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Trustees vote to raise monthly pay to $1,200 and align health benefits with staff
Summary
After extended public comment and trustee debate, the SDUHSD board approved Superintendent-recommended changes increasing trustee pay to $1,200 per month and restructuring district-paid health benefits to match classified employees; the measure passed on a 3–2 board vote.
The San Diego Union High School District Board of Trustees voted March 11 to increase trustee monthly compensation and to change how the district pays for trustee health insurance.
Superintendent Dr. Stfairy proposed raising trustee stipends from $400 to $1,200 per month and aligning trustee health-benefit premium payments with the district’s classified-employee benefit contribution. The proposal responded to Assembly Bill 1390, which raised the statutory maximum compensation board members may receive, and to concerns that low stipends discourage people with limited means from serving.
Supporters at the meeting and several public commenters said the change would make it easier for people who cannot afford substantial unpaid time to run for and serve on the board. ‘‘Providing compensation that reflects the time, training and effort required makes sense,’’ Michelle Horsley, president of the San Diego Faculty Association, told trustees during public comment.
Trustees discussed the fiscal and equity trade-offs. The superintendent estimated the recommended package would increase district costs by just under $38,000 annually; moving to the statutory maximum of $2,000 per month would more than double that fiscal impact. Trustee Alman urged adopting the maximum allowed by law to broaden access; other trustees argued for a more conservative, fiscally mindful approach.
After discussion, the board approved the superintendent’s recommendation—$1,200 per month with a benefits-structure change—on a 3–2 roll-call vote. The change takes effect upon board action and will be reflected in board bylaw 9250.
What’s next: Administration will implement the premium‑contribution change and update the bylaw language; trustees and staff said the board can revisit compensation in future years if enrollment and fiscal conditions change.
Provenance: Topic introduced SEG 3744; debate and final roll‑call vote concluded SEG 4499–4522.
