Scott City school chief gets raise, while some teachers don't

Ten teachers in the Scott City R-1 School District are set to not receive raises this year, while the superintendent's salary will increase, after a board motion this summer

But that could change after special action will be taken within the next two weeks, school-board members said.

About 50 people attended the regular school board meeting, among them teachers and parents who wanted greater transparency and clarifications from the school board and superintendent Brian Lee.

In June, the board approved a previously tabled motion to keep the teacher base salary at its previous level of $31,000 but allowing all eligible teachers to receive step raises; not all were eligible.

Not all teachers are eligible for that increase.

The school board also had voted to increase the superintendent's salary.

The superintendent's salary is not tied to the teachers' salary schedule, said salary committee member and teacher Lori Rubel.

According to the same minutes, the school board approved the 2017-2018 budget, presented with a deficit of $130,000, according to the meeting minutes.

The five-member salary committee, all teachers, filed a grievance with the board, citing a failure to follow the board's policies, Rubel said.

Rubel added a grievance form was not readily available to her when she went to file it and requested those forms be made more accessible.

Rubel asked the board members whether they were each aware the approved salary schedule meant some teachers would not get raises.

Board member Matt Underwood said he thought all teachers would get raises.

Lee said he made a "mistake in the mathematics" that misled the board and the salary committee.

"I feel very bad about this," Lee said.

Additionally, teachers received a letter, sent out at 2 p.m. Tuesday, from Lee and the board, attempting to clarify the school's budget situation.

But Lee said at the meeting Wednesday that letter contained incorrect information that will be corrected and sent out "immediately," school-board president Beth Cox said.

Renee Bates, field service coordinator for the Missouri State Teachers Association, attended Wednesday's meeting and offered to review the district's budget information and teachers' salary schedule in an open meeting with the school board.

Bates said MSTA offers a free service to Missouri school districts in reviewing budgets and giving a workshop to teachers explaining what budget numbers mean with regard to teacher salaries.

In this case, Bates said, she and an MSTA financial adviser could review the district's budget and offer different salary-schedule scenarios, then project likely budget outcomes.

School-board president Cox said the board is seeking to understand what has happened this summer with the school's budget and salary increases or lack thereof.

"Our goal is to do the right thing for the district," Cox said.

A proposal to amend the salary schedule, including superintendent's compensation, was tabled until after the special work session with Bates, tentatively set for Aug. 29, Cox said.

The board plans to call a special session to give the results of that work session and discuss options, then potentially amend the salary schedule.

"We're all volunteers on this board," Cox said.

"We want to do the right thing."

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

3000 Main St., Scott City, MO