School district’s 2015-16 budget includes 2 percent raise for teachers | Increase will go along with 3 percent COLA adjustment
Published 10:34 am Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Mercer Island School District finance officer Dean Mack presented the School Board with a first reading of the 2015-16 operating budget at its regular meeting Tuesday, Aug. 18 at City Hall.
Two notable highlights were provided, which should serve as welcome news for teachers across the Island.
Mack said certificated and classified staff will receive a 2 percent salary increase from the district, following a 3 percent cost-of-living raise from the state’s 2015-17 education budget, for a total of a 5 percent increase. Prior to the Legislature adopting the budget, and unaware of what exact changes would incur, the district negotiated with the Mercer Island Education Association (MIEA) for the 2 percent raise.
“[Staff] had really gone years without a significant [pay] increase at all,” he said.
Another uncertainty the district faced while awaiting the completion of the education budget regarded what funding could be counted on from the Bridge the Gap campaign, which Mack said fell short of its $1.2 million goal. But the Legislature did improve student-teacher ratio funding for grades K-3, which would provide for almost five teachers.
“It exactly matched what we were short of in the Bridge campaign,” he said. “We were held entirely harmless in that process.”
In a guide created by Mack to this year’s school district budget, the summary for all funds for the 2015-16 year listed a beginning balance of $6.325 million for the general fund and $1.478 million for the transportation vehicle fund.
The capital projects fund begins the year at over $78 million, with revenues expected to push the figure over $87 million. But projects including the Northwood Elementary construction and the Islander Middle School expansion will dwindle that figure down to an expected ending balance of $2,228,086 in August of 2016.
Other funds listed included a debt service fund, with a beginning balance of $3.35 million, and the Associated Student Body (ASB) fund, with a balance of $450,000.
Just over 57 percent of budget revenue will come from state funding, while 25.7 percent comes from the local maintenance and operation levy. Only 3.8 percent of revenue will come from federal funding.
Most of the district’s revenue, 60.7 percent, will go toward basic classroom education. Basic education support, which includes administrators, maintenance and custodial staff, will claim 14.7 percent, while 12.4 percent will go toward special education.
Following a public hearing on the budget, it will return to the School Board at its next meeting Aug. 27, when the board will move to either adopt or amend.
This story was updated to state that teachers will receive a 2 percent raise from the Mercer Island School District along with a 3 percent COLA raise from the state education budget for a total of a 5 percent raise. An earlier version of this story may have intimated teachers would receive a 5 percent raise from the district to go along with the 3 percent COLA raise.
The Reporter regrets any confusion that may have been caused.
