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Teachers press board for millage transparency and higher pay as bargaining starts
Summary
Teachers and union representatives told the board bargaining has begun and asked for detailed millage and fund-balance data, citing administrative growth and projected fund balance increases while instructional appropriations fell.
Teachers and their bargaining representatives told the Clay County School Board on Sept. 4 that they need detailed financial information to negotiate pay and that the district should consider using millage funds to keep teacher compensation competitive.
A speaker identifying herself as a representative of the teachers' bargaining group (CCA) said negotiations had started and that finance leaders had delayed promised follow-up meetings. She said CCA has requested millage expenditure details, fund-balance information and other budget data for months and expects those figures to be available after Sept. 11.
"We all understand that this is a difficult budget year in Clay County. However, we also know that financial disclosure is a legal requirement necessary for bargaining in good faith," the speaker told the board.
The speaker called attention to figures included in a packet she referenced: she said student population grew about 7% since 2015 while administrative staff increased 53%; administrative spending lines increased roughly $700,000 while instructional appropriations decreased by more than $25 million compared to 2024-25; and she said the fund-balance rollover was projected to exceed $9 million at year end.
Teacher Kelly Stanauer, who spoke earlier during public comments, described the costs of living for district employees and said teacher pay has fallen in real terms over the past decade. Stanauer, who identified herself as a 12-year teacher, said Clay County teacher pay has decreased about 12.9% since the 2014-15 school year when adjusted for inflation and urged the board to keep educators' struggles in mind during bargaining.
Board members and the superintendent said they hear the concerns and noted the district faces constrained revenue from the state. Board members said they will continue to press for options, including exploring millage allocations, and emphasized the bargaining process between the district and its employees.
Why it matters: Teacher pay and budget transparency directly affect staffing, retention and classroom instruction. The teachers requested specific budget detail to evaluate whether district millage funds can be used to support salary supplements, as neighboring districts have reportedly done.
Next steps: The teacher representatives said additional budget documents should be available after Sept. 11 and asked for a meeting with district financial staff to answer their questions.
