Board proposes 3.5% flat annual pay increase; decision expected March 2026

The Mineral Point Unified School District board told staff representatives it is considering a districtwide, flat 3.5% annual base-pay increase for all staff, and plans to decide on the approach in March 2026 after gathering staff input.

Board presenters said the 3.5% flat increase is intended to create more predictable budgeting than the district's historical reliance on steps, lanes and occasional stipends. Officials said the district's five-year projections show the flat-rate approach is fiscally viable when estimated insurance increases are included. In the meeting notes, staff summarized the reaction succinctly: "It makes budgeting more predictable." The board also outlined that step/lane mechanics would still exist for lane changes (for example, a master's lane switch), and that some incentives such as national-board certification might be funded as one-time stipends rather than permanent base increases.

Staff asked detailed questions about how the model affects long-term retirement accruals, whether national board certification and other incentives would continue to count toward pay, and what would happen in a true budget crisis. The board said it has scenario modeling covering the next five years, including projected insurance-cost increases, and that a freeze would be possible "in a true crisis scenario." The board committed to share: a 10-year CPI vs. district-paid history, a five-year comparison of the current model vs. the proposed flat increase, and examples of retirement-impact scenarios before the formal vote.

The board plans to send a staff survey in early January to collect broader input before making the March decision.