Cassville School Board moves to bump up employee pay
June 26, 2019
Vinnie Roberts
During the summer months, most area schools engage in budget meetings, setting the next year’s budget. One item always under consideration during these talks is the pay scale for employees.
During a school board meeting on Thursday, June 13, the Cassville Board of Education elected to pass a resolution to approve the budget for the 2019-2020 school year. This budget contained many items similar to the previous year’s budget, but among them was a salary increase for the teaching staff, as well as an increase to the hourly rates of non-teaching employees.
“For over 25 years, the district maintains a certified and classified salary schedule,” said Cassville superintendent Dr. Richard Asbill. “The state maintains a minimum teacher’s salary and each district sets their base teacher’s salary based on that.”
Previously, the district’s base pay for all certified teachers was $36,000. In the new budget, that number has gone up to $36,500, effectively raising all teaching salaries by $500 a year.
Additionally, the board made the decision to raise staff members’ pay who have a master’s degree.
“When [teachers] go to the master’s level, our district has $1,650 step up in pay,” said Asbill. “What the board has done is raise that by $50 to make it a $1,700 step. It was a way to improve the salary schedule for teachers that have been here for several years.”
As in previous years, teachers at Cassville also receive a $450 salary increase for every eight credit hours they receive toward a master’s degree.
According to Asbill, conversations regarding these salary increases began in January during the yearly budget review. Discussions took place between an advisory council, made up of certified teaching staff members, classified employees such as custodial and maintenance staff and two members of the board of education, Jon Horner and Steven Henbest. In those meetings, it was determined that pay raises for staff would be a priority in the coming year’s budget.
The board also decided to approve raises to the hourly rates of all classified, or hourly, staff within the district. Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, custodial, maintenance, and secretary base pay will raise by 15 cents per hour. The hourly rates of teaching aids and cafeteria workers will be raised by 10 cents an hour.
“Cassville School District has a desire to maintain a competitive pay structure for all of our staff,” said Asbill. “The board of education’s efforts to set a progressive salary schedule is important as we recruit and retain a qualified employee base.”
Vinnie Roberts
During the summer months, most area schools engage in budget meetings, setting the next year’s budget. One item always under consideration during these talks is the pay scale for employees.
During a school board meeting on Thursday, June 13, the Cassville Board of Education elected to pass a resolution to approve the budget for the 2019-2020 school year. This budget contained many items similar to the previous year’s budget, but among them was a salary increase for the teaching staff, as well as an increase to the hourly rates of non-teaching employees.
“For over 25 years, the district maintains a certified and classified salary schedule,” said Cassville superintendent Dr. Richard Asbill. “The state maintains a minimum teacher’s salary and each district sets their base teacher’s salary based on that.”
Previously, the district’s base pay for all certified teachers was $36,000. In the new budget, that number has gone up to $36,500, effectively raising all teaching salaries by $500 a year.
Additionally, the board made the decision to raise staff members’ pay who have a master’s degree.
“When [teachers] go to the master’s level, our district has $1,650 step up in pay,” said Asbill. “What the board has done is raise that by $50 to make it a $1,700 step. It was a way to improve the salary schedule for teachers that have been here for several years.”
As in previous years, teachers at Cassville also receive a $450 salary increase for every eight credit hours they receive toward a master’s degree.
According to Asbill, conversations regarding these salary increases began in January during the yearly budget review. Discussions took place between an advisory council, made up of certified teaching staff members, classified employees such as custodial and maintenance staff and two members of the board of education, Jon Horner and Steven Henbest. In those meetings, it was determined that pay raises for staff would be a priority in the coming year’s budget.
The board also decided to approve raises to the hourly rates of all classified, or hourly, staff within the district. Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, custodial, maintenance, and secretary base pay will raise by 15 cents per hour. The hourly rates of teaching aids and cafeteria workers will be raised by 10 cents an hour.
“Cassville School District has a desire to maintain a competitive pay structure for all of our staff,” said Asbill. “The board of education’s efforts to set a progressive salary schedule is important as we recruit and retain a qualified employee base.”
