Prop S FAQ: Staff Salaries and Benefits

Prop S will provide funding for salary increases for all Rockwood teachers and staff.

This includes teachers, administrative assistants, classroom assistants, child nutrition specialists and all other employee groups. All employee groups will receive a pay raise based on local wage comparisons. Positions that currently pay much less than similar positions in nearby districts will receive a larger percentage increase to help close the gap and those groups that currently compare favorably to their peers in other districts will receive less of a percentage increase. .

Rockwood's beginning teacher salary in 2024-2025 was $44,240, ranking 17th out of 22 St. Louis metropolitan school districts. For teachers with a master's degree, the minimum salary in 2024-2025 in Rockwood was $47,478, ranking 16th out of 22 St. Louis metropolitan school districts. Please note, this is the most recent year of comparables that we have access to at this time.

Here are pay comparison examples for additional employee groups in 2024-2025.

Administrative Assistants

Teacher Assistants

Child Nutrition Cooks

No, if Prop S passes, the resulting salary increases will not be the same percentage for all employee groups. Prop S would generate approximately $27M annually and yield approximately $17M annually for salaries. That means there would be a one-time salary correction for all employees based upon the most up-to-date compensation study across St. Louis area school districts at that time, and the increased annual revenue would support those improved salaries moving forward. This does not mean there won't be raises in the future, but this is an opportunity to make all employee groups more competitive. Some groups will need more of a percentage increase while other employee groups will require less in order to do that. Employee groups that are currently paid much less than those in similar positions in nearby districts will receive a larger percentage increase than others to help close the gap and those groups that currently compare favorably to their peers in other districts will receive less of a percentage increase. 

Rockwood’s average administrator salary, according to the latest available data from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, ranks 12th out of 22 area districts and is below the area median of $128,100.

Prop S will provide funding for salary increases for all Rockwood teachers and staff. All employee groups will receive a pay raise based on local wage comparisons. Some employee groups are paid well below market levels, and those employees would see a larger percentage increase. Other employee groups are already closer to the market average, so their percentage increase would be smaller.

Rockwood is the largest school district in St. Louis County and the third largest in Missouri with more than 18,000 students in 29 schools (K-12). According to the latest available data from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Rockwood has 190 students per administrator, which is tied for the 6th highest ratio out of 22 area districts. Rockwood has 20 percent more students per administrator than the state average (158).

Some employee groups get only Essential Benefits, not the full comprehensive benefits other groups receive. Essential Benefits include the health plan required by the Affordable Care Act, for which employees pay a portion of the insurance premium and are subject to high out-of-pocket costs and deductibles. The full comprehensive benefits that other groups receive includes the district’s self-insured health and dental plan, for which the district pays 100% of employee premium and 50% of the premium charged for dependents. Those who are currently not eligible for full benefits include (but are not limited to):

• Bus drivers
• Teacher aides
• Classroom/technology assistants
• Early Childhood full-day classroom aides
• Early Childhood full-day activity assistants
• Child Nutrition assistants
• Hall monitors
• Developmental Screeners
• Administrative assistants (level 1 and 2)
• Student Restore assistants
• Student support specialists
• Study Hall monitors
• Parking lot attendants

Many other area school districts provide full benefits to these employee groups. In fact, Rockwood is the only school district in St. Louis County that does not provide full benefits to bus drivers.

Prop S will allow Rockwood to expand health care coverage to more employee groups, demonstrating our commitment to the well-being of all district staff. A healthier workforce is a more productive workforce, and it will help attract more candidates for open positions.

Prop S, if passed, will result in a one-time adjustment to the district's operating tax rate. The newly authorized tax rate will be set in September 2026 and provide additional revenues beginning in January 2027. Going forward, the district's tax rate will remain the same or decrease as required by the Hancock Amendment. The district's revenues will be at a new level, with future increases limited by the same constraints that currently exist.

The estimated $27 million generated by Prop S will continue to be budgeted for salaries and benefits in future years, beginning at the new level accomplished by the newly authorized tax rate. Future increases in salaries and benefits will be dependent upon future increases in revenues, but the increase accomplished by Prop S will be already built into salary schedules and into the budget.

Yes, Prop S would allow Rockwood to expand health care coverage to all full-time school year employee groups, demonstrating our commitment to the well-being of all district staff. The cost to do so will be approximately $3.75 million of the $27 million generated by Prop S.

Rockwood and the bus drivers negotiated a new three-year contract in the spring of 2025 that included a memorandum of understanding that states if a levy increase passes (Prop S), the district and the union agree to reopen negotiations specific to salary and benefits prior to that third year (2027-2028).

Not on a long-term basis without a plan for balancing the budget. Salaries and benefits are recurring and compounding expenses. Using reserves for ongoing payroll would risk financial insolvency. 

Rockwood’s fund balance provides financial stability, creditworthiness and saves taxpayer dollars. The district has a consistent history of conservative financial management.