‘It is a band-aid:’ Douglas County College District approves inflationary raises

Within the hopes of gaining a slight benefit this hiring season, the Douglas County College District board accredited wage will increase for workers sooner than previously, bumping beginning pay from $43,680 to $45,209.

Presently, Douglas County College District has one of many lowest beginning pays within the Denver metro space and Superintendent Erin Kane mentioned the district has struggled to draw and retain employees lately. 

Through the  Feb. 28 assembly, the Board of Training unanimously accredited a proposed 3.5% base improve for all licensed employees, resembling lecturers, in addition to a 2-2.5% step improve, a 6% improve for categorized employees and a 5% improve for administration for the 2023-24 college 12 months. 

The will increase will value the district $22.5 million subsequent 12 months, which is probably going be coated by the inflationary improve in funding from Colorado’s College Finance Act, Kane mentioned.

The state legislature has not but accredited subsequent 12 months’s college funding.

Kane acknowledged the district approving raises earlier than understanding how a lot funding the state will present is a calculated danger, however one she believes is value it to offer certainty for workers.

“We all know there’s some danger, however we really feel actually assured that the College Finance Act will improve, actually enough to cowl the will increase we’re proposing,” she mentioned. “By proposing these will increase now, we’re making an enormous distinction by way of retention as a result of we’re offering assurance and stability for our workers, so they may know what subsequent 12 months appears to be like like.”

The compensation will increase being accredited so early within the 12 months may additionally assist give the district an edge when recruiting new lecturers, Kane mentioned, since different districts haven’t finalized wage schedules but.

Nevertheless, all college districts predict inflationary will increase in state funding, which suggests Douglas County will most likely not be the one district to boost pay. 

“Each college district will obtain inflationary funding from the state and each college district will do what we’re doing,” Kane mentioned. “We’re simply going to do it sooner. It’s all we’ve received …It won’t alleviate the necessity for (a mill levy override). It won’t shut the hole with different college districts, however it is going to be an awesome message to our lecturers and to our employees.”

Within the Denver metro space, Cherry Creek has already elevated instructor pay for subsequent 12 months to $57,000 to begin. Westiminster accredited paying lecturers a beginning wage of $61,000.

Kane mentioned the disparity comes from the variations in native mill levy overrides. Douglas County’s mill levy quantities to round $1,150 per pupil, whereas surrounding districts, together with Denver, Littleton and Cherry Creek, get greater than twice as a lot per pupil from their mill levies.

“It isn’t as a result of our district chooses to not pay our lecturers competitively,” Kane mentioned. “It’s purely a funding problem.”

Board member Elizabeth Hanson described the choice to provide raises whereas nonetheless planning to ask voters for a mill levy override in November like “strolling on a sword.”

“We want our lecturers to listen to that we’re doing every part we will to care for them and we want our neighborhood to listen to that we want funding,” Hanson mentioned. “It is a band-aid.”

Along with wage will increase, the district can be planning to supply workers free lunch subsequent 12 months, discounted childcare and bettering employees workspaces, on high of short-term retention methods accredited in January.

Kane mentioned the plan centered on methods to maintain current employees.

“We completely must recruit, however our precedence is retaining who we now have, so as a substitute of piling all of our assets into making our beginning pay $50,000 … we selected to place our assets into the those that we now have,” she mentioned. 

A number of lecturers spoke on the assembly in favor of the plan and thanked the board for his or her efforts in supporting employees.

Lucy Squire, instructor and president of the Douglas County Federation, a neighborhood instructor’s union, mentioned the plan exhibits the district values its employees and is working to be extra aggressive.

“It’s beginning to really feel like we’re being paid what we’re value,” “Thanks once more for working with us and for listening to our concepts. We’re shifting in the suitable route and I’m stuffed with optimism and gratitude.”

One other instructor, Ann Fisher, mentioned her college’s tradition, values and sense of belonging maintain her working within the district and he or she doesn’t wish to depart, however monetary hurdles make it troublesome to remain.

“Whereas considering of beginning a household with my accomplice within the subsequent 12 months or two, I’m capable of breathe a sigh of reduction understanding that our district is prioritizing our lecturers, employees and communities with compensation will increase,” Fisher mentioned. “I’m hopeful that I can’t need to make the extremely exhausting choice between beginning a household and staying at a faculty that I take into account a second dwelling.” 

Your entire board supported the wage will increase and praised Kane and employees for his or her work on the proposal.