Foley Public Schools Agree on Contract Deal Amidst $1.2M Budget S

FOLEY (WJON News) - The teachers and school board at Foley Public Schools have agreed on a contract through the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

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Foley Schools Superintendent Trish Perry says the new contract includes pay and benefit increases.

(The total increase to) our to your package was 12.08%. Over the 23-24 school year, it's a 5% increase in salary, as well as an increase in insurance. For 2023-2024, it's a 1.25% increase for contributions from the district and then for 24-25, it's a 3.7% increase. We also increase the 403 B match, (and) we increase the cap from 35,000 to $40,000.

While the school board and teachers have come to an agreement on a new contract through the 2024-2025 school year, the board still has to grapple with an estimated $1.2 million shortfall.

Perry says, while all options are on the table, the focus will be to balance the budget without affecting the student experience.

Regardless of how we are right-sizing our budget, our priority always remains to educate our students and provide them with an excellent education. That's always our priority and to have the least impact on classrooms.

She’s quick to mention that the budget shortfall is due to federal funding not keeping pace with the cost increases the district has seen, and is not the result of the new contract.

No final decisions have been made to balance the budget, and Perry does not have a timeline on when final decisions will be made.