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Verona board approves 2.95% 2025–26 base-wage increase for classified and certificated staff
Summary
The Verona Area School District board voted to adopt a base-wage increase tied to the state CPI cap for 2025–26 that applies to hourly support staff, certificated teachers and several other employee groups; the package also reflects prior step increases already applied.
The Verona Area School District Board of Education voted Aug. 25 to approve a base-wage increase for 2025–26 equal to the state’s cost‑of‑living cap of 2.95 percent, applying the increase to hourly support staff and certificated employees represented by district bargaining units.
Board President Meredith Murphy said the board would approve the proposed increase after hearing from district negotiators and union leaders. The vote was taken after public remarks from union representatives and district staff; board members signaled unanimous approval.
The increase covers VESPA (hourly support staff), BAEA (certified teacher staff), CTS (confidential, technical and supervisory staff) and administrators (excluding the superintendent). Rochelle Haney, the district’s human resources representative, told the board the wage increase was “limited by the state of Wisconsin on what that looks like for us” and that the limit is “dictated by what they call CPI, which is the cost of living indexed to our area.”
Jamie Brown, co‑president of VESPA and a special‑education assistant, thanked the administration and board for collaborative bargaining and said, “We are pleased to say that together, we reached [the] 2.95% base wage increase for all staff plus staff movement for those eligible.” Diana Lynn, a longtime classroom teacher, and other speakers emphasized the district’s reputation for strong starting wages and benefits and urged continued collaboration to recruit and retain staff.
Administrators noted that some salary schedule “steps” had already been applied earlier in the year separate from the base‑wage adjustment: roughly 2 percent for many teacher and hourly steps and about 1 percent for administrators (excluding the superintendent), according to the presentation to the board. Board members repeatedly described the vote as an effort to keep compensation aligned with cost‑of‑living increases while recognizing broader budget constraints.
The board’s formal motion to approve the 2025–26 base wage increase for VESPA and BAEA passed on an aye vote; no opposing votes were recorded.
The district said the negotiated increase will be implemented in payroll and that additional details — including who qualifies for step movement and exact paycheck implications — will be provided to employees through human resources and bargaining unit communications.
Speakers quoted in this story are identified from the board meeting transcript and public remarks made at the Aug. 25 board meeting.
