EPIC board forms ad hoc compensation committee after teacher warns of lost graduation pay

A teacher at EPIC Blended Learning Charter told the board the district omitted pay for graduating students and related bonuses from this year’s pay scale, prompting the board on April 2026 to establish an ad hoc committee to review employee compensation.

"In years past, we always got paid for graduating seniors ... but this year, that was omitted from the pay scale," said Jake Hussel, a seventh-year EPIC teacher, who told the board the change could cut summer pay by "up to probably 50%" for some teachers and reduce annual pay "close to, give or take, 25, 30% for the year." Hussel also said the omission affects teachers’ retirement formulas and urged the board to fix the policy and consult teachers before adopting new rules.

Chair Hemmens framed the committee as a teacher-facing, methodical effort to ensure fairness and to build recommendations that could be supported in the budget. Hemmens said the committee would compare compensation practices in surrounding states and consider long-term pay strategies and budgeting needs. The board noted ad hoc committees automatically sunset at the end of the school year, and the chair has authority to appoint members; the board indicated staff and teachers would be engaged for data and surveys.

The motion to establish the ad hoc employee compensation committee was made and seconded and then approved by roll call. The board directed staff to gather comparative data and survey teachers to inform the committee’s work.

The committee’s creation is a procedural step; it does not itself change pay. The board will return specific proposals to a public meeting for further deliberation and formal action once the committee’s review is complete.