Salina Board approves 2025-26 pay increases and handbook changes for staff

The Salina Public Schools Board of Education approved salary increases and multiple handbook revisions for the 2025‑26 school year during its June 10 meeting, voting unanimously on a package of certified, classified, administrative and handbook changes.

Board action matters because the changes apply district‑wide to classroom teachers, support staff and administrators and include pay, benefit and leave adjustments that affect workforce recruitment and retention ahead of the new school year.

The board approved a negotiated set of changes for certified staff that, according to district staff, adds $1,000 to the base salary — "which equates with a 2.2 increase on the salary schedule," Erin Wright told the board — and preserves step movement on the district schedule. Wright said market adjustments were made to the audiologist column and that longevity payments were increased for employees with 37 or more years of service.

The board also approved a parallel 2.2% increase for classified staff and professional technical employees, and a 2.2% increase to substitute pay rates. A motion to approve classified wages carried after one board member excused themself for a potential conflict of interest; the board recorded the motion as carried 5‑0 in that vote. Administrator salaries received the same percentage increase and an increase to the employer health insurance contribution.

Wright summarized other contract and handbook changes that were approved: clarifying duty‑day definitions (now defined as eight hours), memorializing calendar and duty‑day differences for employees assigned through the Central Kansas Cooperative in Education, adding the pre‑K teacher designation for plan‑time entitlements, and recording existing practices about compensation when plan time is not provided. Leave calculations were revised to reflect hours rather than days under the eight‑hour duty day; eligibility for payout of unused sick leave on resignation or retirement was reduced from 15 to 10 years to align with retirement vesting; and the employer health contribution was increased to $580 per month for eligible employees.

The board also approved updates to the professional technical and support staff handbooks. For school‑year employees who work fewer than 260 days, the district added two paid winter holiday days and up to two paid inclement‑weather days that do not roll into individual leave banks. The professional technical group’s payment for unused sick leave was increased from $50 to $75 per day, with payout eligibility reduced to 10 years of continuous service.

Board members moved each item to the action agenda and voted to approve the proposals. For the certified salary and work conditions item, a motion was made and seconded; the board recorded the vote as "Motion carries six‑zero." Similar motions for classified, administrative, professional technical and support staff handbooks passed by board voice vote with the same outcome except where noted above for a conflict excusal.

District staff emphasized that the certified contract remains subject to ratification by the bargaining unit; Wright described the board approval as contingent on that ratification. She also noted the board had added language strengthening classroom safety provisions and expanding the list of compensable meetings that occur outside the duty day.

The changes take effect for the 2025‑26 school year. The board did not identify additional future votes tied to these items in the meeting discussion.