Board rejects dual enrollment stipend; approves substitute bonuses and changes to shift differentials

The Wisconsin Rapids School Board on a roll call vote declined a personnel committee proposal to create a districtwide dual‑enrollment stipend, while separately approving two other personnel recommendations from the committee: a multi‑tier substitute teacher bonus schedule and elimination of second/third shift differentials for new custodial and maintenance hires.

The failed motion would have paid stipends to instructors who teach Mid-State Technical College dual‑enrollment courses; the board heard cost estimates of roughly $12,000 total for the district with approximately $5,000 proposed to be covered by Career and Technical Education (CTE) grant funds. The motion to approve the stipend was moved at the board meeting and then failed on roll call: several board members voted no citing concerns about setting a precedent for other staff performing additional duties and the unbudgeted cost. One board member said the district’s budget is tight and the stipend could “open other requests” for pay in other areas.

Personnel committee items that passed include: elimination of the second and third shift differential for new custodial and maintenance employees effective Aug. 11, 2025 (current employees will retain the differential), and a substitute-teacher bonus plan that provides graduated bonus pay tied to assignment counts: $300 after 30 assignments, $550 after 50 assignments, $900 after 75 assignments, $1,500 after 100 assignments, $2,380 after 140 assignments and $3,300 after 165 assignments; the plan also provides free lunch for substitute teachers on Mondays and Fridays.

Bryant Aswel, the district’s director of human resources, briefed the board on the shift differential change and on substitute staffing challenges that prompted the bonus proposal. Aswel said the shift differential process required manual payroll entries under the district’s Skyward system and that eliminating the differential for new hires will simplify payroll processing; he clarified current second/third shift employees will keep their existing differential.

Several board members expressed conflicting priorities during the dual‑enrollment discussion. One board member who opposed the stipend said school staff already perform many extra duties—special programs, club coordination and large class-size work—and questioned whether adding stipends for one group would prompt similar requests elsewhere. Another board member said the stipend recognizes additional work instructors perform when administering college credit and noted UW‑Green Bay pays stipends for similar dual‑enrollment instructors because it collects tuition.

The board recorded a formal roll call on the dual‑enrollment motion; the chair announced the motion failed and discussion concluded. The substitute bonus and shift differential changes were approved by committee recommendation and board voice vote.