The Lakeland Joint School District board voted to move classified administrators and exempt employees one step on the district salary matrix, retroactive to the start of the 2025–26 school year, after staff reported higher-than-expected state funding.

CFO Jessica Grantham told the board the district’s midterm recalculation shows support units rising from 214 to roughly 219, generating about "$834,000 in additional funding at this point in time." She proposed using part of that increase to fund a modest personnel pay adjustment and to replenish line items such as district liability insurance and curriculum and professional development.

Trustees debated two approaches: raising the base by 2% or granting step increases. Grantham said the step option would cost slightly less and would not alter employees’ placement on the salary matrix. One trustee argued new hires should not receive the same retroactive increase as long-standing employees; another warned that moving the base can change hiring-step entitlements for future recruits. The board ultimately approved the motion to grant steps and retroactive pay; the motion passed with four in favor and one abstention.

Grantham also asked the board to approve two targeted budget adjustments tied to the newly identified revenue. The board approved adding $58,458 to cover district liability insurance and $40,005.42 to fund curriculum and professional development needs the district said will sustain essential materials and commitments made earlier in the year.

The actions followed months of budget work tied to the district’s support-unit projections and a separate, larger review of the district’s salary schedules. District leaders said they will continue monitoring enrollment- and funding-driven changes and report back to the board if further adjustments are needed.