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DP309 NEG – Salary Guidelines

  • Effective: 8/27/1969
  • Revision: 1/25/2022
  • Reviewed: 4/26/2013

  1. Board Directive
    It is the policy of the Board to meet with the Administration, officers of each departmental organization, and their appointed representatives in salary negotiations to establish salary schedules.
    It is also the policy of the Board to pay wages and salaries that shall enable the District to secure and retain qualified personnel.
    The Board delegates to the District Administration the responsibility for implementing the salary policy.
  2. Administrative Policy
    The salary policy shall be implemented according to the following administrative policy provisions:

      1. Date of Payments
        Payment of all salaries shall be made on the 25th day of each month. If the 25th falls on a weekend or on a holiday, payday will be the previous working day as approved by the Board of Education. All approved deductions, other than those legally required, shall be made only upon the written request of the employee.
      2. Salary Rates
        District personnel shall be compensated at rates agreed upon through negotiations and published in the salary schedules for each group of employees. The actual employee's salary shall be a factor of his/her percent of contract and placement on the salary schedule.
      3. Basic Salary Schedule
        A basic salary schedule shall be established for licensed personnel. The schedule shall be based upon consideration of contract teaching experience in an accredited school and upon continued training.
      4. Differential Allowance
        Differential allowance may be paid to teachers with special assignments as recommended by the Administration and approved by the Board.
      5. Placement on Salary-Step Scale
        Salary schedule placement shall be determined by the number of full or part-time years of teaching experience. In cases of interrupted or part-time service, the following guidelines shall apply:

        1. Effective July 1, 1996, an employee who is employed at least half-time and who actually works in any one school year a number of days equal to or greater than one-half the number of work days specified for similar contracts shall be given one-year experience credit.
        2. Employees working less than one-half the number of work days will receive no experience credit.
      6. Equated Teaching Experience
        Teaching (accredited PK-12) experience in other schools and/or school districts shall be evaluated by the Administrator of Human Resources. Full-time teaching experience outside the District shall equate to full-time years of service credit; half-time teaching experience outside the District shall equate to one-half year of service credit.

        1. Salary schedule placement for new hires with no teaching experience shall be determined by education level as outlined below:
          Degree Salary Level
          Bachelor’s Degree Level 1
          Bachelor’s Degree + 20 Semester Credits Level 3
          Bachelor’s Degree + 40 Semester Credits Level 5
          Master’s Degree Level 6
          Master’s Degree + 30 Semester Credits Level 8
          Doctorate Degree Level 10
        2. New hires with teaching experience shall receive full credit for years of service and educational levels. Salary levels for new hires with teaching experience will be assigned as follows:
          Degree Maximum Salary Level
          Bachelor’s Degree Level 13
          Bachelor’s Degree + 20 Semester Credits Level 16
          Bachelor’s Degree + 40 Semester Credits Level 23
          Master’s Degree Level 28
          Master’s Degree + 30 Semester Credits Level 31
          Doctorate Degree Level 32
        3. New hires with teaching experience who are hired in areas of critical need may be placed above these maximum salary levels based on years of experience and educational level.
      7. After initial placement, teachers receiving licensure through an alternative pathway shall not be eligible for an educational advancement salary change until they have received their professional license.
      8. Military Experience
        No salary step credit shall be granted to any employee for military experience except for previous employees who have left the District to enter the military service. These employees shall be granted benefits required under the reemployment rights provision of Chapter 43 of Title 38, U.S. Code.
      9. Submission of Evidence
        1. It shall be the responsibility of the employees to submit to the Human Resources Department documented evidence which they wish to have considered in determining their initial placement on the salary schedule.
        2. For new employees to the District, only graduate hours beyond the original certificate and B.S. degree will count toward salary lane placement except under the following circumstances. For new hires, undergraduate hours taken after the original certificate and B.S. degree may be considered for salary lane placement if they are recommended to the Local Professional Improvement Committee by one or more District administrators as meeting an identified District need. The recommendation, along with supporting evidence, must be submitted in writing to the LPIC (no later than the first week of August for teachers on year-round schedules or the first week of September for teachers on traditional schedules) so the LPIC will have sufficient time to approve or deny the request prior to the issuance of the first payroll.
        3. Credit for salary lane changes for current employees will be granted  from an accredited institution, USBE approved credit on Ontrack Professional Learning Center, District approved credit and LPIC approved in-service credit in accordance with Policy AA421 Local Professional Improvement Committee.
        4. Credit for educational advancement salary changes for teachers receiving licensure through an alternative pathway will be granted only following completion of their Professional Licensure Program. Salary educational advancement changes will be awarded as noted in Policy AA421- Local Professional Improvement Committee.
        5. Salary lane changes shall be awarded when the Human Resources Department receives proof of eligibility in the form of an official transcript, including electronic transcripts submitted to the Human Resources Department directly from an accredited institution.  If proof of eligibility is submitted prior to the 15th of the month, the salary lane change shall be reflected on the paycheck issued in the following month.
      10. Compensation for Substitute Teachers
        A salary schedule for substitute teachers shall be established.