photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The Lawrence school district offices building, located at 110 McDonald Dr., is pictured in May 2025.

Teachers in the Lawrence school district will see an $800 base salary increase next school year if school board members finalize a tentative agreement with the teachers union on Monday.

According to the board’s meeting agenda for Monday, the school board and the union reached the tentative agreement on June 27. Under the agreement, the salary pool for certified staff — including teachers, counselors, librarians and other education specialists — would increase by 3.162%, or about $1.6 million.

The agreement would increase the base salaries for all certified staff by $800 and would also include pay increases for some employees based on years of experience or levels of certification.

For medical, dental and vision coverage for employees, there would be a change in carriers from Optum to UMB Healthcare Services. The costs per covered employee would go up by about $105 per month, from $727.12 the previous school year to $832.81 for the upcoming school year.

The agreement also outlines stipend increases to make sure positions better align with market rates. For school psychologists, 13 positions would move from a $4,000 stipend to a $7,000 stipend. Longevity stipends would also be added for four marching band positions and two percussion positions at $925 each. Additionally, adjustments would be made to align the stipends of the high school assistant cheer director positions and the high school dance coach positions, since “their duties are equal and consistent,” the agenda said.

In other business, school board members will:

• Hear a presentation about how the district will conduct its comprehensive needs assessment. The assessment will inform decisions on curriculum, staffing, facilities and community engagement.

• Consider approving the proposed 2025-2026 enrollment and fee schedule. The meeting agenda said one change this year was related to preschool tuition for 3- and 4-year-olds who do not qualify for the state’s preschool-age at-risk funding. Those preschool rates at Sunflower and Woodlawn elementaries and the New York Elementary Montessori program would be set at $660 a month for nine months. The schedule also includes fees for such things as high school art and cooking classes, which would range from $15 to $25, and replacement fees for lost or damaged technology items, such as iPad adapters and cables ($19 each) or MacBook adapters ($59).

• Consider approving contracts for special education services totaling about $4.5 million. The district would be contracting with multiple companies, including AMN Healthcare, Sunbelt Staffing, The Stepping Stones Group, Supplemental Health Care and Therapy Travelers DBA Epic Special Education Staffing.

• Consider approving the 2025-2026 facility rental fee structure for school buildings and grounds, including use by nonprofits, for-profits and Kansas State High School Activities Association-sponsored activities.

• Consider approving the sale of surplus items through Purple Wave Auction. These items may include furniture, fixtures, vehicles, equipment, shelving and plumbing or electrical materials, according to the agenda.

The board will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday at the district offices, 110 McDonald Drive. The meeting will also be available via the school district’s YouTube channel. Residents who want to share comments with the board may sign up in advance by emailing PublicComment@usd497.org by noon Monday and may participate in person or via Webex video/phone conferencing.