KELLY TEACHERS GET GOOD NEWS: THERE ARE PAY RAISES, AFTER ALL

BENTON -- Belt-tightening and budget cuts at Thomas W. Kelly schools last year paid off this year; teachers are getting a pay raise after all.

In May, teachers at Kelly schools turned down an offer of a pay increase to help keep the district financially sound. That meant they would have been working this year for the same salary as the previous three years.

But at the September Board of Education meeting, the teachers' salary schedule was revised, giving all teachers a raise.

The base salary was increased by $140 and teachers were allowed to take all the steps that had been frozen for the past two years. Teachers are paid on a salary schedule that takes into account years of experience and education.

Superintendent Michael Johnson said the raises will cost almost $25,000.

Last year the district spent $1,403,771 in the teachers' fund. This year $1,428,672 is budgeted.

"Last year we had all agreed to take a wait-and-see attitude," Johnson said. "We ended the year with a little more money in the teachers' fund than we expected," he said.

Teachers covered for each other when they were ill so the district didn't have to hire substitutes.

"That saved us lots of money," Johnson said. "We decided they had earned the money they helped save last year."

Johnson said two years ago the district paid about $16,000 for substitute teaching. Last year the district paid just $4,000.

The additional money for raises was saved through budget cuts put in place last year, Johnson said.

"To me, they have earned the increment," Johnson said. "They shared in the money saving and have done everything they can to help us."

The beginning salary in the district had been $17,510 for the past three years. It is now $17,650. Missouri mandates that all teachers make at least $18,000. The state supplements salaries to bring teacher pay up to that level.

"We have 11 teachers topped out on the scale. Without a raise to the base salary, they would not have gotten any raise," Johnson said.

"Everyone got their increments for education and experience," he said.

Teachers moved two steps for the two years the schedule had been frozen. With the raise in the base salary and the increment moves for experience, those teachers got a $740 pay raise. Teachers who had completed additional education over the past two years will get more.

"The thing you have to remember is that they were making the same salary for three years before this," Johnson said.

In addition, all support staff members also received a pay raise. Their salary schedule had been frozen for the past two years.

Money for those raises comes from the district's general budget fund.

"We ended up a little better there too because of the budget cuts last year," Johnson said.

The fiscal situation is a little brighter than anticipated last spring.

"We're just like the other schools, still needing money," Johnson said. "All school districts are still facing financial problems. We are hoping the picture turns around soon."