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West Lafayette board approves two-year teacher contract amid staff frustration about pay
Summary
The board voted 7'2 to approve a two-year teacher contract with step raises and modest base increases while several teachers and board members said increases do not fully address inflation and state funding cuts.
The West Lafayette Community School Corporation board approved a collaboratively negotiated two-year teacher contract Nov. 10 after public testimony urging higher compensation.
Superintendent Dr. Curtis Griner introduced the agreement as a product of bargaining in a difficult state funding environment: "Tonight, we present for approval the collaboratively negotiated and ratified two year teacher contract," Griner said. The contract contains a pay-scale step raise plus additional base increases of $550 in year one and $250 in year two; administrators said the top-of-scale and starting salaries remain competitive with nearby districts.
Teachers and board members at the meeting voiced disappointment that the increases do not fully restore pay lost to inflation. West Lafayette teacher David Jost and other speakers at the public hearing said the district's teaching staff remains underpaid and urged continued work to improve compensation. Board member Rachel (Speaker 7) acknowledged the frustration and emphasized the board's intent to keep teacher pay central to future decisions, while also noting the district's fiscal constraints under new state policy.
The motion to approve the contract passed on a roll-call vote, 7-2-0.
What's next: District leaders said they will continue to look for cost savings and revenue strategies to improve teacher compensation as state changes unfold.
Attribution: Direct quotations and vote tallies are drawn from board discussion and the public hearing recorded in the Nov. 10 meeting minutes.
