On Tuesday, the Metro Nashville Public Schools board approved a draft budget to present to the Metro Council later this month. The vote was unanimous, though District 2 representative Rachael Anne Elrod wasn’t present. Once the council holds a budget hearing for MNPS and approves a city budget, the school board will vote on a finalized version in June.
Following Mayor John Cooper’s $100 million budget increase proposal for MNPS, the draft budget clocks in at around $1.21 billion. The document can be found in the MNPS board’s agenda, and new expenditures are summarized on the first page.
Nearly $42 million would be allocated for employee pay and benefit increases, including step increases and a 4 percent cost-of-living adjustment for certificated staff, support staff and nutrition service workers. Additionally, administration staff, such as principals and assistant principals, will see raises and expanded pay scales.
The proposed budget also includes $8 million for universal free lunches. State grants provide around $1.65 million in funding for school safety, family resource centers and school health measures. An estimated $22 million is being included for charter transfer increases, though that number could change because of the new Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement funding formula.
“Every charter school will now have a separate and distinct per-pupil amount based upon the TISA weighted student funding formula as well as the additional local revenue that we will see in our operating budget,” said MNPS chief of finance Chris Henson. “We are still working with the Tennessee Department of Education on exactly how that calculation would be made.”
The draft also reflects changes to MNPS’ substitute teacher model — an attempt to address shortages. Instead of cycling in day-to-day subs, the district is shifting to a school-based system with “classroom associates.” These positions mean subs would stay in schools and fill in as needed so they can have a better understanding of specific schools. Director of Schools Adrienne Battle says these positions will increase sub wages and allow them to be eligible for retirement and health benefits. The budget includes a proposed $10.8 million for this program, which would add 314 new positions in addition to preexisting ones. District 9 representative Abigail Tylor asked why day-to-day sub rates aren’t increasing. Battle said the new program will "be our primary structure and strategy.”
District 3 representative Emily Masters noted that longevity pay for teachers wasn’t included in the budget draft.
“[The Metropolitan Nashville Education Association] is glad to see MNPS include step raises and a 4 percent COLA in next year's budget,” says Michele Sheriff, president of Nashville's teachers' union. “We had hoped to see a greater intentional effort to retain teachers. Instead of funding the expanded bereavement leave agreement, the district has instead chosen to prioritize correcting the Administrative Pay Scale resulting in an average pay increase almost twice the average increase certificated staff received two years ago. Not everyone on this pay scale is even in a school, some are central office employees. This pay scale already includes longevity pay for administrators, which is another thing that has been a priority for teachers at the top of the pay scale for the past few years.
“Finally, we are happy to see the investment in building assigned subs," Sheriff continues. "However, it's only a partial solution to our staffing crisis. Day-to-day subs continue to be a category of MNPS employees who make less than the Mayor's professed $18.50 minimum wage, and the district has stated they have no plans to increase day-to-day sub pay.”
