Northeastern approves 2026 budget, employee pay

Northeastern Wayne Schools’ board has approved key documents heading into a new calendar year, including its teachers’ contract, salary schedules for other employee groups, and benefit packages.

It also approved the district’s 2026 budget, capital projects and bus replacement plans.

Three board members, Shawntel Baker, Angela Smith and Daniel VanDuyne, conducted a brief special meeting Oct. 29 to address those matters. Members Debbie Bartram and Kim Claypoole were absent.

NWS’ board had previously conducted the required public hearings on both topics, and members discussed the budget during their regular October meeting, which was open to the public.

Superintendent Jennifer O’Brien said the teachers had met and ratified the contract, which includes a pay increase.

Highlights of NWS’ teachers’ agreement include up to $3,700 base salary increases, plus $250 for a new literacy endorsement or $2,300 for a new master’s degree. Teachers’ salaries after base increases are given will range from $47,271 to $80,923.

The full agreement is at nws.k12.in.us.

The board also supported O’Brien approving updated salary schedules for other employee groups and benefit packages. She said those salaries could be finalized after the teachers’ collective bargaining agreement was settled.

O’Brien said no major changes were planned for benefit packages, but she believed it would be easier for employees to access relevant information in one document, such as their insurance information and numbers of days off for illness, vacation and holidays.

Overseeing school employees’ time off is more challenging than just having general information included in an employee handbook, O’Brien said. Some employees work 182 days or 190 days per year while others work 260 days, so their schedules vary.

O’Brien said the document also will help the administration office staff be able to better track that information as well instead of having multiple spreadsheets.