AIRPORT

of the pie so to say.” e $4 million funding comes from the Airport Terminals Program, which is one of three aviation programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to the also help give the district an edge when recruiting new teachers, Kane said, since other districts have not nalized salary schedules yet.

However, all school districts are expecting in ationary increases in state funding, which means Douglas County will probably not be the only district to raise pay.

“Every school district will receive in ationary funding from the state and every school district will do what we’re doing,” Kane said. “We’re just going to do it faster. It’s all we’ve got …It will not alleviate the need for (a mill levy override). It will not close the gap with other school districts, but it will be a great message to our teachers and to our sta .”

In the Denver metro area, Cherry Creek has already increased teacher pay for next year to $57,000 to start. Westiminster approved paying teachers a starting salary of $61,000.

Kane said the disparity comes from the di erences in local mill levy overrides. Douglas County’s mill levy amounts to around $1,150 per student, while surrounding districts, including Denver, Littleton and Cherry Creek, get more than twice as much per student from their mill levies.

“It is not because our district release. is law provides $1 billion annually for ve years for airport terminal grants. chooses not to pay our teachers competitively,” Kane said. “It is purely a funding challenge.”

“Today’s funding doesn’t just improve Centennial Airport’s terminal. It creates opportunities in the community for good-paying jobs and a chance to be part of our country’s thriving aviation sector,” FAA Deputy Administrator A. Bradley Mims said in the release.

Board member Elizabeth Hanson described the decision to give raises while still planning to ask voters for a mill levy override in November like “walking on a sword.”

“We need our teachers to hear that we’re doing everything we can to take care of them and we need our community to hear that we need funding,” Hanson said. “ is is a band-aid.”

In addition to salary increases, the district is also planning to o er employees free lunch next year, discounted childcare and improving sta workspaces, on top of shortterm retention strategies approved in January.

Kane said the plan focused on ways to keep existing sta .

“We absolutely need to recruit, but our priority is retaining who we have, so instead of piling all of our resources into making our starting pay $50,000 … we chose to put our resources into the people that we have,” she said.

Multiple teachers spoke at the meeting in favor of the plan and thanked the board for their e orts in

Centennial Airport is one of three airports in Colorado that received funding. Denver International Airport was awarded $22 million to fund a portion of the baggage handling system replacement that the airport is planning. e Colorado Springs Airport received $6 million to help fund the remodel of its terminal concourse.

“Americans deserve the best air- supporting sta .

Lucy Squire, teacher and president of the Douglas County Federation, a local teachers union, said the plan shows the district values its sta and is working to be more competitive.

“It’s starting to feel like we’re being paid what we’re worth,” “ ank you again for working with us and for hearing our ideas. We’re moving in the right direction and I’m full of optimism and gratitude.”

Another teacher, Ann Fisher, said her school’s culture, values and sense of belonging keep her working in the district and she doesn’t want to leave, but nancial hurdles make it di cult to stay.

“While thinking of starting a family with my partner in the next year or two, I’m able to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that our district is prioritizing our teachers, sta and communities with compensation increases,” Fisher said. “I’m hopeful that I will not have to make the incredibly hard decision between starting a family and staying at a school that I consider a second home.” e entire board supported the salary increases and praised Kane and sta for their work on the proposal. ports in the world, and with demand for air travel surging back, this funding to improve the passenger experience couldn’t come at a more urgent time,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the release. “ ese grants will make it faster and easier to check your bags, get through security, and nd your gate, all while creating jobs and supporting local economies.”