District presents proposed salary increases and PTO buyback plan; board to consider approvals in coming meeting

Sunnyside Unified School District staff on Jan. 14 presented proposed changes to salary schedules across employee groups and a new employee paid time off (PTO) leave buyback plan developed through interest‑based bargaining. The board received the presentation as information; staff said both the salary schedules and the buyback policy will be placed on a future agenda for formal board action.

Presenters described the compensation proposals as follows: for certified staff, a proposed $1,000 base pay increase plus a $1,000 level increase (a combined $2,000 increase); district staff estimated the cost at roughly $2.1 million for about 850 certified positions. For classified hourly staff the district proposed raising entry levels by $0.70 per hour and authorizing a $0.30 level increase (a total $1.00 per hour increase), estimated at roughly $1.5 million for about 760 positions. Proposed adjustments for professional non‑teaching (P& T) and administrative schedules were described with prorated totals tied to contract days; presenters gave approximate per‑employee increases that align with a $2,000 total for certain P& T categories and smaller totals prorated for longer contracts. District staff said the administrator schedule increases would total about $176,000 for 57 positions.

On the PTO leave buyback plan, staff described consensus terms negotiated in the IBB process: eligibility after a minimum of three years of service; a minimum leave bank of 240 hours that must remain after any buyback; up to 40 hours per year eligible for buyback in excess of the 240‑hour minimum; a tiered payout by years of service (3–9 years at 50% of Level 1 pay, 10–19 years at 66%, 20–29 years at 75%, 30+ years at 100% of Level 1 pay); a required notice of intent to participate by Sept. 30 and payout by January; and the program would apply to certified, professional non‑teaching and administrative employees. Classified employees opted to keep their current payout plan; staff said policy GDBA language will be revised to clarify classified payout rates.

Public comments at the meeting referenced the PTO proposal. Rachel Agibin, a teacher at Apollo Middle School and a district parent, urged support for the PTO sellback update, saying the policy affects classroom staffing and teachers' retirement decisions. A speaker identified as Mary Martinez spoke in support of the IBB consensus and thanked bargaining teams for reaching agreement.

District leadership said the proposals are intended to keep the district competitive and that next steps are board reads and formal approval if the board chooses. Staff told the board they would place the proposed salary schedules on an upcoming board agenda and follow with policy revisions and readings for the PTO buyback so the program could be in place before next year's contract releases.