Board approves compensation study; staff to return in February with concrete proposals
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Summary
The board approved a comprehensive 2025–26 compensation study showing salaries and benefits are about 81% of the adopted budget and identifying entry‑level teachers and principals as priorities for pay increases. Administrators will return with costed options in February and may use reserves or targeted cuts to fund changes.
The Natomas Charter School Board on Jan. 12 unanimously approved the district’s 2025–26 compensation study and asked administrators to bring specific, costed salary proposals to the February meeting.
The executive director presented the study, explaining that salary and benefits account for roughly 81% of the adopted budget and that comparisons to approximately 35 nearby districts and charter schools show Natomas Charter School generally below average at the start of the teacher salary schedule and notably below average for principal pay. "Employees come first," the executive director said during the presentation, emphasizing the strategic priority of attracting and retaining staff.
Study findings and fiscal context included: per‑pupil state (LCFF) funding that puts Natomas Charter below several nearby districts (Natomas Unified’s state funding cited as about 13% higher in the comparison), school psychologists and counselors generally competitive at starting steps, and a principal salary gap (11–16% below all‑school averages, depending on comparison group). The presenter noted the district already invested roughly $1.25 million in employee compensation last year (ongoing raises, step/column increases and one‑time salary schedule adjustments) and outlined sample costs for additional raises.
Board members pressed for a transparent options package. Administrators and the CBO said they will prepare multiple scenarios for February showing (a) proposed raises by employee group and estimated cost, (b) potential use of reserves, and (c) targeted budget reductions if necessary. The presenter described a planning approach that combines projected state cost‑of‑living adjustments with internal savings and one‑time reserves to phase any increases.
The board then moved and approved the compensation study by roll call. The vote does not by itself change salaries; it approves the study’s findings and directs staff to bring concrete proposals for board consideration at the February meeting.
Next steps: the executive team will deliver a February package with dollar estimates, recommended allocation across employee categories (e.g., entry‑level teachers, classified entry steps, principal increases) and proposed offsets or reserve usage for the board to consider before final budget adoption.
