Retaining and recruiting teachers is an imperative issue for Lexington County School District One officials. On Oct. 17 at 4 p.m., the newly created salary committee came together for the first time.

The salary study committee includes:

• Keith Price (superintendent-elect, chair)
• Teachers: Blackwell (PES), Hartmann (WKMS) and Hebert (RBHS)
• Principals: Branham, Keisler and McNair
• Support staff: Crossland (WKES), Wieczorek (LMS) and Pound (GHS)
• District leaders: D. Price, K. Freeman and L. Price
• Board members: Henson and Shealy

The team’s purpose is to recommend priorities for salary adjustments and to consider supplements for hard-to-fill positions.

Keith Price began the meeting with recent research on teachers. More specifically, what drives them to stay and what leads them to resign.

A challenge for teachers today is the amount of time required outside of work hours, excessive meetings, lunch duty and paperwork. With all of these duties, teachers have less time to have their planning period and relax their minds.

Another challenge is discipline in the classroom and problems with students that take a toll on the teacher.                                                                                                                        

The last challenge examined was resources. Most teachers tend to pay for materials needed with their own paycheck instead of having the school provide the resources for the classroom.

Research presented indicates that administrative support and teachers’ influence over school policies have the strongest relationship with job satisfaction and retention.

The committee is focusing on teachers’ salaries. Currently, 90% of the general funds are allocated to teachers’ salaries and benefits, with the remaining 10% going to building operations, supplies and contracted services.  

A draft was shown that discussed potential salary adjustments based on various percentages for bonuses and incentives.

Each salary increase would essentially look different due to the amount of experience, how long they have worked there, how many hours worked and more.

The creative approaches for hard-to-fill positions that were presented were recruiting bonuses, retention bonuses, rural school incentives, special education supplements and math/science supplements.

The recruiting bonus would theoretically be added if a teacher joins the board, and a retention bonus would be given when a teacher has been with the district for a certain number of years, and they sign the contract for the next year.

Rural schools have shown to have harder to fill positions, so a rural incentive would give teachers an extra supplement annually spread out in their paychecks.

Both special education and math and sciences are some of the hardest positions to fill and are in the critical needs area.

Hypothetically, if you are a math or science teacher, a bonus would be added as well as if you're a special education teacher.

All of these ideas are a work in progress and the committee will meet once again on Friday, Oct. 25, from noon to 3 p.m.

On Oct. 25 and Nov. 21, they will draft their recommendations, which will be presented to the board on either Dec. 17 or Jan. 28.