Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Compensation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lee County schools propose districtwide pay increases and outline FY26 budget priorities
Summary
Superintendent Dr TR proposed a FY26 compensation package that would raise every teacher step by $2,000 and provide a minimum 3% increase for non‑teaching staff, funded in part by a local tax revaluation; the board discussed competitiveness, staffing shortages and next steps in the budget process.
Superintendent Dr TR told the Lee County Board of Education on March 10 that the district plans to increase teacher pay and invest in staff retention as part of its FY26 budget proposal.
Dr TR proposed raising every teacher pay step by $2,000 and providing at least a 3% increase for non‑teaching positions, and said the district expects to fund the increases largely from a recent local tax revaluation rather than an increased millage rate. "Every step on the teaching pay scale is going to increase by $2,000," Dr TR said, adding that non‑certified staff would receive no less than a 3% increase.
The superintendent framed the proposal as a response to statewide staffing challenges and the absence of a state salary increase for FY26. He cited regional CCRPI results to underscore district performance and recruitment goals: Lee County schools’ combined high‑school single CCRPI score was presented as 92.2, which Dr TR said placed the district highly within its region.
Mr Gary Kelly, Executive Director of Finance, outlined the FY26 budget timeline and said the salary guide discussion would drive much of the budget work going forward. Kelly and Dr TR told the board that the district’s local property revaluation provides revenue to cover the local supplement increases without changing the district’s millage rate; staff said hearings required by law will be held in coordination with the tax office.
Board members asked whether the plan included bus drivers and other non‑certified employees; Dr TR confirmed bus drivers would see the non‑certified increase and explained that step increases plus the 3% change meant some employees could see a larger effective increase depending on step placement.
Why it matters: District leaders said the package aims to improve retention and recruitment amid what they described as a statewide teacher shortage and difficulty filling classified positions. The board must still take formal action on a salary guide and move through public hearings and the formal budget adoption process.
Next steps: Dr TR said that if the board approves a salary guide, the district’s budget process moves to pricing and bidding phases and staff will continue to monitor state legislative action. The board scheduled additional budget work and public hearings as required for FY26 adoption.
