Lawrence teachers will likely receive raises next year if a tentative agreement between the district and its teachers union is approved.
Representatives of the Lawrence Education Association (LEA), district and school board met Tuesday and tentatively decided the base annual salary for teachers would increase by $1,400 beginning in the fall.
That would increase pay for a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree to $43,983.
Qualifying teachers would see either or both vertical and horizontal movement, which refer to pay increases based on years of experience and levels of certification, respectively.
Last year’s approved contract gave teachers who did not receive raises in past years two “catch up” steps on the salary matrix. Raises were dependent on individual teachers’ placements on the salary schedule as well as the year they were hired.
This year’s tentative contract agreement includes an additional opportunity for qualifying teachers to see horizontal movement on their March paychecks. Teachers could then earn horizontal movement twice in the year — in the fall and in the spring.
The tentative contract includes $7,000 stipends for speech language pathologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists.
The contract would also increase stipends for the high school cheer directors by about $1,100, to $6,112 from $5,005. It also adds two $3,015 stipends for DECA, Distributive Education Clubs of America.
Elementary schools and Lawrence Virtual School would each get three $275 stipends to go toward extracurricular clubs.
Other additions and revisions have been made to the tentative contract, as well. Board President Kelly Jones said board members will plan to hear a report on it and then potentially take a vote during their meeting on Monday, July 22.
“I can say with some confidence that there’s board support for where we’re at,” Jones said Tuesday. “So if you as a unit ratify the contract, the board will almost 99% sure affirm.”
The document would also be called the “Certified Negotiated Agreement” rather than the “Master Agreement.”
PAL-CWA contract negotiations
At the school board meeting on Monday, Jones mentioned that contract negotiations with PAL-CWA, the district’s classified staff union, are currently on pause. She said the district is waiting on information from the state that’ll help determine potential wage increases.
Last year, the base hourly pay for each classified staff member – custodians, paraeducators, food workers and others — increased at least $2.12.
Hannah Allison-Natale, president of Communications Workers Association Local 6400, said PAL-CWA this year is primarily advocating for a living wage.
Right now, a living wage for a single adult living in Lawrence with no children is $19.87 an hour, and the lowest paid classified worker’s hourly pay is currently $13.03.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
