Base salary and district insurance premium contributions will increase for USD 253 staff this coming school year.
As part of their regular meeting Wednesday, USD 253 board members approved the tentative agreement for licensed professional staff. Among the package’s highlights was a better than 1 percent pay increase “across the board” according to Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations Pam Stranathan.
She tells KVOE News there is still some work to be done, however, the salary increase is putting the district more on par with other districts within the state.
Another key increase as part of the package is an uptick in the district’s coverage of insurance premiums. According to Stranathan, the district’s contribution towards insurance premiums will increase by $50 “per employee coverage option.”
This means the district’s contribution for individual coverage plans will go from $530 to $580 while individual plus – family plans, etc. . . — will increase from $580 to $630. Stranathan says increasing the insurance premium contributions is very important and noted staff would like to see 100 percent coverage in the future.
However; Stranathan noted premium contributions are a balancing act saying the more dollars the district puts towards premium contributions, the fewer dollars the district can contribute to salary increases.
Separately Wednesday evening, board members had their second readings of and approved various handbook updates for the coming school year. Board members also received their quarterly strategic plan update, approved fees for Emporia High School and held two executive sessions with no action taken.
The USD 253 Board of Education will reconvene on Wednesday, August 14 at 6 pm inside of the Mary Herbert Education Center.
