Scott City teachers, staff get slight raise

Officials with the Scott City School District said attrition helped balance a budget that includes state reductions and small raises for staff.

During its regular meeting Wednesday, the Scott City School Board approved an $8.1 million budget that accounts for cuts to Parents as Teachers and formula funding, the primary source of state aid for districts. The budget included a slight raise for teachers and staff and established a district-paid health insurance option.

"Some of our concerns were met basically with attrition," said board president Scott Amick.

Six teacher positions were eliminated through attrition, saving the district about $270,000, said superintendent Diann Bradshaw-Ulmer. A custodian position was also eliminated.

The pay scale will be frozen, and starting pay for teachers with a bachelor's degree will remain $28,360. Teachers will be allowed less movement than in past years on the pay schedule; movement reflects increased experience and education.

Overall, teachers will see an average 1.8 percent raise, Bradshaw-Ulmer said. Staff will see the same increase.

The district made some adjustments with health insurance to provide a district-paid option for staff. The change will eliminate about $90 per month that staff had paid for the basic option, Bradshaw-Ulmer said.

"They saw it almost like a move on the salary schedule," she said.

The district will sustain cuts in other areas like Parents as Teachers. This year the governor cut $6.9 million from the program, about one-fifth of the budgeted amount. Next year it is set to be cut by $13 million.

Scott City's program, which also serves the Delta, Oran and Kelso school districts, will be reduced. The district budgeted nearly $80,000 for the program.

The two parent educators and an administrative assistant will work fewer hours. The program will be cut from a 10-month operation to nine, Bradshaw-Ulmer said.

"It'll affect the number of contacts and visits that they may have," she said.

Districts are also anticipating a 4 percent cut in formula funding as directed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. With declining revenue, the state does not have enough money to fully pay for the formula, which increases in phases. Bills extending and adjusting the phase-in of the formula did not pass during the legislative session, which ended Friday.

With the cut, Scott City is set to receive about $3.3 million in formula funding.

abusch@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

3000 Main St., Scott City, MO