Certified California teachers will see salary increases based on their years of service and education level.
The Moniteau County R-1 Board of Education approved pay increases for teachers, as well as non-certified employees, during its March 20 meeting.
Teachers will see a $500 increase to the base salary schedule, raising it to $35,000. An extra $100 will be added for each year of service for those with a master's degree, plus 32 college graduate hours or a specialist's degree.
"We looked at our current salary schedule and its competitiveness to conference schools, and what those proposed changes would make," Superintendent Dwight Sanders said. "We're below the average in 14 out of the 18 categories in our conference. But with the proposed changes, we'll only be below average on one category."
For non-certified staff, such as administrators, maintenance, paraprofessionals, secretaries, cooks, nurses and custodians, the board approved a 5 percent salary increase.
By 2023, Sanders said, Missouri's minimum wage will be $12 per hour.
"If we have four years to get our salaries up to $12 per hour, that means the cooks and custodians will be the only ones who won't be there," Sanders told the board. "It might be good to consider a 5 percent raise this year. Then we can figure out over the next three years if we want to do a 5 percent increase for any of those years."
Two years ago, the board approved a 10 percent increase for all non-certified staff. But at this time, the wages are "considerably behind" the rest of the pack, Sanders said.
"Right now, the cooks are at $10.31 per hour," he said. "With a 3 percent raise, that will get them to $10.62 an hour. But with a 5 percent raise, that will get them to $10.83. We're still not talking about a good salary here. But in 2015, they were making $9.52. So we've made significant strides and have much more marketable positions than what it used to be."
Sanders said a 3 percent raise for the non-certified staff would cost $335,000, while a 5 percent increase would cost $371,000.
The board approved the 5 percent raise, citing efforts to retain quality employees and to attract a better quality of staff in the future.