AG sides with teachers regarding annual step increases
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The cost of the step increases, which are increases based on years of experience teachers have with a district, will vary from district to district, said Robison. "Some already set money aside in case they had to pay it but others hadn't. But most are still in the budget process, so they should still have time to make whatever budget adjustments are necessary."
The opinion prevents districts from decreasing local pay to circumvent the state-mandated pay increase. Part of the legislation that passed prohibited school districts from lowering their salary schedules and using the state-mandated pay increases for other financial needs of the district. The statute stipulated that school districts could not lower their salary schedule below that set in the 2008-09 school year.
"We thought the law clearly stated that," said Robison, "and apparently the Attorney General agreed."
