Negotiations on a new contract for Lawrence teachers were bogged down Wednesday in a debate about reforming the pay scale.

Consensus on changing the complex salary schedule, which has more than 250 salary possibilities depending on a staff member’s college education and years of service, appeared so difficult that representatives of the school board and Lawrence Education Assn. decided to put the issue off until next school year.

“Are these conversations fruitful at this time?” interjected David Unruh, who is serving as impartial facilitator for the Lawrence school board and Lawrence Education Assn., which represents the district’s teachers in labor negotiations.

However, there was general agreement that both sides would make an attempt to wrap up negotiations at their next meeting May 21.

Negotiators will attempt to reach tentative agreement on changes in health, dental, vision and life insurance. Also, the group likely will exchange salary offers for the first time this year.

Al Gyles, a math teacher at Free State High School and veteran LEA negotiator, said there was realization among his colleagues the district was hard-pressed to free up money for compensation improvements.

He described it as a “bare minimum” year.

Last year, Lawrence certified educators received a 5 percent increase in salary and benefits. It’s unlikely that will be repeated this year; the school board is considering up to $4 million in budget cuts.

Negotiators offered different perspectives on where scarce salary resources ought to be targeted.

Mary Rodriguez, the district’s executive director of human resources, said she was concerned about the district’s starting salary for novice teachers. A first-year teacher without a master’s degree earns $26,680. Starting salaries in the De Soto, Eudora and Shawnee Mission districts are higher.

However, LEA negotiators pressed for salary adjustments that rewarded veteran teachers for service to the Lawrence district. About 170 teachers have topped out on the salary schedule.

“We’ve lost a lot of good teachers in the last several years,” said Kathy Gyles, a math teacher at West Junior High School, LEA negotiator and wife of LEA negotiator Al Gyles.