HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN MNPS

MNEA applauds Metro Council and Mayor Cooper for adopting a budget that prioritizes MNPS students and staff. This budget demonstrates a belief in educators and staff and the work they do on a daily basis to improve the lives of students. This is another step toward achieving a fully staffed MNPS. It’s a win for educators and staff but more importantly, it’s a win for our students.

Budget highlights include:

·      4% COLA for all staff

·      Step increases for all eligible staff  

·      Paid family medical leave for all staff

·      $18 minimum wage

·      Additional funding to solve support staff salary compression issues  

·      Targeted investment in Nutrition Services Staff

·      Increase starting pay for bus drivers to $22/hour to be competitive with WeGo

·      $5 million for one-time bonuses for support staff

·      Funding for a portion of the $22.6 million gap caused by decreasing state BEP revenues

·      Fully funded Continuity of Effort Budget

Next steps:

·      MNPS Board of Education will discuss adopting a new budget on June 28th to reflect the funding changes in the budget adopted by the council.

·      Salary schedules will be adjusted and go into effect July 1. Pay changes cannot happen immediately. Retroactive payments will be added to later paychecks.

·      MNPS HR will work on an individualized pay calculator like what was available to last year to allow employees to see their new rate of pay.

·      MNPS will work with the Board of Education on a plan for support employee bonuses.