School district previews 2025–26 compensation plan for support staff, supervisors and administrators

District officials presented a compensation plan for 2025–26 that would create a consistent pay structure for support staff and establish annual raises and placement on a step-and-lane schedule. Assistant Superintendent Jared Rossing, Director of Finance and Operations Aaron Wheeler and Director of Employee Services Barb Bogdan said the proposal is informational tonight and will return to the board for approval at the next meeting.

The plan budgets a 5% package for support staff overall and a 3.5% increase for supervisors and administrators, with every support staff member guaranteed at least a 3% raise in the initial placement on the new schedule. “Every single support staff employee would receive a minimum of a 3% increase,” Director of Employee Services Barb Bogdan said. The district would also add three paid holidays for employees on 10- and 11‑month schedules, an adjustment Bogdan said effectively raises the minimum increase for many employees to about 4%.

Officials described the design as a first step toward a transparent, consistent structure. Rossing said the district has not previously used a uniform lane-and-step model for many support positions, which has produced uneven experience-crediting and pay progression. The proposed lanes would distinguish job families (paraeducators, facility services, nutrition services, health assistants) and steps would reflect years of service; the district would place existing employees on the new schedule during implementation.

Administration emphasized the budget constraints and that the board would take formal action at a future meeting. Aaron Wheeler noted the package was built with a projected Consumer Price Index reference and local budget considerations. Board members asked about turnover pressures in short-hour jobs and the difficulty of competing with private-sector starting wages for some positions; officials said retention data informed the proposal and that certain positions remain hard to fill.

The presentation was informational; no action was taken. Administrators asked the board to anticipate a formal approval item on the next agenda for implementation of the compensation changes.

Ending: The district will return a final compensation recommendation for a board vote in the near term; the administration said no employee will receive a retrograde adjustment under the proposed placement.