JMCSS staff to receive first paycheck after raises

JACKSON, Tenn. – Jackson-Madison County School System employees will start receiving their first paycheck with the new raises the school system gave them.

WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News Reporter Garrett Evans caught up with Superintendent Dr. Marlon King at Thursday night’s school board meeting to discuss the new raises and learn more about how this will impact the school system.

The raises are for teachers and support staff, such as janitors, lunch workers, and bus drivers, and administrators.

For teachers, the starting pay will be $46,000, which is a 10% raise.

For teachers with five to nine years of service, they’ll receive an 8% raise.

For those with 10 years and above, they’ll receive a 6% raise.

“I think when you invest in your employees and show them that they are more than just a number, you’ll see outcomes in student achievement,” King said.

According to King, student outcomes are evident already. He says enrollment is up by around 200 students, several schools have reached a level five status, and high school graduation rates are up now from 85% to 90%. 

“We are seeing unprecedented results in terms of student gains and student achievement,” King said.

With new raises across the board for school system staff, we asked King if the school district’s budget would be sustainable going forward. 

King told us the school system has planned for this. He went on to say they run a pretty conservative budget and last year they came in $2 million under budget.

“For the past three years we’ve come in under budget, and I look forward to coming in under budget for the next several years I’m here,” King said.

At Thursday night’s board meeting, the school board approved the funds to allow the groundwork for the new Pope School.

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