Category Archives: Budget

Salary Increases Comparison

Just months before leaving as outgoing Superintendent, Michael Thurmond said, “Our highest budget priority is to increase salaries for our highly qualified veteran teachers.” The administration recommended the following three-tier salary increase to the board:
4 – 3 – 2 Plan : Teachers and Employees

% Increase
4% Cost-Of-Living-adjustment (COLA) for all veteran teachers with 6 or more years of experience
3% COLA increase to teachers with 0-5 years of experience
2% COLA increase for all other employees

How did that recommended increase stack up to other metro Atlanta school districts?

School District Cost of Living Step Increases Comments
DeKalb County School District Teachers: 3%-4%
6-30 yrs 4%
5 yrs/less 3%
No
Fulton County School District Teachers: 4%-8%
-step 0-5 (4%)
-step 6-20 (8%)
-step 21 (4%)
Yes** Sign-on bonuses ($1,000-$2,500)
Cobb County School District Teachers 4% Yes** Additional 1% salary added back, due to a cut that took place in 2010
Atlanta Public School District None No Salary Study Proposal (no increases for any employee)
Gwinnett County School District Teachers 2.5% plus schedule adjustment Yes** Additional 6.6 million dollars expended to adjust teacher salary schedule, to be more competitive.Increase starting salary for new teachers to be more competitive.

**Step is worth an additional 3% in salary

Salary Review for Teachers

DeKalb Teachers

.pdf link icon FY2016 Teacher Contracts were issued on MARCH 23, 2015 and will receive a pay plan on or before August 31, 2015. They will see any BOE approved increases on September 15, 2015.
Superintendent Green is working with Finance and Human Resources to conduct a comparative analysis to metro area school districts of the salary schedule for teachers, principals, and other instructional support staff at the local level. The goal is to close the gap in salaries and provide competitive pay in order to retain highly qualified teachers and principals. Several options are being developed for consideration. More information to follow and board mini sessions with the administration will be scheduled in the very near future to share and discuss the options.
Human Resources/Staffing Updates
In-Talage Inc. provided the district with 55 teaching applicants who are interested in working with the DeKalb County School District. Principals are in the process of interviewing these applicants. Provided that the principal does not wish to make a recommendation of a candidate from this pool of applicants, the vendors will provide an additional pool and the Division of Human Resources will continue recruitment efforts.