Even as Proposition 206 is challenged in court, Arizona school districts are preparing to boost wages to the required $10 an hour in January.
The state’s largest school district estimates the minimum-wage increase will cost it $200,000 by the end of this school year.
About 1,800 Mesa Public Schools employees, mostly instructional aides and food- and nutrition-services staff, will see their pay increase.
Workers who already made $10 an hour won’t see a change in their paycheck in the new year. Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Shaun Holmes said that creates an equity issue.
“We have organized to pay different positions different amounts of money and with the increase of minimum wage, that is absolutely going to impact the entirety of how we organize and pay our employees,” Holmes said.
For example, in January, student workers will start making the same amount as some adults. Holmes said the district will re-evaluate its entire salary schedule in the spring.
“We have a real problem around how we’re going to balance complying with the law ... and, oh by the way, wanting to give teachers raises,” Holmes said.
Holmes says the Mesa Public Schools budget is tight, and the district will be limited by how much new funding it gets from the state.
He estimated when the minimum wage increases to $10.50 in January 2018, it will cost the district $1.3 million a year.
