BRECKINRIDGE COUNTY, Ky. — There was applause of victory Wednesday night at a Breckinridge County Board of Education meeting as teachers were promised higher wages in the fall.
The raise is what educators in the county have been pushing for since April.
Teachers said they were unhappy with the 1% annual salary increase after realizing administrators, coaches and other staff were given more in stipends.
According to financial documents, from this school year to the next, administrators will receive a double-digit stipend increase.
For example, according to the documents, an elementary school assistant principal will receive an 83% stipend increase, totaling $2,569. However, a Rank I teacher with 27 years of experience would have received a 1% salary increase, totaling $634.
Now, that same teacher will receive a 9.6% increase in the fall.
Retired teacher Lisa Doyle said it’s deserved.
“For all those extra hours you put in, for all the money you spend out of your own pocket, for all the classes that you had to pay for without compensation, thank you,” Doyle said.
Superintendent Nick Carter said the stipends ensure admin pay is comparable to surrounding counties, and the money used for them is only a small portion of the total budget.
However, Carter said he understands inflation is affecting the cost of living for everyone.
“We’ve done a lot of listening since April, and really did a lot of work around trying to make sure that we are able to come to a good conclusion to this,” Carter said.
While Carter said he’s grateful for the bump in state SEEK funding the county has received, he said another substantial increase would help increase the district’s budget as well, citing inflation and teacher shortages. It’s something he hopes is addressed in the next legislative session.
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