Decatur board gets first look at FY26 pay plan: entry salaries rise, options for 2–3% increases discussed
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Summary
District staff presented year‑three compensation results and options for FY26. Entry-level teacher pay has risen substantially (presented as roughly $50k → $60k in three years); staff estimated costs for districtwide percent increases and proposed targeted wage options for bus drivers and certain support roles.
District finance staff presented the board with the FY26 "first look" at compensation, describing the third year of a multi‑year compensation plan and several staffing proposals for the upcoming budget cycle.
Presenters said entry‑level teacher total compensation has increased materially over the multi‑year plan and showed a new entry level of about $60,008 this year. Staff walked trustees through the math for two illustrative districtwide increases: a 2% across‑the‑board option (estimated roughly $1.2 million) and a 3% option (roughly $1.8 million). They stressed those totals are salary‑only, before step adjustments and other level‑setting.
Several board members asked for targeted scenarios that show how the increases affect teachers at different tiers (early‑career, mid‑career, experienced) and asked staff to normalize comparisons that include differences in days worked when comparing administrative pay with peer districts. Trustees also pressed for a count of how many employees sit in each salary cell so the board can see who benefits most from each option.
Staff also presented targeted proposals for noninstructional roles: two bus‑driver wage options were shown (a $1.50/hour bump or $2.00/hour bump as level‑setting examples). Staff estimated those moves would cost tens of thousands of dollars annually (each 50¢ of increase was roughly estimated at $8,000 districtwide); larger increases to reach competitive $25/hour figures would be materially costlier (staff gave an upper‑end example near a mid‑six‑figure range). The administration flagged that increases would also interact with proposed changes in hours and step schedules.
On benefits and classifications, staff recommended reclassifying some school managers to more appropriate scales and proposed restructuring school health services to rely more heavily on medical assistants and LPNs with RN oversight; staff said that restructuring could reduce the local subsidy needed to staff nursing services by an estimated $300,000 annually. Board members asked for follow‑up detail on the operational implications for principals and how staffing changes would be phased in.