York SB Scraps Plans for Pay Increase, Favors Bonuses

By Amber Lester Kennedy Tuesday, April 19, 2011

York County teachers will not be benefiting from a step pay increase, but will likely receive bonuses.

The York County School Board met Monday to discuss its options for reducing its budget, previously approved on March 14. The board requested level funding from the Board of Supervisors, but that board decided to reduce school funding by $337,000.

The school board’s original budget included a $1.2 million step pay increase for eligible licensed and non-licensed employees. The raise was added to the budget after the division received an unexpected $700,444 in state funding and saved $569,718 originally budgeted for contributions to the Virginia Retirement System. For most of the teachers on the step pay scale, it would have equated to an additional $6 to $12 per week.

The Board of Supervisors questioned the school board’s decision to use the one-time, unexpected funds to pay for a recurring cost like a step pay increase. On Monday, the school board members emphasized that fiscal responsibility has been their main priority, alongside improving student achievement. Giving a pay increase, they said, meets that goal.

“We know what we’re doing is right and we can go to bed easy,” said school board chair Mark Medford.

The dynamics changed in an unexpected way, however. At Monday’s meeting, Superintendent Eric Williams explained the division not only has to cut $337,000 from the budget, but now has a new state-mandated expenditure. School divisions will no longer be able to require students to pay for Advanced Placement exams as a pre-requisite for earning class credit. To pay for tests, the division has to find another $175,000 in the budget.

“We were surprised by the state mandate,” said Barbara Haywood, a member of the board. “When you don’t have money, you can’t spend. I’d like to look at one-time pay to say, ‘We appreciate what you do.’”

In lieu of a step pay increase, Williams suggested three options. The first option would provide eligible staff (full-time permanent staff and pro-rated for part-time permanent staff) with a one-time bonus of $610.

The second option would give a $785 one-time payment to eligible staff on the teacher salary schedule and a $435 one-time bonus to all other staff.

The third option would provide a one-time bonus to eligible staff based on 1.8 percent of their base salary.

The cost of each option would be close to the original $1.2 million, but would no longer be a recurring expense. Medford leaned toward the third option because it took longevity into account.

Vice Chair Robert George suggested the division look at the possibility of having a minimum bonus amount, so the lowest-paid employees would still be recognized for their work. At his suggestion, Williams and Chief Financial Officer Dennis Jarrett agreed to calculate the numbers for the third option with a lowest bonus amount of $350 — the same amount given for one-time bonuses last year.

Williams said he would be ready to present a revised operating budget, including reductions, and a fourth option for bonuses on April 26.