As part of budget planning for the 2021-22 school year, the Mexico Board of Education formalized a range of salary increases in a session last week.

While the base teacher salary was set at $38,000, support staff salaries received notable increases.

Support staff include teacher aides, paraprofessionals, library personnel, secretaries, nurses, custodians and others who ensure the school functions as it should.

Base pay for support staff received a 2.5 percent boost, as did bus route pay. Depending upon job classification, support staff members will see a raise between 5 and 7 percent.

These amounts were first approved at a June 15 workshop. At that meeting, interim superintendent Melissa Chastain said comparisons to other districts indicated a definite need for increases to support staff salaries.

Chastain informed the board that the budget would support raises up to 7 percent for certain positions.

Food service workers, computer lab staff, drivers, maintenance personnel and others will receive a 5 percent increase in salary.

Approval to submit these rates in the final budget was unanimous.

Steve Haag, a Mexico High School instructor and coach, addressed the board on the need to ramp up stipends for extra duty roles such as coaching. He also asked the board to consider a pay structure that would help retain coaches and others who commit to additional duties for the school.

Board members decided on a 1 percent increase in the extra duty pay schedule. Again the decision was unanimous.

The substitute teacher pay rate remains unchanged, as do expenses for athletic officials.

The board held retirement plan contributions rates at the same levels — 14.5 percent for teachers and 6.86 percent for support staff.