Wilson County Schools budget increases jobs and salaries – Main Street Media of Tennessee

The Wilson County Schools budget that started July 1 included salary increases and 30 new positions after being approved last month by the Wilson County Commission.

There is a 5% raise for all certified employees, a 2% raise for all classified employees and a pay raise of $20 per day for substitute teachers and $10 per day for educational assistants.

WCS Director of Schools Jeff Luttrell said that the reason for the raises and new positions is due to the growth money which was given to the district by the county and TISA funds, which are assigned by the state, based on a per student attendance number. Growth money is property tax funds that come from new housing developments, according to Wilson County Finance Director Aaron Maynard.

The school district estimates it will receive $52 million in growth money and more than $122 million in TISA funding for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

There will be 11 new general education positions, three new English as a Second Language positions, four new special education teachers, eight special education EA positions, one cosmetology position and three CTE positions, Luttrell said.

Funding for the cosmetology and CTE positions will come from the Innovative School Grant. The new general education, ESL, EA and special education positions are being created because of the county’s growth, Luttrell told the county commission.

A principal and bookkeeping position for under-construction LaGuardo Elementary will begin in January.

There will be an increase in the stipend for school psychologists to $12,000 (previously $8,000). That increase will bring the school district pay closer to being competitive with contracted rates.

There are also two new SRO positions that the school district will pay to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office as a contracted service.  These SRO positions are to bring a K-9 program to Wilson County Schools similar to the one that has been implemented by the Lebanon Special School District.

The school district will pay more for its insurance fund contribution, which will be increasing $2,000 per year, per employee. The insurance will include a $75,000 life insurance policy for each employee. The cost of insurance for employees is funded at 100%, Luttrell said.