Board approves new certificated salary schedule; negotiated agreement fails and is returned for revision

The Lakeland Joint School District 2526 board approved new certificated salary schedules intended to implement recent state minimums and to phase in previously paid advanced‑professional (AP) stipends by building them into base pay for eligible staff.

During a lengthy discussion, Chief Finance Officer Jessica Grant explained the mechanics: the district moved its previous cell structure so that the new required state minimum salary became the new cell 1, and the schedule includes a “shadow schedule” that preserves existing stipend‑level pay for certain veteran employees while the district transitions to the new structure. Grant said the approach was designed to meet the state mandate without producing an unsustainable immediate budget increase; she cautioned the approach will take years to fully phase in as higher‑paid veteran employees retire or leave.

Nut graf: The board’s action implements state‑mandated minimums for certificated staff, alters how advanced‑professional stipends are reported (they are being incorporated into base salaries for affected employees), and leaves open larger negotiated‑agreement issues after the board failed to ratify the entire agreement.

What the board did - Approved certificated salary schedule and related placement provisions. Trustees moved to approve the schedule as presented; the motion passed and staff said they will place returning and incoming certificated employees on the new salary cells in line with the approved placement rules. - Approved other salary schedules and administrator contracts as presented (exempt and classified schedules were adjusted only where state FLSA thresholds or role changes required it). Some increases required by state law (FLSA/exempt minimums) were implemented on the exempt schedule. - The negotiated agreement (the contract document between the district and the Lakeland education association) did not pass the board vote. The negotiated agreement was put to a vote and failed on a 3‑2 split (two trustees voted in favor, three opposed). The board discussed next steps — staff advised the board could return to the negotiating table and present a counteroffer in executive session.

Discussion highlights - State mandate: Grant said the district had to implement new state minimums (the mandated base jumped to about $50,002.52 for certain entry cells) and to align placement with the state career ladder. The district evaluated several schedule options and chose a conservative implementation that embeds prior AP stipends into the base for specific staff in a way that phases out the stipends over time. - Shadow schedule: The approved schedule includes a mechanism that preserves current stipend‑level pay for staff who meet AP criteria this year; those employees keep their higher placement while the district limits future step growth for others until long‑term alignment occurs. Grant said roughly 120 staff might be affected by the shadow transition pool, but she emphasized not all would immediately move to the “shadow” rung and that retirements will hasten transition. - Union response: Jason Redram, the local teachers’ association president, and other association members spoke at the meeting, expressing support for recognition of teacher achievement and concern about timing and communication of negotiations. Redram suggested the district work with teachers to help staff meet AP criteria; he also asked that future negotiations be scheduled at times when board members can attend.

Outcome and next steps - Salary placements and returning certified contracts: HR will issue contracts consistent with the new schedule; where placement depends on evaluation outcomes (for example, career ladder movements), staff said revised contracts may be reissued in August if evaluation results change placement. - Negotiated agreement revision: Because the negotiated agreement did not pass, the board asked district representatives to convene with legal counsel and the association to develop a counterproposal and also requested better editorial cleanup (clear definitions of whom the agreement governs and a cleaner table of contents). Trustees discussed holding negotiation work sessions at times the full board can participate or ensuring board representation and recordation of negotiation meetings.

Formal actions extracted - Salary schedule adoption: motion to approve the certificated salary schedule and related placement language — outcome: approved (motion carries). The board then approved issuing returning certificated contracts on the new schedule. - Negotiated agreement: motion to approve the negotiated agreement — outcome: failed (vote recorded in transcript as 2 in favor, 3 opposed). Board directed negotiators to return with revised language and/or counteroffer.

Clarifying details - State minimum: Grant cited the new required entry minimum for certificated staff (approximately $50,002.52 for the referenced cell); staff repositioned the district salary cells to comply. - Shadow pool: Grant estimated roughly 120 staff could be in the cohort that retains stipend‑level pay in the short term; she said the “shadow” protections apply only to staff who meet AP placement conditions this year.

Ending: Trustees asked staff to return next week with the placement language written onto salary‑schedule pages, to ensure the district can issue contracts consistent with board direction, and to plan a defined timeframe for negotiating and cleaning up the agreement language for final board consideration.