The Olentangy Board of Education on Wednesday voted unanimously to suspend step increases for the 2011-12 school year for classified employees who are not members of a bargaining unit. This move, which affects approximately 300 staff members, will save the district $200,000.
Superintendent Wade Lucas, Ed.D. said the step-increase freeze is part of an overall cost-savings plan for the district to help counteract the effects of reduced state funding and local property values. Other measures in the plan include no cost of living increases for administrators or classified non-union employees. Administrators are not eligible for step increases.
The classified non-union group includes central office and districtwide support staff, food service workers, secretaries and mechanics.
“The goal of this school board has always been to preserve academic programming,” said Olentangy Board of Education President Julie Wagner Feasel. “By freezing steps for the non-union classified staff while administrators and non-union classified employees forgo an annual increase, the district is taking another step in protecting academics and keeping the promise to the voters to make the May 2011 levy last at least three years.”
The district will be negotiating with all three union groups within the next year. The current contracts for the two classified unions expire June 30. The teachers’ contract, which includes no cost of living increase for the 2011-12 school year, will expire June 30 of 2012.
“We have wonderful employees who are committed to serving our students and to the sustainability of this school district,” said Lucas. ”We’ve made a promise to the community to provide an excellent education at an efficient cost, and we couldn’t do that without such a committed staff.”