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Maplewood-Richmond Heights board approves application for Career Ladder state grant
Summary
The board voted to approve submitting a Career Ladder grant application that could fund teacher stipends tied to extra hours; board members asked whether proposed middle-school sports and other extracurriculars could qualify under the program’s allowable-activity rules.
The Maplewood-Richmond Heights School Board voted to approve submitting an application for the state Career Ladder grant, a matching stipend program staff said could offset some extra-duty pay for teachers.
Board member (speaker 5) moved to approve the application; the motion passed after an affirmative voice vote. Staff emphasized the grant is legislatively funded each year and, if approved, provides a state/district split roughly described by staff as a 60/40 match on stipends and related retirement costs.
District staff (speaker 4) told the board Career Ladder requires participating teachers to log hours beyond contract time and that allowable activities must involve direct student engagement tied to a building or district plan. "This provides a 60/40 match, which means the district is on the hook for 40% of the stipend plus the retirement benefits," staff said, and added that not every existing paid duty would automatically qualify.
Board members pressed whether activities discussed earlier in the meeting — including a student request to add MRH-run middle-school sports and expanded internships or club links — could be counted. Staff replied the guidance allows activities that are tied to goals or professional-development plans and expressly requires the activity to be direct student engagement rather than unpaid behind-the-scenes work.
Board president (speaker 1) and staff said permission to apply is a required step under district policy before submitting a matching-grant application; if the state approves the district will then design program forms and a process to determine which positions and activities will qualify.
The board’s approval authorizes staff to apply and to return with implementation details if the state awards the grant. The meeting later moved to a motion to enter executive session; that vote and any subsequent action on program implementation were not captured in the provided transcript.
