Most teachers in East Baton Rouge Parish public schools will get a raise after the school board unanimously approved Superintendent LaMont Cole’s proposed budget on Thursday night.
The budget increases starting pay for teachers with a bachelor’s degree by $6,000 to $56,000. Cole said the goal is to make pay more competitive in the region.
“When we recruit good people, we are able to retain those individuals when they come to our school system,” Cole said.
The district has also completely reworked and simplified its pay schedule. Raises go beyond teachers and include all staff, except for a single salary scale for administrative staff at the higher end of the salary band.
Bus drivers and the union that represents them ultimately supported the budget after confusion over how changes would affect their pay. With their 180-day work year, the lowest salary for a bus driver now sits at about $22,140, about $1,260 higher than before. It’s a smaller increase than some would like, and multiple speakers said they’ll push for another increase next year.
What’s not included in the budget is Gov. Jeff Landry’s potential stipend for teachers and support staff. Lawmakers have until June 23 to decide whether to make districts cover the cost.
East Baton Rouge would lose more than $10 million, more than 5% of its state funding, if stipends are approved. Cole said his priority was getting the budget passed while he waits for final guidance from the state.
