The Lincoln Board of Education approved pay raises for several staff groups and a new paid holiday during a Tuesday regular board meeting.
The one-year negotiated agreements with seven employee groups includes pay increases for employees that support teaching and learning, and Juneteenth will be designated as a paid holiday moving forward for employees who work year-round.
This agreement represents the largest single-year salary increase since 2004 for paraeducators, office professionals, technicians, and maintenance staff. Additionally, LPS will assume the health insurance out of pocket increase of 1.99% for all bargaining groups.
“We are working to recruit and retain a talented and diverse workforce and these salary increases and agreements will help us achieve those goals in a competitive job market,” said LPS Director of Employee Relations Blake Simpson.
Other highlights of the agreements include:
- Paraeducators: 7% total package increase to include a 7.51% salary increase (range per hour going from $14.64-$18.49 to $15.96-$19.82) and changes to the service year stipend (range going from $0.25-$1.00 to $0.30-$1.10).
- Office Professionals: 4.55% total package increase to include a 4.26% salary increase (range per hour going from $18.51-$23.49 to $19.30-$24.49) and changes to the service year stipend (range going from $0.70-$1.10 to $0.75-$1.15).
- Technicians: 4.55% total package increase to include 4.49% salary increase and changes to the service year stipend (increasing existing levels by $0.10 and adding a level for employees with 20+ years of experience with LPS).
- Maintenance Staff: 4.55% total package increase to include 4.73% salary increase (range per hour going from $24.78-$46.44 to $27.27-$49.76).
- Custodians: 5% total package increase to include 5.07% salary increase (range per hour from $18.59-$26.86 to $19.53-$28.22).
- Nutrition Services: 5.50% total package increase to include 5.51% salary increase (range per hour going from $15.53-$23.10 to $16.37-$24.35) and changes to the service year stipend (range going from $0.30-$0.80 to $0.45-$1.25).
- Administrators: 4.55% total package increase to include 4.28% salary increase and adjustments to long-service increments.
Classified workers, or non-certified staff, make up roughly 45% of the LPS workforce totaling approximately 3,000 workers overall.
Due to hiring timelines for the 2024-2025 school year, the Board waived second reading and voted to approve the negotiated agreements.