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Norfolk board approves raises across substitute, classified, nurse and administrator pay schedules
Summary
The board approved a series of 2026-27 salary adjustments—the substitute daily rate was raised by $5, classified hourly starting wages increased, and base increases for nurses, school psychologists and administrators were approved; all motions passed by 5-0.
The Norfolk Public Schools Board of Education approved multiple salary schedule changes for the 2026-27 school year intended to improve recruitment and retention across roles, voting unanimously on each item.
Wilson Pallister, presenting negotiations results, said the district added $5 to the daily substitute-teacher rate to keep rates competitive: “For substitute teachers, we have added $5 to the daily rate,” he said. The board approved the substitute rate increase in a 5-0 vote.
The board also approved changes to classified hourly pay: administration recommended a $2 per hour increase for existing hourly positions and an additional $1.75 to posted starting wages, raising the stated starting rate to $18.75. Pallister told the board some starting wages remain below comparable local jobs and noted shortages in positions such as CDL bus drivers; the classified hourly salary motion passed 5-0.
For classified salaried employees, Pallister proposed adding $3,500 to the base (an estimated 4.07% district cost) to approximate parity with hourly raises; the board approved the salaried structure, 5-0.
Nursing pay was increased as well. Pallister recommended a 4.5% increase to the nurses’ base (approximately $1,850), yielding a reported starting salary of $41,840 depending on education level; that motion passed 5-0.
The board adopted a school psychologist schedule tied to the certified staff base ($44,045), also representing a 4.5% district cost. Board discussion noted the district previously contracted services through Presence Learning at a cost the presenter described as “over $100,000” in prior years; the psychologist salary schedule was approved 5-0.
Finally, administrators’ base pay was increased by a recommended 3% (described as adding $4,000 to the base) to restore pay spacing between teachers and assistant principals; the administrators’ motion passed 5-0.
Votes at a glance (all recorded as 5-0 unless otherwise noted): substitute teacher rates (approved), classified hourly (approved), classified salaried (approved), nurses (approved), school psychologists (approved), administrators (approved).
What’s next: Implementation details and fiscal impact on the district’s bottom line will be clearer in August, when retirements, replacements and the final budget effect are tallied.
