- April 24, 2024
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The Volusia County School Board unanimously approved on Tuesday, March 8, a salary increase of up to 5% for non-bargaining employees, as well as a $500 retention bonus for any employee that has been with Volusia County Schools for five years or longer.
The district took a tiered approach to the increases, with non-bargaining employees separated in 17 different levels, plus a separate category for technical non-bargaining employees, which include deaf interpreters and head custodians. Employees in levels 1 through three (which include administrative assistants, computer technicians and analysts) will receive a 5% increase, said Mark West, chief human resources officer for the district. Level four through eight employees (examples are network engineers, paralegals, therapists and project managers) will receive a 3% increase, and all administrators and employees level nine and higher will receive a 2% salary increase.
It's a proposal that will cost the district $1.26 million, in addition to the $270,740 needed for the retention bonuses.
At the School Board workshop earlier that day, School Board member Jamie Haynes expressed frustration over the levels employees were categorized in, as some job titles repeated on the district's chart. Other members expressed confusion as well, and Board Chair Ruben Colon worried about salary compression in the near future.
West said staff listened when the board expressed the desire to increase the wages of lowest-paid employees the most, and that's why they introduced a tiered increase.
"In the past, I think, all we've done with non-bargaining is say, 'We're just going to vote flat — 2% increase for all non-bargaining," West said. "And that way, I hate to say it's easy, but it's easy. What we're trying to do here is tier a little bit so that we are trying to bring up our lowest paid employees."
With the 5% increase, a starting salary for an employees in level one will be $33,703 a year. For level two, it would $41,314. A 5% raise equates to 50 cents.
The district will also be raising some hourly wages beyond 5% for its lowest paid employees classified as technical non-bargaining employees. Its deaf interpreters' wages will increase to $11 an hour; Extended Day Enrichment Program employees' hourly wage will be increased to $12 and their minimum hours will increase from two to three.
Haynes said said she wished for the people whose hourly wages were increased to $10 an hour in September 2021 get to $15 soon.
School Board member Carl Persis said he wanted the board to remain aware of the job market and see which positions, such as school nurses, are having staffing issues.
"If part of that reason is because of the hourly rate, or the overall salary, then I think this is our opportunity to address that," he said.
Amid concerns on salary compression, School Board member Anita Burnette said the issue is about being "fair and equitable."
"There's all kinds of ways we can go back and forth and we have to start somewhere," said Burnette before echoing Colon's earlier suggestion that the district form a five-year plan to address the problem.
Fritz agreed that salaries remain a big issue that needs to be addressed, whether that be by bringing in an external auditor to look at pay or have the district do the research.
"I think what you're going to have to realize — and we all have to realize this — is that you're going to have to pick the gator that's closest to the boat to start with," Fritz said. "You're not going to be able to do it all at once."
Later at the School Board meeting that afternoon, Colon said that it was unfortunate the district couldn't offer a higher increase at the moment, but that he is proud that the conversation to develop a plan to improve salaries has been brought to the table.
"I'm excited that we're having this conversation now," Colon said. "It's something that's been in my heart for many years. It's just the timing has to be right, and I am supportive of this. However, I don't think it's perfect by any means."
