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Prescott board hears staff‑compensation options; schedules April workshop to finalize salary percent and benefits adjustments
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Summary
Administration presented multiple compensation scenarios (2.63%–3.63%), 403(b) match and vesting concerns, and health‑insurance cost uncertainty; trustees asked for a workshop (proposed April 8) to finalize options, with a probable 3% starting proposal and further benefit scenarios to follow.
Prescott School District staff presented several compensation scenarios and asked the board to provide direction for an April decision and a workshop to refine benefit and longevity proposals.
A district financial presenter walked trustees through two principal approaches: (1) apply a percentage increase to the base‑cell salary (a flat-dollar effect across all steps) or (2) apply the percentage to every salary step so each employee’s current pay increases proportionally. The district showed three forecast models (2.63%, 3.0%, 3.63%) and noted the local Baird financial model projects each scenario’s effect on the district fund balance and reserve policy (the board seeks to stay at or above a 20% fund balance).
"A thought is, like, maybe we go with 3%. We are okay with 3.63% of where we're falling on the numbers, but we go with 3%," the finance presenter said, offering the smaller percentage as a way to free roughly $70,000 to pursue retention or longevity payouts. The presenter also explained the current 403(b) match ($2,000) and a 10‑year cliff vesting and reported research showing many districts use shorter vesting periods and smaller matches.
Trustees discussed health‑insurance assumptions (the district is negotiating rates and expects to know figures by March 31; modeling used a 6%–12% range) and possible targeted retention measures, such as longevity stipends, HSA contributions, or changes to PTO payout. Several board members recommended the increase be applied to all steps rather than only to the base cell so mid‑career and senior staff also benefit.
The board set a workshop for April 8 (5 p.m.) to review final health‑insurance figures, Baird scenarios, and options for allocating any additional dollars toward longevity or targeted retention. The administration said it will present concrete packaged scenarios at the workshop so the board can vote at the next regular meeting (possible April 15) or defer to May if members want more time. One attendee during public recognition, Jamie McDonough, a fifth‑grade teacher, urged continued attention to staff with master’s degrees who have not yet been fully compensated for advanced credentials.
The workshop will focus on a primary salary percentage to include in employee contracts and then prioritize additional benefit or retention spending, with the administration pledging follow-up modeling for different allocation buckets and an explanation of tradeoffs relative to the district’s 20% fund‑balance goal.
