Board hears teacher and counselor objections to proposed management pay increase; staff recommends tabling

Trustees heard public criticism and staff explanation about a proposed increase to a classified management salary schedule and were told staff will table the proposal and repost the job at the existing salary.

Two district employees spoke directly to the board. Jenny Craig, identified as a teacher in WPUSD, said she spoke both as an educator and a parent and complained that the agenda included "an administrative position that has probably already been voted on and approved for a significant pay raise" while classroom teachers, she said, are leaving for higher pay elsewhere. Craig asked the board to "prioritize teachers over administrative positions."

Misty Alarcon, a counselor at Lincoln High School, read an email she had sent the board and urged trustees to vote no on the raise: "I hope you will be voting no for this raise tonight... I think it is a very poor taste and offensive when certificated staff who are working directly with students at school sites are told there is no more money for raises." She added that a 1.07% increase had already been applied to the certificated salary scale and said classified and certificated staff deserve comparable treatment.

District human-resources and business staff explained why they were proposing a higher salary for an administrative/business position tied to the chief business officer transition. Staff said the position had been posted twice with little success: they received seven total applicants and only one new applicant after reposting with the increased salary; few applicants met the criteria for prior district-level business experience. The staff recommendation was to table the salary schedule increase, close the current posting, and repost the position at the original salary schedule while continuing recruitment efforts. Staff said they would notify current applicants of the change and that internal training or hiring a less-experienced candidate may be necessary.

Trustees discussed signing bonuses, recurring costs, the difficulty of filling the role and the likelihood the district will need to train a new hire if a candidate with the desired experience cannot be found. No final vote to approve the salary increase was taken; staff asked the board to table the item and proceed with reposting.