TUSD is raising teacher salaries by $3,000 under a pay plan that includes a one-time bonus and higher pay for substitutes.
The teacher salary increases stem from the 15% Maintenance and Operations Budget Override voters approved last November. A teacher will go from a starting annual pay of $48,400 to $51,400 under the pay plan the Tucson Unified School District governing board approved in a 4-0 vote.
The daily pay for substitutes will rise from $160 to $166.40 per day, according to Ricky Hernandez, TUSD's chief financial officer.
鈥淚'm glad we're in this position, it's a much better position we would've been in otherwise if the override hadn't passed,鈥 said Ravi Shah, the board's president.
The board also approved an additional $1,000 bonus for teachers paid for by the state Classroom Site Fund.
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Meanwhile, the district made 13 new administrative appointments and changes.
The board voted 3-1 to appoint Shawna Rodriguez to the new deputy superintendent position. Rodriguez was previously a regional assistant superintendent.
Sadie Shaw cast the single no vote, saying the district could not afford to create new positions during 鈥渢hese troubled times.鈥 The governing board followed the vote, saying a separate administrative position 鈥 the assistant superintendent of student success 鈥 had been removed, creating budget space for Rodriguez's position.
The governing board did not discuss the responsibilities or salary tied to Rodriguez's new role.
John Lansa, previously the senior director of grants and federal programs, was appointed interim assistant superintendent, while Anna Manzano, previously the coordinator of the two-way dual language program, was appointed interim director of language acquisition.
The governing board also approved four interim principal and six assistant principal nominations. Those are:
鈥 Interim Principal, Innovation Tech High School: Margarito Casillas
鈥 Interim Principal, C.E. Rose PreK-8: Chantal Ralls
鈥 Interim Principal, Bonillas Traditional Elementary Magnet School: Claudia Perez
鈥 Interim Principal, Dunham Elementary School: Mary Anderson
鈥 Assistant Principal, Tucson Unified Virtual Academy K-12: Katherine McDonald
鈥 Assistant Principal, Catalina High School: Andrea Ayala
鈥 Assistant Principal, C. E. Rose PreK-8: Mackenzie Garcia
鈥 Assistant Principal, Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet: Ricky Torres
鈥 Assistant Principals, Tucson High School: Chris Lambert and聽Brian Alday
The next TUSD board meeting is on June 9 at the Duffy Community Center,聽5145 E. Fifth Street.
