SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. — Sumner County Schools’ human resources staff on Jan. 14 presented a year-two review of a district-wide compensation overhaul and asked the board to consider additional salary moves for the coming budget year.

HR director Chris Ott (presenting) reviewed results from the 2023–24 compensation work that the district said moved approximately $29.3 million into pay increases last year. Staff reported measurable effects: turnover for nonexempt (classified) employees fell from roughly 27 percent to about 16 percent year over year; open positions dropped significantly; and specialized vacancies such as special-education assistants and R.T. Fisher positions were reported as filled at the start of school.

Proposals and estimated cost: For the upcoming budget year HR proposed increasing the teacher base toward $50,500 (the presentation estimated the recurring cost to reach $50,500 districtwide at about $11.7 million), raising the minimum classified starting rate from $16 to $17 per hour (estimated recurring cost about $4 million), and absorbing the cost of initial fingerprint/background checks for new hires (estimated one-time cost about $68,000). Staff also proposed eliminating the employee charge for the first-time background check and using state RAPBACK enrollment where applicable.

Why it matters: Staff emphasized that the district is the county’s largest employer and that pay competitiveness affects recruitment and retention for positions ranging from custodians and bus drivers to nurses and instructional staff. HR described persistent local labor-market competition from retailers and private employers and said the extensive pay changes implemented last year led to “dramatic” reductions in vacancies and improved morale, according to employee feedback slides included in the presentation.

Funding uncertainties: Staff warned about uncertainties that could affect the budget — including the state TISA funding formula’s handling of economically disadvantaged counts, changes in local revenue mix after property reappraisal and sales tax projections, and the timeline for the governor’s proposed capital and operational budgets. HR said the county commission will publish a resolution in mid-to-late March with updated revenue estimates that staff will use to finalize compensation proposals.

Board discussion and next steps: Board members asked detailed questions about custodial recruitment, substitute pay and whether the district should target $18 per hour for classified staff. HR staff said custodial roles remain among the hardest to fill and suggested combining operational changes with pay adjustments to improve recruitment. No formal vote was taken on the proposed increases; staff asked for board direction to include the proposals in the FY2025 budget work.

Ending: Staff said they will return with refined budget figures and implementation details as the county’s revenue forecast solidifies; the presentation and supporting wage-scale documents were published on the district website, staff said.