HCEA reports preliminary $14 million compensation allocation as district prepares budget talks
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Summary
Jeanette O'Markell, speaking for the HCEA-PECCA team, said district negotiations include a proposed salary structure with step placement and lane extensions and that the district discussed allocating about $14,000,000 for compensation, with a projected minimum 2% increase and an average around 3.8% pending budget approval.
Jeanette O'Markell, representing the HCEA-PECCA team, briefed the Hamilton County Board of Education on Feb. 19 about ongoing interest-based negotiations with the district and early compensation proposals.
O'Markell told the board the negotiating teams reviewed a proposed salary structure that includes step placement, percentage increases and lane extensions, and she said the district discussed allocating "approximately $14,000,000 in future funding for compensation." She said the teams appreciated decompressing the schedule and increasing steps to 30 years to support long-term salary growth.
O'Markell stressed transparency in compensation communications, including clearer labeling of stipends and extra-duty pay on paychecks and district-provided individualized information for employees. "Transparency was another key focus," she said, and the parties discussed providing calculators and total-record statements as salary discussions continue.
Board members scheduled further budget work in March. The district's chief financial officer told the board the budget season is underway and pointed to a potential increase in the TISA formula that would add roughly $235 per student into the formula; staff cautioned that not all of that theoretical increase will be realized and said they will provide updated numbers after February ADM counts.
What happens next: HCEA said it expects continued meetings and reconvening on March 24; the board set a joint finance and policy committee meeting for March 5 to focus on staffing and compensation.