The Anderson Community Schools (ACS) Board of Trustees approved new two year contracts for certified and non-certified employees at a special board meeting this evening. The new contracts increase the salary for first year teachers to $50,000 as well as provide a 6% raise for both non-certified employees and other employees not in the bargaining unit over the next two years (4% in 2025-2026 and 2% in 2026-2027).
“Competitive compensation is a priority for our district,” said Superintendent Dr. Joe Cronk. “Given the financial uncertainty at the state and federal levels, many of our neighboring school districts are struggling to increase employee salaries this year. However, through close collaboration with the Anderson Federation of Teachers (AFT) and ACS Board of Trustees, we are pleased to be able to provide wage increases for our certified and non-certified employees as well as staff members not in the bargaining unit.”
Under the new two year agreement for certified staff members there will be a $2,000 increase in the salary for teachers this school year. This increases the first year teacher salary from $48,000 to $50,000. The maximum salary for teachers increases from $73,000 to $75,000. Except for those at the top step of the salary matrix, returning teachers with an effective rating will also move down a step creating an additional $500 increase in salary. Teachers with a master’s degree will move down an additional step.
While there is no adjustment to the salary matrix for the 2026-2027 school year, returning teachers will again have an opportunity to move down a step on the salary matrix with an effective rating. This will amount to a $500 increase to their salaries. Those with a master’s degree will move down an additional step. Since teachers at the top of the salary matrix can’t move down a step, they will instead receive a $600 stipend.
In accordance with state law, teachers earning their Literacy endorsement will receive a one-time salary increase of $250.
Under the new two year agreement for non-certified staff members employees will receive a 4% salary increase for the 2025-2026 school year. They will receive an additional 2% increase in the 2026-2027 school year.
The district also increased the amount of paid maternity / paternity leave from 8 days to 10 days for both certified and non-certified employees.
The administration and AFT reached tentative agreements on the certified and non-certified contracts earlier this month. Those were posted on the ACS website and presented at the November 10, 2025 ACS Board of Trustees public meeting. The AFT unanimously ratified the tentative agreements on November 12, 2025 prior to the board approving the contracts this evening. The approved 2025-2027 certified and non-certified contracts can be found on the ACS website here.
While not in the bargaining unit, full-time and part-time Food Service employees, paraeducators, truant officers, lunch monitors, hall monitors, and locker room supervisors will receive a 4% salary increase this year (2025-2026 school year) and 2% next year (2026-2027 school year).
Paraeducators will continue to receive the differential pay for years of service with ACS:
- $5 per day increase for 5-9 years of service
- $10 per day increase for 10-14 years of service
- $15 per day increase for 15 or more years of service
Off-duty police officers, commonly referred to as School Resources Officers (SROs), will receive an hourly rate of $40.30 starting on January 1, 2026. Their hourly rate will increase to $41.11 next school year (2026-2027). Additionally, officers working at Highland Middle School will receive an additional $5 per hour location differential.
With the exception of Off Duty Police Officers, whose hourly wage increase will go into effect in January, new pay rates for employees will be reflected on their December 19, 2025 paycheck. Additionally, since the contracts called for the pay increases to be retroactive to July 1, 2025, each employee will receive payment for retroactive pay on this paycheck.