Nashville schools proposes teacher pay raises, reshuffle to student services department that could mean layoffs
Nashville public school teachers could get a raise under the latest budget proposal from Director of Schools Shawn Joseph.
The raises, along with a major overhaul of Metro Nashville Public Schools student support services department, are included in Joseph’s proposed spending plan for the 2018-19 school year.
The two changes are in line with Joseph’s major priorities to raise pay employee overall and overhaul positions that oversee Social Emotional Learning at schools.
But the shift to the student services department will feature layoffs. Those positions will be repurposed into other jobs.
In the first draft of his budget proposal, Joseph is proposing a $924 million operating budget — or a 5.1 percent increase over last year.
The district’s enrollment projections will remain about flat considering projected student enrollment projection decreases. The district had expected enrollment growth this school year but saw a $7.5 million less than projected in state funding after those projections came up short.
Joseph’s administration released the budget Tuesday to the school board ahead of his State of Schools address on Wednesday. It includes a shift by the district in the way it funds its neediest schools, but scaling back the amount some schools receive in Title I funds.
A two percent employee pay raise
The biggest line item shift within the budget is a pay increase for teachers and support staff.
The proposed 2 percent increase in salaries marks the second year in a row that Director of Shawn Joseph has placed more money into employee pay.
The district will spend about $10.4 million to increase salaries, as well as another $7.8 million for employee step raises. Including items such as insurance, the district will increase employee compensation by $24.5 million.
Layoffs announced as part of changes to student services department
Within the budget, the Department of Student Services will see the biggest changes.
On Monday, the department announced layoffs to some employees as positions were to be cut to make room for others. The layoffs include truancy specialists and family involvement specialists.
Student Services Executive Officer Tony Majors said to the board Tuesday that the restructuring will help the department better align with the district’s goal of providing more social-emotional services for students.
“We know it is a lean budget year,” Majors said. “We have had to repurpose existing positions as part of the process.”
The shuffling includes creating positions, for instance, that will oversee student behavior, offer support for students that are in juvenile detention and increase support for schools, Majors said.
District spokeswoman Michelle Michaud said Majors informed employees of what new positions might be available to them and the anticipated timeline for when those jobs would be available.
“His goal was to let them know that while the district is taking a new approach, he would do his best to assist employees in seeking other positions within or outside of the district,” she said.