated the district’s total contribution to employee medical insurance will increase by roughly $460,000 for 2025–26 and that total district medical spend is expected to approach $5,100,000. The HR committee recommended changing the employee share of health insurance premiums for support staff from the current 12 percent to 15 percent for the 2025–26 plan year. A motion to modify the employee share from 12% to 15% was made and seconded; the transcript records the motion but does not include a roll-call or final vote result in the provided record.

The board heard an update that open enrollment for benefits will run May 13–May 20 and that the shorter window was caused by a migration to a new enrollment system. HR also presented recommended new starting rates for various support-staff positions; the overall proposed adjustment for the support-staff group amounted to a 4 percent increase (including step adjustments), and the board was told letters of employment would be prepared if rates are approved. A motion to approve the proposed 2025–26 support-staff hourly rates was recorded in the meeting.

HR discussed proposed changes to all-staff paid time-off (PTO) language, including setting an annual accrual and carryover maximum of 90 days for all employee groups and establishing retirement-balance protections. The HR team is drafting policy language for future HR committee review; the transcript notes that some staff currently exceed the proposed maximum and would retain their current accrual thresholds while employed in eligible positions.

Board members remarked on the difficulty and sensitivity of staff compensation decisions, and committee members thanked HR staff for work on open enrollment and benefits administration.