A decision on three proposed salary pay schedules across Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District has been delayed after the board of trustees voted to have further discussions on the items during last Monday’s board meeting.
The vote comes following public comments about salary schedules and its possible implications for district staff members.
The proposed salary schedules focused on a salary increase and hourly rate for the district’s superintendent, certificated management, classified management. Additionally, it also includes changes to longevity pay.
Justin Pruett, the district’s superintendent, could receive $208,021 annually in the first year of the proposed 2025-26 superintendent salary schedule, with an average salary increase of nearly $6,915 for six years. This is an increase of the first year salary in NCLUSD’s superintendent pay schedule for 2022-23, which was $202,522 with an annual average increase of close to $6,733.
Certificated management, which represents administrative and leadership positions such as principals and assistant superintendent, has a salary range from $93,012 to $187,219 depending on the position and years served, according to management’s proposed 2024-25 salary schedule. The assistant superintendent would receive the highest salary increase amongst all positions going from $161,497 in the first year to $187,219 annually for the sixth year on the schedule.
The district’s classified management, represented by non-certificated positions like chief business official and director of maintenance & operations nutritions services director, has its pay schedule determined by hourly pay rather than annual salary. According to the management’s proposed 2024-25 pay schedule, hourly rates can go between $27.04 to $73.32 depending on positions and years served. The lead mental health clinician would receive the highest hourly pay rate at $63.25 in the first year and $73.32 in the sixth year.
Proposed pay schedules raises questions from public comment
During public comment, multiple speakers voiced their concerns about the salary schedule and its implications for the teachers and district staff members moving forward.
Caralyn Mendoza was the first person to speak during the public comment. Mendoza was previously the district’s assistant superintendent and chief financial official. The Connect reported in May that Mendoza was dismissed from the district “without cause.”
Mendoza told the board that she understands that negotiations between Newman-Crows Landing Teachers Association (NCLTA) and the Newman-Crows Landing California Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter 551 were difficult last year due to the district not having a “great deal of money” for salary increases.
The district and the CSEA finalized a new tentative agreement back in June that will go from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027. Jessie Ceja, assistant supervisor of human services for the district, told the Connect last month that NCLTA and NCLUSD agreed to a new bargaining contract for the 2024-25 school year in August.
Mendoza said she’s concerned about the longevity pay for classified management staff and teachers. She said that some classified staff members had to borrow money to buy groceries.
According to the NCLTA’s 2024-25 agreement, teachers will receive a longevity stipend of $1,000 starting in their 15th year of teaching. It will increase to another $1,000 after five more years with year 30 offering $4,000.
The longevity stipend for classified management focuses on hourly rate, which depends on positions and pay. According to the 2023-24 classified management pay schedule, a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) earns the lowest longevity hourly rate of $31.40 after five years. The average increase for the position’s longevity pay per hour is around $1.70.
“Is this really the statement you want to put out to the staff? Especially when I hear teachers and program [staff] complaining that the district cannot afford items for their classrooms and that purchase orders are on hold due to lack of funding,” Mendoza said.
Another speaker that spoke about the salary schedules was Maria Andrade, NCLTA’s president and a Spanish teacher at Yolo Middle School.
Andrade said she is speaking because she has concerns about the proposed salary pay schedule for the superintendent and certificated management.
She mentioned that she had a “front row seat” of the negotiation process for the teacher association's recent bargaining agreement. Prior to negotiations, Andrade said the NCLUSD’s office and Board President Don Cabral told union members that “they should not expect anything significant.”
After months and months into negotiations, Andrade said, Cabral told the members that the district didn’t have any money for salary increases and could only offer a one-time payment of 1% of the teacher’s salary.
Andrade added that the members understood the reasoning due to NCLUSD’s financial instability of having $5 million in debt. However, after seeing the proposed pay schedule, she is concerned about the precedent it could set moving forward.
“How you vote tonight will send a clear message to not only teachers, not only these students here, but to this community.” Andrade said. “What you say means nothing when your actions don’t follow through with it.”
Brittney Clark, the lead negotiator for the CSEA and a media clerk at Orestimba High School, was the last person to speak during the public comment. She said that she felt that a decision was already made before public comment began.
Clark added that if CSEA doesn’t find an agreement that the organization likes during the next bargaining negotiations with NCLUSD, it will be difficult for both parties to come to terms with an agreement.
“Our members can’t pay their rent, our members can’t take their kids to get new clothes and it’s not because of poor planning,” she said. “This economy is terrible for everybody, even for people who make multiple figures.”
Board members speak on the matter
Multiple board members later spoke about the salary schedules and responded to concerns from public comment.
Derek Wach, a board member, asked about the disparity in funds for healthcare benefits certificated management and how it compares to classified management and the teacher’s association.
According to the 2023-24 certificated management salary schedule, $21,137.88 was given in healthcare benefits. Classified management earned $1,500 less ($19,637.88) for its healthcare. The teachers association will receive $9,570 for this school year.
Lyzette Gonzalez, another board member, said not having an increase in longevity pay for teachers and classified management could send a “conflicting message.”
“This isn’t about denying recognition, it’s about making sure our actions match the values we talk about: fairness, responsibility and respect for all employees,” Gonzalez said. “Because of these inconsistencies, I did not feel comfortable approving these items as written.”
While both board members evaluated the situation, Board Member Maribel Cerutti addressed Clark's open comment about the board having a decision made prior to the meeting, mentioning she was “appalled” by the comments.
“You have no idea how hard it is for us,” Cerutti said to Clark. “We are trying very, very hard for us to work together as a team. You know what, I think we’re doing a really good job in understanding each others’ differences and being okay with disagreeing and not disagreeing.”
Pruett did not comment on the situation
Navtej Hundal is a freelance journalist based in Stanislaus County
