Board tables management salary schedules after teachers and union leaders raise equity and transparency concerns

The Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District Board of Education voted 5-0 on Oct. 13 to table three consent items related to salary schedules and benefits (identified at the meeting as items J, K and M) after community speakers and board members raised concerns about equity between administrators and classroom staff and the transparency of cost details.

Community speakers — including Carolyn Mendoza, who identified herself as a former assistant superintendent and chief business official, Maria Andrade, president of the NCLTA teachers union, and Britney Clark, lead negotiator for CSCA Chapter 551 — criticized proposed salary schedule changes and benefit disparities between management and certificated/classified employees.

Mendoza asked for a project list and clearer cost breakdowns for multiple agenda items and questioned the timing of salary changes relative to budget shortfalls: “Passing these paltry increases to the site school staff while issuing $24,000,000 in bonds will be confusing to the general public.” Maria Andrade told the board that teachers received only a one-time 1% payment during prior negotiations and said, “How is it that the board and district office can afford a raise for a superintendent who makes over $200,000 a year? … Why are teachers being asked to sacrifice?” Britney Clark, representing classified staff negotiators, warned that members would reject an insufficient next-round contract and described the effect of perceived inequity on workplace culture.

Board members and staff discussed benefit caps and longevity language. During the meeting a staff member provided benefit-cap figures cited from existing schedules: certificated/management health cap approximately $21,001.37 and classified cap figures around $11,000. Board member questions also focused on longevity language that would count continuous years employed by the district rather than years in a classification, a change some board members said could create inconsistency across bargaining units.

Board member Missus Gonzales moved to table the three items for further analysis and potential workshop; the motion was seconded, and the board approved the motion 5-0. District staff said they could prepare multiyear projections and cost scenarios and present them at a future workshop or interim reporting cycle.

The vote to table delays any change to the certificated management salary schedule and related items until the board receives additional cost projections and clarifying language about longevity and benefit caps.