This article is part two of a series analyzing enrollment, staff pay, and budgets in Lawrence Public Schools using data from the Kansas Department of Education. Over four years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, the salary gap between administrators and teachers widened as flat percentage raises favored administrators. However, since the pandemic, this trend has begun to reverse, with decreases in administrative pay and raises for teachers. Despite traditionally even percentage raises across staff groups, the flat raises exacerbated the pay gap. Recent efforts have seen larger percentage raises for teachers and classified staff compared to administrators, contributing to a narrowing pay gap. The community’s support and unity, evidenced by advocacy efforts such as defending school librarians, have played a crucial role in addressing these issues. Contractual stability ensures more predictable teacher pay, while administrative spending has been a topic of public debate, particularly regarding budget decisions and administrative cuts. Although administrative cuts were made, they alone couldn’t compensate for budget cuts, leading to closures of some school buildings and reductions in staff. These decisions aimed to improve staff salaries and ensure financial sustainability for the future. Amid ongoing discussions about financial priorities, teachers continue to rely on community support to advocate for their needs and concerns.
