FORT WALTON BEACH — Okaloosa County School District employees might see an increase in their pay after the first of the year.
The school board will vote Monday evening whether to approve salary proposals designed to ensure all employees —from teachers to administrators to support personnel — receive at least a slight bump in their salaries.
The salaries were discussed at a board workshop Thursday.
Exact percentages will vary, according to Chief Financial Officer Rita Scallan, but on average employees will see about a 3.33 percent increase.
“These folks have worked so hard and we have gone through so much change, and I need them to know all our employees are valued,” Superintendent of Schools Mary Beth Jackson said.
The latest proposal comes on the heels of a tentative agreement between the school district and the Okaloosa County Education Association over teacher pay and the language for a three-year contract.
With the exception of teachers who have reached the top of the scale, all instructors will get at least a 3 percent pay increase. Teachers at the top of the scale will see about a 2 percent increase in the proposed plan.
Salary schedules also have been restructured in part or completely for administration, managerial and professional/technical employees.
Pay for support personnel was increased by 2.77 percent on average. While that is less than other employees, it comes after support workers took a voluntary pay cut and freeze the last school year so they could keep their jobs.
“I think the district recognized the morale with the 3 percent of our pay that we had to give up,” said Patrick Strong, the president of the Okaloosa County Educational Support Professionals Association. “This will be appreciated.”
The proposed salary increases will cost the district $3.2 million.
The school board will vote on the proposals at its meeting Monday night in Fort Walton Beach.
WANT TO ATTEND?: The Okaloosa County School Board meeting begins at 6 p.m. Monday at 120 Lowery Place in Fort Walton Beach.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: All Okaloosa school district employees likely to see pay hike