Pasadena Unified Board to Deliberate on Pay Raises for Youth Leaders at Thursday Meeting

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education may decide to increase the hourly pay rates of Youth Leaders employed by the school district under its PasadenaLEARNS After-School program.

From hourly rates of $10 to $14, Youth Leaders – usually high school graduates or GED equivalents who work with an average of 20 elementary students and provide academic support and enrichment classes – may get between eight and 25 percent increases, depending on their experience levels.

PUSD gave the following reasons for seeking authority to increase the rates:

• To allow the PasadenaLEARNs program to attract higher quality applicants
• To keep the program competitive with after-school programs in surrounding communities thereby minimizing staffing shortages
• To decreased staff turnover rates and provide more stability in the program
• To create incremental impact to the budget over time as State minimum wage increases

The Board of Education will discuss the proposed increases Thursday, August 25, during its regular meeting at PUSD’s Elbie J. Hickambottom Board Room.

A published agenda shows a number of important issues up for discussion during the school board meeting, which will also include a public hearing to solicit input and comment on proposed changes to a successor agreement between the PUSD and the California School Employees Association Pasadena Chapter, where PUSD teachers belong.

Among the changes proposed involve Article X on Hours and Overtime, providing all 12-month PUSD classified employees an option to work a four-day work week during the months of June and July and based upon the student calendar, and allowing for flexibility to modify the non-working period during July and August.

The other changes will be on Article XXXIII, where it is proposed that the successor agreement remain in force and effect up to and including June 30, 2019, and that the parties agree to limited openers in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.

The Board of Education will also tackle personnel assignments within the district, proposed contracts with a couple of law firms to represent the district in court litigations and legal proceedings, pending purchase orders for school and office equipment, including inspection and testing services for the modernization of a TV studio and digital laboratory for John Muir High School and facilities improvement projects at other schools within PUSD.

PUSD staff will also report to the Board about events surrounding the recent school opening.

The school board meeting starts at 4:30 p.m. at PUSD, located at 351 South Hudson Avenue in Pasadena.