MUSD approves 10% teacher raise

By
Michelle Chance
-
48
MUSD Board

 

Teachers and other certified personnel in the Maricopa Unified School District can expect to receive the 10-percent raise. The governing board approved pay hikes Wednesday.

The increases affect paychecks in the 2018-19 school year, totaling about $2.6 million.

Bus drivers and mechanics are approved for a 10-percent hourly-wage increase. Administrators and classified staff (maintenance workers, secretaries, aides, etc.) will see a 5-percent raise. Most funding for the traditional teachers comes from monies allocated to districts from the state Legislature.

MUSD expanded its definition of “teachers” to include counselors, teachers on special assignment, academic coaches and related service providers. To afford that, the district is dipping into is inflationary funds to cover those and other employees’ raises.

While the board approved the 5-percent raise for classified staff, Board Member Patti Coutre suggested bumping the figure to 7 percent. Aron Rausch, Business Services director for the district, will assess the impact Coutre’s suggestion would have to next year’s budget.

A discussion is expected on the possibility of adding 2 percent to the approved 5 percent during a meeting June 27, where an anticipated budget will be presented.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Patti Coutre had the right idea. In fact, it didn’t go far enough. Classified employees, janitors, bus drivers, etc. don’t require a college degree. They don’t require a certification. They don’t grade papers at night and on weekends. The Red for Ed movement was about pay equity for teachers, not everyone who works for the school. Even the ten percent doesn’t bring equity to teacher salaries and you can bet we will be revisiting this issue in the future if districts wait for the state to pour more money into education before they act on the teacher salary issue.

    Overall, school funds need to be better managed. Things like central purchasing to reduce the cost of supplies would go a long way. One big waste of money I see every day is buses going to Kyrene carrying Maricopa kids. If Maricopa parents want their children going somewhere other than MUSD, they should pay for it themselves. And Kyrene shouldn’t be allowed to bus kids at taxpayer expense just to boost their own attendance roles.