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Mercer County Board approves 3% pay increase for certified and classified staff; starting teacher pay set at $50,000–$58,000
Summary
The Mercer County Board of Education approved a 3% salary increase for all certified and classified employees for the upcoming school year and announced a new starting teacher pay range of $50,000 to $58,000 beginning in 2025–26, Superintendent Jason Booher said.
The Mercer County Board of Education approved a 3% salary increase for all certified and classified employees for the upcoming school year, Superintendent Jason Booher said during a school update.
Booher attributed the raise and related pay changes to the board’s ongoing efforts to support staff and strengthen teacher recruitment and retention. “Tonight our board of education has approved a 3% salary increase for all certified and classified employees for the upcoming school year in addition to the regular step increase,” Booher said. “This includes all extra duty stipends as well.”
The superintendent said the increase is part of a multi-year trend: “Because of this 3% increase, this means over the last 4 years, our board of education has increased our certified and classified salaries at least 18%,” Booher said. He also announced a new starting salary range for teachers: “Beginning in the 2025–26 school year, starting teacher salaries in Mercer County will range from a minimum of $50,000 to $58,000 depending on certification level and experience.”
Booher said the board pursued the pay changes while reducing the school tax rate over recent years. “Over the past 6 years, our tax rate has actually decreased from 71.8 cents per $100 of assessed value down to 71.6 cents,” he said, framing the moves as consistent with fiscal stewardship.
The announcements were presented as board action and district policy direction; the meeting transcript does not include the motion language, mover or seconder, or a public roll-call vote tally. The increases cover both base salary adjustments and regular step progression; extra duty stipends were specified as included.
The superintendent closed by framing the actions as part of a broader goal of supporting educators and the community. “These advancements are a testament to the unified vision of our board, our leadership team, and our entire community,” Booher said.
