Board approves 'Me Too' pay adjustments for management, updated salary schedules

The Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District board approved a series of "Me Too" compensation adjustments and updated salary schedules during its Oct. 8 meeting. Under the proposals presented, classified management and confidential employees would receive a 2.5% salary increase (with a conditional additional 0.5% if property-tax receipts exceed 5.5%) and the health-and-welfare cap would increase from $17,619 to $20,700 per person per year. The administrative team (including the superintendent, principal, three assistant principals and the chief business official) was proposed to receive a 4% schedule increase and a smaller increase to the health-and-welfare cap (from $17,358 to $17,879).

The chair read the statutory reporting requirement into the record, citing California Government Code provisions that require a verbal summary of compensation increases before final board action. Trustees moved, seconded and approved the Me Too agreements and then voted to adopt updated salary schedules in accordance with the agreements; the votes were recorded by roll call with all present trustees voting yes.

The board stated the salary increases would be effective July 1, 2024. District staff flagged that additional increases beyond the schedule depend on property-tax performance and the district’s deficit‑reduction plan.