02 Feb First Antioch School Board Raise in Years Comes With Budget Cuts on Horizon

(Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Despite concerns from community members about the financial impact of doing so while facing budget cuts, Antioch Unified School District board members are increasing their pay for the first time in decades.

The Antioch school board on Wednesday voted 4-1 to up their pay from $400 to $2,000 monthly, thanks to a recent state law that allows board members’ pay to be up to $2,000 if their average daily attendance is more than 10,000 but less than 25,000. Board member Mary Rocha voted against the increase.

Board President Jag Lathan said that members had received messages from community members that they shouldn’t increase their pay. But Lathan and board member Antonio Hernandez countered that the increase would actually allow additional types of people to serve on the board who might otherwise not because of financial reasons.

“I want school boards to be a place where everyone can feel that they have a voice, they have a position, that they have the ability to be there,” said Hernandez.

The total cost of the increase will be $96,000 per year, according to a staff report.

That’s a “0.05% of the general fund budget, so it’s really such a small piece there,” added Hernandez.

Lathan said that members’ scope of work was so extensive, including budget oversight, hiring of the recent superintendent, calls and emails, that it did not match the prior $400 pay.

Though Lathan added that the pay was “still not” similar to the work members were doing, she said she was grateful for the increase.

Rocha, however, said her “no” vote was because she did not believe it was the right thing to do under the current circumstances of the district’s budget.

AUSD is facing an estimated deficit of over $30 million across the next two years. That deficit is largely due to expiring one-time COVID funds, increasing special education costs, and benefits and salaries increasing, the district has said.

Similar to AUSD and its board members facing how to address a deficit, members on the West Contra Costa Unified School District school board also faced concerns about a pay increase this month.

Districts across California were authorized to raise school board members’ compensation beginning Jan. 1, up to between $800 and $3,000 based on their average daily attendance.

AUSD’s attendance for the 2024-25 school year was 13,699.79, making board members eligible for $2,000 monthly pay.