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WJCC considers stipend overhaul and shifting related‑services positions from 7 to 8 hours

Williamsburg-James City County School Board · January 14, 2026
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Summary

Administrators proposed a two‑year approach to adjust stipends identified as below market, cited a Bolton study for benchmarking, and recommended moving related services (SLPs, OTs, PTs, school psychologists, social workers) from 7-hour to 8-hour contracts at an estimated cost of $640,000.

Board members and staff discussed targeted stipend changes and related-services contract-day adjustments as part of the broader budget conversation.

Administration reviewed the stipend history: stipend amounts were largely unchanged from 2013 until a 2.5% adjustment in 2023. Staff engaged Bolton to benchmark stipends across nearby divisions and identified areas—such as credit-recovery facilitators, high school debate sponsors and high school head cheerleading—where WJCC stipends lag the market.

Staff proposed a two-year approach: year 1 would implement initial upward adjustments to stipends (administration referenced order-of-magnitude increases during discussion, mentioning an adjustment of about $380,000 as a starting point), and year 2 would create a tiered stipend structure that ties payment levels to factors such as the number of students affected, hours worked and program responsibility.

Separately, administration recommended increasing several related-services positions from 7 to 8 contractual hours per day to meet growing student needs and mandated services. The presentation estimated the change would affect 48 full-time employees at an estimated operating cost of $640,000. Administrators said current contracted spending for some related services is approximately $840,000 and that moving positions in-house could reduce contracted services over time but may not eliminate them entirely.

Board members asked for clearer criteria for stipend tiering and for data collection from stipend holders (student counts, hours, staff supported) before administration returns with final stipend recommendations and exact dollar figures. Administration said it will collect that information and present a detailed pay book and stipend schedule in a future meeting.