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USD 383 presents classified salary study; district staff say phased schedule would cost about $137,000 first year
Summary
District HR staff summarized a year-long classified salary study that groups similar jobs, rewards longevity and adds certification pay; estimated implementation cost to place current classified employees on the proposed schedule is roughly $137,000 in ongoing payroll and a one-time implementation estimate of about $100,000.
Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 staff presented the district's classified salary study, outlining a proposed step-based wage schedule intended to group similar jobs, increase transparency, and reward longevity and certifications.
The study was presented by Abby (staff member) and reviewed comparative wages from nearby districts and K-State, showing the district is generally competitive in some categories and low in others, especially paraeducator starting wages. Abby said the work "has been something our department's been working on for the last year." She described a proposed schedule modeled on the licensed salary schedule, with categories for grouped job types, experience steps to 20 years and additional pay for certifications.
Why it matters: classified employees perform transportation, nutrition, custodial and other daily services; the study aims for clearer career paths and pay equity across about 650 classified staff.
Key details: the HR team analyzed each classified employee's hours and years of service, then mapped current wages to the draft schedule. The one-time cost to place current employees on the new grid (category/step placement plus certification credits) was presented as "just over $100,000," while the estimated ongoing cost to implement the wage schedule in fiscal 2025 was approximately $137,000. Abby said the payroll total for the same period was just over $12 million, and the presented costs were framed relative to that figure.
Abby walked trustees through examples used in the staff packet, including a paraeducator with a current hourly wage of $12.44 and how steps and rounding would be applied. She emphasized no employee's wage would be reduced and that the district would allow staff to submit certifications for additional pay.
Board members asked whether increases would be across-the-board and how the schedule would operate in lean years; Abby and staff said the schedule is designed to allow strategic, year-to-year adjustments similar to licensed compensation, but raises are not guaranteed every year and steps would be applied depending on available budget and negotiations.
Next steps: staff said budget finalization, contract negotiations and ratification would determine timing; the implementation would be included in the typical August proposal for classified and administrative wages.
Ending: Board members thanked HR staff for the work and asked staff to include the schedule and cost estimates in upcoming budget conversations.
