The base pay for teachers at Great Bend USD 428 was increased by $1,800 for 2024-2025, to $46,000 per year. All district employees will see pay increases, and those who worked in the district last year and are returning will receive a bonus.

Next year’s compensations were approved at Monday’s school board meeting. It was one item on a cluster “consent agenda” that came after the board spent 90 minutes in executive session to discuss the latest proposal for increasing the base pay. A $1,500 increase had also been proposed at one point.

The retention bonus comes from Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds first awarded by the federal government to support education during the COVID-19 pandemic. ESSER funds end at the end of 2024.

Teachers, administrators and other licensed staff are eligible for a $1,500 retention bonus.

By increasing the base pay for teachers, the starting salary is now $46,000 per year and all other amounts on the salary schedule increase accordingly. The salary increase is based on years of service and for earning extra credentials, such as obtaining a master’s degree.

District administrators will all receive a $2,200 increase in salary plus the retention bonus.

All classified (hourly) employees will receive a 2% increase to their hourly rate. Employees who have been continuously employed, beginning on or before July 31, 2023, will also receive a 72-cent increase to their hourly rate to match and replace the ESSER retention bonus given in previous years.

Other changes

The contract with teachers also includes two fewer contact days with students and two more work days for teachers without student contact. The teachers will work the same number of days as before, but students will have two fewer school days. 

Hourly pay for extra-duty work outside the contract day will increase from $13.18 to $15.00. The rate for curriculum work, summer school and after-school instruction will change from $18.95 to $20 per hour..