DOTHAN, Ala. (WDNews) — The Dothan City Board of Education has approved a salary plan that could increase pay for more than 1,000 school employees, but the raises will not take effect until sustainable funding is secured.
The plan covers about 1,092 Dothan City Schools employees, including teachers, support staff and school and district leaders. The board approved the new salary schedules during a special called meeting Sept. 22. The district is seeking funding specifically from the City of Dothan.
Under the plan, teachers would receive an additional 6% raise on top of the 2% increase funded by the state. The district said that would place its standard teacher pay about 8.65% above the state salary schedule. TEAMS teachers and other certified employees would also see salary adjustments.
“Every student in Dothan City Schools deserves to learn from a fully certified, highly qualified teacher who is equipped to help them reach their full potential,” Superintendent Dr. Garrick Askew said. “We are fortunate to have dedicated educators serving our students every day, including teachers working under alternative and temporary certification pathways who are doing admirable work while meeting the needs of their classrooms. Their commitment deserves our recognition and support.”
Askew said competitive pay is an important part of recruiting and keeping fully certified teachers.
“At the same time, our current staffing reality makes clear that we must strengthen our ability to recruit and retain fully certified teachers across our district,” Askew said. “Competitive compensation is an essential component in Dothan City Schools’ efforts to provide a fully certified teacher in every classroom.”
Support employees would receive at least a 5% raise, with the average increase estimated at about 7.6%. The plan would also raise school bookkeeper pay to match school secretary pay, create separate pay levels for clerical aides and teaching aides, update technology specialist pay and increase starting pay for bus drivers to $92 per day.
Board Chairman Dr. Julie Mullins-Turner said the proposal is an investment in employees.
“The proposed salary increases represent an important investment in the people who serve Dothan City Schools every day,” Mullins-Turner said. “Strengthening compensation supports employee recruitment, retention, and morale while helping provide the stability and instructional excellence necessary to advance student achievement across our district.”
The raises would add about $3.8 million in employee pay during the 2026-27 fiscal year. Including benefits and related costs, the district estimates the total cost at about $4.63 million each year.
District 5 board member Ashley Davis said funding the raises will require cooperation with city leaders.
“The success of Dothan and the success of its public schools are inseparable,” Davis said. “An effective school system depends on schools that are fully staffed with highly qualified teachers, and competing for those teachers requires a strong partnership with the City.”
District 1 board member Brenda Guilford said the raises would be a starting point in efforts to support employees, while District 3 board member Taiisha Walton said competitive compensation is increasingly important as costs and demands on educators rise.
The salary schedules have been approved, but no implementation date has been set. The board authorized Askew to begin discussions with the City of Dothan and other potential partners to find sustainable funding. Employees will receive information about their individual pay once funding is secured and an implementation date is determined.
