With a package of teacher raises in hand, members of the Springfield Board of Education approved the final pieces of the puzzle for next school year’s budget.
Board members approved a salary schedule that effectively grants Springfield Public Schools employees a step of advancement and an about 2% cost-of-living increase. Depending on the position, it represents raises anywhere from 1.65% to 5.25%.
The increases were determined after a collective bargaining process. Nine groups of employees, including the district’s more than 3,000 teachers, were represented by the Springfield National Education Association, and bus drivers were represented by Teamsters Local No. 245.
The base rate of pay for a new teacher with only a bachelor’s degree will be $45,917, up from $44,972 last year. The top level for a teacher with 30 steps on the scale and a doctorate is $83,650.
Stipends and other bonuses paid to teachers who take on extra duties were also increased.
Superintendent: Still work to do
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Superintendent Grenita Lathan said that she appreciates continued pay increases for teachers, but knows the district needs to be more competitive with others.
“We’re not where we would like to be as a district, but we have made progress as it relates to compensation,” Lathan said. “I’m very proud that every year, at least under my leadership and even prior, we have been able to provide (cost-of-living adjustments) and steps for our employees.”
Shannon Benne, president of the SNEA, said she agreed with Lathan’s assessment of work that needs to be done, but was pleased with the results of this year’s bargaining.
“Bargaining is tricky, because we all want something, but we have to give something for that,” Benne said. “Are we ever going to be where we want to be? Probably not, but that’s why we bargain. That’s why we have the negotiation process … and it’s a great process when we take advantage of it.”
Administrators and other employees who are not represented in the collective bargaining process received a step of advancement and a 2% cost-of-living raise.
The salaries are part of a budget that board members approved for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts on July 1.
The board approved a budget that projects $369,437,313 in revenues and $369,924,391 in expenses for the upcoming school year. A total of $232,682,964 for salaries and $64,698,026 for benefits has been planned, accounting for about 80% of expenses.
The package of raises represent about $9.3 million more in salaries and benefits over what the district budgeted last year. The votes for the employee salaries and the budget were 7-0 in favor.
Board member reactions
Board members said during the meeting that they were pleased with the development process, which included several sessions about its components.
Board member Maryam Mohammadkhani said she was pleased to see the district move closer toward a zero-based budgeting approach — a strategy that effectively forgets how much was spent on certain programs or services over the previous year, and requires a look into the value of that program or service.
“This is my fifth year seeing the budget, and I would say that we are implementing practices that will indeed move us closer to, and allow for what the private sector would consider zero-based budgeting,” Mohammadkhani said. “While there may be some drawbacks, such as inefficiency, I feel that it does promote accountability and uncovers hidden inefficiencies.”
Board member Susan Provance said she appreciated the budget’s consideration of teacher salaries and stipends, but also a number of programs that address needs students have.
“Dr. Lathan has put greater expectations on teachers, because that is the expectation of the community,” Provance said. “They want to see academic standards raised, they want students to demonstrate self-discipline and become the problem solvers of the next generation … I support this budget to move forward as presented because it will benefit teachers as well as it benefits students.”
Revenue sources more secure
For its revenue, the district is predicting an increase of $4,562,671 in local property taxes, for a total of $217,333,361. Property owners in 2024 were levied $3.98 per $100 of assessed valuation.
State funding is projected to increase by more than $2.5 million, for a total of $103,961,737. Local and state money accounts for the two largest portions of the district’s revenues.
In a separate presentation summarizing the most recent legislative session, SPS lobbyist Jason Zamkus discussed how potential revenue losses were avoided in both the regular session and a recent special session about a Kansas City stadium deal.
“We were successful in adding an additional $300 million to the foundation formula to reflect the state adequacy target changes,” Zamkus said, “allowing for full funding of the foundation formula, as well as the transportation categorical.”
Zamkus also said that during the special session, state senators were given an opportunity to decide whether their county would participate in an election for a property tax freeze.
“Here in Greene County, Senator (Lincoln) Hough chose to (not have a freeze), so property tax revenues, your necessary funding for school operations, will remain unharmed,” Zamkus said.
Reporter’s note: This report has been edited to correct a name.
