photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Lawrence school board members met on Monday, July 28, 2025.

Lawrence school board members approved a tentative agreement with the teachers union, which included an increase to teachers’ salaries along with more planning time for the upcoming school year.

Kristen Ryan, assistant superintendent, told board members on Monday that one of the main discussions during negotiations centered on plan time for teachers at the elementary and high school level. This time is a designated period during a teacher’s workday that is set aside for non-instructional duties, such as preparing lesson plans and meeting with colleagues or support staff.

“We’ve been up here at least the last four years talking about increasing plan time, and … that was a retention faction for our staff,” Ryan said. “And so we made some big strides this year. It’s not perfect, but we made a big impact.”

Starting this fall, elementary teachers will receive at least 7 hours and 10 minutes of plan time per week. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, they will have two daily 45-minute plan periods — one for personal planning and one for professional planning. On Wednesdays, personal plan time will increase to 40 minutes during the day, with an additional 30 minutes after school.

High school teachers will begin teaching five out of seven class periods and receive a minimum of 8 hours and 52 minutes of plan time weekly. This includes one period for personal planning and another for professional planning.

As the Journal-World reported, the school board and the union reached the tentative agreement on June 27. With the new 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.

Employee medical, dental, and vision coverage will transition from Optum to UMB Healthcare Services for the upcoming school year. As a result, the cost per covered employee will increase by approximately $105 per month, rising from $727.12 last year to $832.81.

The agreement also includes updates to stipends to better reflect current market rates. Thirteen school psychologist positions will see an increase in their stipend from $4,000 to $7,000. Longevity stipends of $925 each will be introduced for four marching band roles and two percussion positions. Additionally, stipends for high school assistant cheer directors and high school dance coaches will be adjusted to ensure equity, as both roles involve similar responsibilities, according to the agenda.

Board member Kelly Jones said if the district did a market analysis of how Lawrence compares to other school districts in paying their teachers competitively, it would find that Lawrence is behind. She said it is important to think of ways to incorporate better pay for teachers in the strategic plan the board is hoping to develop next year.

Board member Shannon Kimball said she was pleased to support the agreement, and more plan time for the district’s teachers along with the pay increase to base salaries.

“There have been years that I’ve been a board member that we put zero on the base,” Kimball said. “We simply could not figure out how to get it done … This is truly a step in the right direction. We have significant work still to do in that regard.”

In other business, school board members:

• Heard a presentation about how the district conducted its comprehensive needs assessment. The assessment takes feedback from all of the schools and principals and helps integrate those needs into the next steps for the district – such as, informing decisions on curriculum, staffing, facilities and community engagement.

James Polk, director of data and assessment, highlighted several emerging challenges across the district. These include the need for more resources and staff dedicated to behavior management, expanded mental health services, efforts to reduce student absences and tardiness, and hiring additional support staff to better meet student needs.

Polk said some ways these barriers can be addressed is strengthening family and community engagement along with better educating staff to meet behavioral health needs of students.

“We want to continue to reflect on the work that we’re doing and how these results align with the decisions we’re making and the plan’s action as we move forward,” Polk said.

• Recognized runLawrence for their support of the district’s school marathon clubs and Woodlawn Elementary School. The nonprofit coordinates the annual Thanksgiving Day 5K run, and last year, the event brought 1,200 runners to Lawrence. The district gave the nonprofit the 2025 Outstanding Service to Public Education Award.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Doris Ricks, a community member of Lawrence, was recognized by the Lawrence school district on Monday, July 28, 2025 and received the 2025 Outstanding Citizen Award.

• Recognized Doris Ricks, a community member of Lawrence, to honor her volunteer participation on the Equity Advisory Council, the Superintendent’s Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee and numerous other district committees. The district gave Ricks the 2025 Outstanding Citizen Award.

“Doris’ leadership, insight, and commitment to collaboration have provided invaluable feedback and expertise that have helped guide the district’s ongoing efforts to serve all students equitably and effectively,” the agenda said.

• Approved the 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.

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

• Approved 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.

• Approved 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.

• Held an executive session for the purposes of discussing personnel matters with action to follow. The action took place on the consent agenda on a settlement of an employee’s workers’ compensation case. According to the agenda, the amount is anticipated to exceed $20,000, and therefore, approval from board members is required.