Schools uncertain of LEARNS impact on salary schedules
As school districts wind down the first half of the school year following the implementation of the Arkansas LEARNS Act this fall, some school leaders are uncertain of the act’s ramifications to their salary schedules, and whether it will create pay disparities.
The new multi-part law raised the minimum teacher salary to $50,000, with $2,000 increases given to those earning more. A new merit teacher incentive fund also offers eligible teachers annual bonuses of up to $10,000, according to their performances and areas of teaching.
While the state is funding the pay increases, the compression in districts’ salary schedules leaves questions as to whether they can fairly compensate those teachers who have more years of experience or higher education levels.
“What I’m kind of proposing at this point, is in this transition, we need to figure out what’s an appropriate allocation to the staff, but it’s probably going to be minimal in this upcoming year until we really see the design of the current state-funded merit pay program and see how many people that affects,” Fountain Lake School Superintendent Michael Murphy said.
According to Fountain Lake’s 2023-2024 salary schedule, steps 1-14 are the same at $50,000 for those with a bachelor’s degree. The final step, step 29, for those with a bachelor’s, maxes out at $57,280, while those with a master’s degree earn $61,405 and a doctorate $69,655.
The Lake Hamilton School District’s Personnel Policies Committee met last week to discuss its new salary schedule, which the district plans to finalize in the spring.
According to the meeting minutes, Lake Hamilton Assistant Superintendent J.J. Humphries, who serves as the committee’s secretary, said the committee is a “sounding board” for the creation of a new schedule.
Members examined the existing structure and discussed steps, lanes, and alternative schedules to ensure compliance with the district’s budget salary requirements as outlined in LEARNS.
“The Arkansas LEARNS Act plays a crucial role in guiding our district’s financial decisions,” the district said in an emailed statement. “And we are committed to adhering to its requirements while maintain
ing the high standards of education that Lake Hamilton is known for. It’s important to note that the discussions within the committee are part of our ongoing efforts to manage funds responsibly and efficiently. We are consistently exploring avenues to allocate resources appropriately.”
A representative from the Hot Springs School District said Thursday it also expects to have more answers by this spring.
Jessieville School Superintendent Melissa Speers said earlier this week, when asked how their salary schedules would be affected, that it is something they have to work with their PPC and school board on. She noted while the state is providing some guidance, right now, it is “whatever the district chooses to do.”
“The first thing we have to take a look at is, ‘Can we afford it?’” she said. “You know, what can we afford?”
Repealing the state’s salary schedule, LEARNS, instead, requires each school district to come up with its own pay structure and decide for themselves how to reward experience and education. Jessieville received just under $500,000 from the state to bring its teachers up to the minimum salary threshold under LEARNS.
Speers said although the act provides guidance on how to reward teachers financially, it is no longer based solely on years of service.
“Historically, that’s what it’s been,” she said. “The longer you were in the district, the more you made. If you got a master’s degree, you got rewarded for that. Well, right now, that’s no longer the case. So we’re just starting some of those conversations about, ‘What do we value?’ and ‘What do we want to reward teachers for?’ and ‘What’s that going to look like?’”
She said that at the same time, it is important for the district to do something for its classified staff as well. The law currently does not cover classified personnel like bus drivers, custodians, or cafeteria workers.
Last year, the Fountain Lake School Board approved a $5,000 bonus for certified employees and $2,500 to classified as a recruiting measure to keep employees.
Murphy said “behind all those numbers” is an employee, and “behind every employee is emotion and an equity element.”
“I just think that what people don’t realize, any element of performance pay, as good as it may sound, it does create what is perceived as winners and losers,” he said. “And in many instances can create illwill. We have to have every one of our employees with a great attitude every day because they’re trying to help our kids get to a new place. And so balancing morale when you’re contemplating these approaches to how you pay people.”
He said the district is reluctant to launch a new salary schedule until it learns more about the merit pay approach.
“Once we have an idea of what those rules are and how many of our employees can be impacted in a positive manner, from that pay structure, that will give us a little better understanding what we have the ability to do moving forward,” he said.