Washington schools criticize state’s retention pay plan

WASHINGTON — After Gov. Kim Reynolds announced a policy that grants teachers, child care providers and law enforcement officers an annual $1,000 “retention bonus,” school officials say the policy’s unequal treatment is a problem.

Washington school district Superintendent Willie Stone said the policy left out a range of important school district staff.

“Our administration and our staff work really hard to create a culture of equal use within the building,” he said at a school board meeting Wednesday night. “This thing has done nothing but tear that apart, to be very blunt about it. Our counselors do not qualify, our behavioral intervention doesn’t qualify, none of our non-certified staff qualify … I don’t understand it, it’s a mess.”

Stone said while the money was welcome, it drove a wedge between staff.

“I have staff members taking it like, ‘Why do certain get the thousand dollars and certain do not,’” he said after the meeting. “Our cooks started working the week after the pandemic and were pumping out thousands of lunches, and they’re getting nothing … it naturally creates a culture of inequality.”

The superintendent added that the problem was one the district couldn’t fix itself.

“I received a couple emails from people who were frustrated (asking) why the school didn’t pick it up,” he said. “For us to pick it up, it’s a $200,000 price tag. And our budget, we see where we’re at in our budget, we don’t have that.”

Stone was unambiguous about his disagreement with the plan from the Governor’s office.

“I don’t try to put the blame on people very often, but this one’s a Gov. Reynolds thing that’s causing schools a lot of anguish, and it shouldn’t be,” he said.

Board Member Troy Suchan said he was also frustrated, calling the unequal payments “appalling.”

“I would love someone to respond to me as to why,” he said. “Why would this be passed? Why is this being done to us again … we can have an awesome conversation as to this BS that they keep throwing around, making life miserable for everybody because they don’t want to do their job.”

Suchan accused state officials of deflecting blame for inadequate funding.

“Any time they do crap like this that’s exclusionary, it hurts us,” he said. “and then we’re then ones getting fingers pointed at saying we’re doing something bad, when it’s a bunch of politicians in Des Moines.”

Stone said the money would’ve been better spent on State supplemental aid.

“The money should’ve went to SSA,” he said. “If the money went to SSA, that influences staff salary for IPERS 20 years out. That thousand dollars could be $5,000 20 years out.”

The district did have to approve plans to pay qualifying staff, a motion that passed 4-1, with Suchan voting against.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com