STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
The balance between fiscal responsibility and educator compensation took center stage at Thursday’s meeting of the Caverna Board of Education.
Board members weighed potential raises alongside proposed stipends, including $250 per course, per semester for dual credit teachers and $2,000 for educators pursuing additional certifications or doctoral degrees.
The central office was filled to standing room only, with more than a dozen educators from across the district attending as the board considered decisions that could directly affect their pay.
Caverna Finance Officer Lisa Austin presented several cost projections based on neighboring districts and 2025 assessments, giving board members a framework for discussion.
Under one scenario—a three-percent raise combined with both stipends—the district would see an estimated increase in expenses of about $343,000. Superintendent Amanda Abell noted that roughly $50,000 in the general fund had recently been identified during an audit as previously marked “restricted,” though no documentation explaining that designation was found. Those funds could potentially be reallocated.
Board Chair Jennifer Briggs added that when property tax rates are revisited this fall, the district’s position between Hart and Barren counties could generate an additional $159,000 in revenue if the board adopts the four-percent rate.
Even with those factors, the district would still face a shortfall.
Briggs acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, noting that covering the gap could require dipping into the district’s contingency fund, which she described as already “lean” at seven percent. Board member Gina Lyons praised Austin’s financial projections and emphasized that responsibility for the district’s finances ultimately rests with the board.
For comparison, the district approved a three-percent raise in 2024 and 2025, after board members weighed comparable concerns about available funding and staff compensation.
Briggs suggested a special-called meeting to allow more time for consideration, but Abell cautioned that the district’s budget must be finalized by the end of May. Without a decision on salaries, she said, the budget cannot be completed.
Austin noted that, while the stipends were important, her peers viewed a general raise as the higher priority.
Abell also addressed questions about whether bond funds or facility-designated money could be used to support salaries.
“I want to clarify that there is SEEK money that has to be spent on the improvement of facilities,” she said. “And the bond money can never be used for curriculum or salaries, that can only be used on improvement projects.”
After more than 30 minutes of discussion, the board voted to approve a two-percent raise for district employees while tabling the proposed stipends until spring 2027. That plan leaves an estimated $60,000 gap to be addressed.The decision drew murmurs from the audience, though district representative and longtime educator Terry Thorpe expressed a measured response.
“We were really hoping for a three-percent raise across the board,” Thorpe said. “I kind of wish they had tabled it to give us the time to work again with them, but I know that what they are trying to do is best for the district.”
For Briggs, the outcome reflected a difficult balance between personal and professional roles.
“If this district didn’t invest in my children, I don’t know where they’d be, and I appreciate everything that they do,” she said. “I hope that seeing the money tonight gives them a better understanding of why we came to two-percent … it’s just in order to move forward we have to analyze the finances.”
Key facts:
• Caverna Board of Education approves 2% raise for district employees
• Proposed stipends for dual credit teaching and advanced certifications delayed until spring 2027
• Finance projections show a 3% raise plus stipends would add about $343,000 in costs
• Officials say current plan still leaves an estimated $60,000 budget gap
• Board leaders warn contingency fund is already “lean” at 7%
• Possible $159,000 in added revenue if board adopts 4% property tax rate this fall
• Roughly $50,000 in general fund money recently freed up after audit review
Gage Wilson for Glasgow News 1 contributed to this story.
