Staff in the Warren County R-III School District will receive an increase in their pay during the 2021-22 school year in the form of a salary step increase. 

School board members approved the terms of the negotiated agreement, as presented by representatives of the Missouri State Teachers Association and National Education Association, during their monthly meeting on April 8.

This move is not a raise in base pay, but rather a reinstatement of the traditional salary schedule that provides a predetermined bump in pay depending on number of years taught. The salary schedule was frozen during the current year to assist the district in restoring its budget.

“It’s pretty standard every year that you would get your step, and last year we could not give that with us not being in a good financial situation,” said R-III Superintendent Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith. “We froze salaries, which is never a good thing.”

The anticipated cost of reinstating the salary schedule is approximately $400,000, which allows for a two-percent raise for each certified individual. 

Base pay for food service employees, latchkey, work room aides and lunchroom monitors would increase to the 2022 minimum wage rate of $11.15. This expected total cost would be around $30,000. 

Additionally, the agreement includes a 6.4-percent increase in insurance costs to maintain current insurance levels. This increase is estimated to be around $112,000.

All told, the district is looking at a budget increase of approximately $550,000.

“I’m very confident that our cuts are going to help us get back to our balanced budget, and I think we’ll be in fine shape to approve this,” said Klinginsmith. “The (Warrenton Chamber of Commerce)” reported they have a record number of people buying property. Our enrollment is up, so we should see more revenue from the state.”

Even with the reinstated pay schedule, teachers will not be on the salary steps that were originally intended.

“We wish we could do more,” said Klinginsmith. “We’re still behind, and our people are still on the wrong steps. We’re still behind on where we should be, and we’re even trying to get closer to Wright City’s salary schedule.”

R-III has struggled to raise its base pay in recent years, with multiple ballot measures failing at the polls. Now it faces the challenge of retaining staff with the enticement of higher salaries just a short drive to the east. 

Currently, Wright City R-II’s starting teacher salary is $40,250, while R-III lags behind at $36,931. The margins are even more significant when it comes to districts in St. Charles County.

Despite the discrepancy, Klinginsmith says R-III has seen improvement in its teacher retention rates since the introduction of the four-day school week.

“Teacher retention is still an issue,” said Klinginsmith. “We’re doing much better than we were in the past. We’re losing about 30 teachers per year, as opposed to 40 to 50, but we’re still not hitting our goal of only losing 10 percent per year.”

Last year the teacher retention rate for R-III was 88.7 percent.