Seaford board approves market adjustment to FY2026 administrative salary schedule

The Seaford School District Board of Education voted to approve a market-based adjustment to the FY2026 administrative salary schedule at its meeting.

Board leaders and district staff said the adjustment is intended to align administrative pay with peer districts and to address several years without a comparable market update. District staff recommended using an average of peer pay in neighboring counties rather than adopting a larger policy-driven increase.

District staff (identified in the meeting as a staff member presenting the study) told the board that the district compared administrative pay to peers in Sussex and Kent counties and found administrators’ salaries had not been adjusted in about three years. The staff presentation said the recommended change is intended as a market adjustment rather than a permanent policy change and that the district may return later with further policy revisions.

Board members asked how the adjustment would interact with existing teacher increases and state funding. A board member asked whether a previously approved 2% increase for teachers would be additive to the administrative adjustment; staff responded that the administrative scale change is handled separately and that state/local matching rules affect how much the state covers when the state share increases.

Board member Jeff moved to approve the FY2026 administrative salary schedule; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Meeting minutes recorded the motion as carried.

The board and staff discussed implementation steps after the vote, including paperwork and letters related to contracts and salary scale changes. Staff said they would follow up with required documentation and bring any future policy adjustments back to the board for consideration.