The state’s new minimum teacher salary of $50,252 is a frequent topic of conversation at dozens of Idaho school districts’ budget hearings this month. 

The question: How do we get our salaries to reach new minimums, equitably? 

The answers: Some districts are using one-time bonuses because it’s a quick and easy fix, while others worry that strategy doesn’t fulfill the ongoing obligation.

The state advice has been conflicting, but ultimately, it’s a school board decision.

The problem school leaders are facing is teachers and their unions want to see equity across the board. In other words, they don’t want a first-year teacher making the same as someone with years of experience. And the new minimums aren’t just for teachers who are starting out. The state has other minimums throughout the career ladder. 

In Lakeland, Chief Financial Officer Jessica Grantham expressed frustration that the one-time stipends the district historically paid for advanced professional status don’t count toward the ongoing base pay — and, therefore, the new state minimum. 

Idaho Department of Education guidance informed Grantham’s thinking. 

“If a payment is a stipend or other extra pay, it is not part of their base salary and therefore, I would not consider it part of their minimum salary,” IDE financial specialist Alexandra McCann wrote in a May 19 email to Grantham. “In other words, it would be not counted towards meeting the minimum.” 

However, when asked this week if stipends can count toward the minimum salaries, IDE spokesman Scott Graf said school boards have the final say. 

“For the last several years, we’ve provided guidance to districts that the legislature’s intent was for them to include the new funding in base pay,” Graf wrote in an email to Ed News. “But what those contracts ultimately look like in each district is determined by local school boards.” 

Here’s how we got here

The Legislature approved 5% raises for K-12 public school teachers and pupil services staff. But those raises often don’t equate to 5% when they reach teachers. In many districts, administrators hire more teachers and pay higher salaries than state funding supports. 

This year, lawmakers and IDE told public school leaders to factor recent statewide raises into the minimum salaries they pay teachers. In 2023, the Legislature gave districts and charters an additional $6,359 per teacher.

Many districts and charters hadn’t included those raises in their starting pay, which means much of this year’s 5% increase will go to meeting the new minimum.

No time for long-term planning

About 10% of Coeur d’Alene teachers, or 72 staff members, will receive a one-time stipend to get them to $50,252, up from CDA’s base pay of $48,427. 

“Time was a factor regarding how to get to minimums this year — negotiations and preparing the 2025-26 budget came close together,” district spokesperson Stefany Bales said. “We used stipends to get this group to minimums this year. Our goal is to redo the salary schedule next year so we meet minimums without stipends.” 

But stipends, unlike base pay, are not ongoing. The increased minimums were a post-legislative session surprise to some district CFOs.

“The state dropped a bombshell on everyone,” Grantham said last month. “There was no time to pivot on this. There was no time to plan.”

Ultimately, Lakeland and the union, in just two meetings, agreed to move all stipends into their salary schedule. The new salary schedule also reflected the state minimums, costing the district about $280,000.

Other school districts, like West Bonner, expect to use stipends in some form to meet the minimums. Debra Buttrey, who contracts with the district to help with budgeting and finance, said Wednesday stipends would likely be part of their plan. However, the district has yet to start union negotiations. 

In Caldwell, administrators recommended replacing the district’s salary schedule with one more closely aligns to the state’s career ladder. The district expects implementing the new minimums will cost $2 million.

Caldwell trustees criticized the Legislature for “forcing” the salary minimums on districts. “Unfunded mandates,” are complicating local budgeting, said board chair Travis Manning. “It puts undue pressure on school districts, unfortunately.”