Racine Unified proposes $3 million in FY26 supplemental pay and step/rung movement; board asks for pay‑structure details

Chief Human Resources Officer Rachel Maddalena presented a proposed supplemental compensation package for fiscal year 2026 that includes step and rung movement and pay for teacher level changes, with a total estimated cost of $3,000,000.

"The total cost of this recommendation is estimated at $3,000,000 based upon current staff levels and eligibility data," Maddalena said. She described that approximately $2,650,000 will cover step and rung movement and that roughly $1,800,000 of that sum is allocated for teachers; about $350,000 is set aside for teacher level changes and credit attainment.

Maddalena provided a further breakdown by employee group: approximately $341,000 for educational assistants, $60,000 for clerical employees, $161,000 for building service staff and $209,000 for administrators. Board members asked whether the rung/step movement is uniform across groups and staff explained that teachers and educational assistants follow a traditional salary schedule (rungs) with roughly 2.15% between steps, while administrators, trades and clerical staff are on ranges with minimum, midpoint and maximum and receive increments tied to the midpoint.

Several board members urged the district to ensure that credit and degree movements rewarded are directly relevant to classroom practice and district needs, such as certifications that benefit students. Board Member O'Connell and others asked staff to consider tightening or clarifying policy so credit attainment relates to district priorities rather than tangential degree work.

Board members requested that staff upload the full salary structure and visual pay‑range charts for the next meeting so trustees can review placement, midpoints and increments before voting. No formal vote occurred at the work session; the item was scheduled for action at the next business meeting.