Onalaska school board approves teacher raises

Board voted 5-1 in favor of the increase

The Onalaska School District agreed for a total-wage increase of 2.7 percent at a recent school board meeting.

The collective bargaining agreement passed on a 5-1 vote with new board member Jake Speed voting against.

“This looks like it punishes our most loyal teachers that have been here the longest, by giving them the smallest increase,” Speed told the rest of the board. “It’s a disincentive to improve and a disincentive to stay loyal to the district.”

What Speed is referring is the lessening of a raise in a teacher’s 12th and 13th years.

The agreement calls for a total base pay increase of $11,799 for all teachers, and a supplemental increase of $320,717. 

“Some of the rationale is we are trying to remain competitive with some of our neighboring districts,” Finance Director Kent Ellickson said.