County teachers will get an early raise

School board also extends Knott's contract a month while superintendent search kicks off

The Escambia County (Ala.) School Board voted to begin giving teachers and other personnel a state-mandated raise beginning July 1 instead of Oct. 1 which is when the new state raises go into effect.

Chief Financial Officer Julie Madden told the board during a Tuesday workshop that giving the raises early will cost the school system about $95,000.

Madden told the board it would be a good gesture for the employees and also said it would eliminate some book and record keeping work. She noted new teacher contracts go into effect July 1. If the board decided to wait until Oct. 1 to give the raises, teachers would be working under two contracts with two salary scales.

She also said in the past, the board has voted to begin the state raises in July instead of October.

Madden also said all the $95,000 additional cost would not come out of local funds.

"Even if we had to pay every penny out of local funds, we can afford it," Madden said.

The Alabama Legislature approved teacher pay raises during the last session that begins at 2 percent and goes up depending on a teacher's years of service and education degree level.

During the board meeting that followed the workshop, Board President Cindy Jackson said she felt it was the right thing to go ahead and give the raises on July 1.

"It would be a good incentive for employees with what they have been through this past year," Jackson said.

Other board members agreed and the item was added to the agenda and approved by a unanimous vote.

Knott extended

Superintendent John Knott's retirement date of July 31 has been moved to Aug. 31 to help with the transition as the school board looks for a new superintendent.

The board voted Tuesday to extend Knott's contract by one month.

Jackson said she was not sure the board could complete its superintendent search by the end of July and extending Knott's contract gives the board more time.

The school board has partnered with the Alabama Association of School Boards (AASB) to aid in the search for the next superintendent.

Representatives from the AASB held a series of workshops this week seeking the public's input on what people expect in the next superintendent.

Meetings were held Monday at Escambia County High School and Tuesday at Flomaton High School and W.S. Neal High School.