photo by: Lawrence Journal-World

Lawrence school district offices, pictured in April 2021.

Lawrence teachers could receive salary increases next school year if a tentative agreement is approved between the teachers union and the district.

On Tuesday, representatives of the Lawrence Education Association (LEA) met with the district and representatives of the Lawrence school board to form a tentative contract agreement to increase a teachers’ base annual salary by $1,400 starting this fall.

“I think we as a negotiations team realize that there’s still a lot more work that has to happen with salary,” said LEA Negotiations Co-Chair Josh Spradlin. “We are still competing with surrounding districts, and we still want to make Lawrence Public Schools the most competitive place to teach at.”

The teachers that qualify may experience vertical movement, resulting in a pay increase based on years of experience, horizontal movement, which involves an increase based on levels of certification, or both.

The contract will even include an opportunity to see horizontal movement on March paychecks for qualifying teachers. These teachers can earn horizontal movement twice in the year including the fall and in the spring.

The tentative agreement features various stipends, such as $7,000 per position for speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. Stipends for high school cheer directors will also increase by approximately $1,100. Additionally, the agreement introduces two new $3,015 stipends for DECA, Distributive Education Clubs of America.

“The reason these stipends exist is because these positions are getting harder and harder to fill,” Spradlin said. “One of the ways that we can try and get people to take those jobs within the district is by offering them a stipend or additional compensation as a benefit.”

“And so that’s a way of trying to just get the money the district is spending into employee pockets as opposed to (getting services outside of the district),” Spradlin said.

The agreement will also support an increase of approximately $139 in employee’s fringe benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance. The other employer paid benefit is a contribution of $75 a month to an educator’s monthly retirement account.

LEA President Emerson Hoffzales sent information to certified staff with instructions for the ratification vote. Following the certified staff vote, the Lawrence Board of Education will consider the approval of the agreement at an upcoming meeting.

At the Lawrence school board meeting on Monday, school board president Kelly Jones said contract negotiations with PAL-CWA, the district’s classified staff union, are currently on pause. The district is currently waiting on information from the state to assist in determining potential wage increases.