Central Bucks Recommends 'Significant Wage' Hike For Support Staff

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Central Bucks School District is recommending “significant wage increases” for the district’s support staff, bus drivers and its confidential secretaries.

The increases represent updates to the district’s current contracts with the Central Bucks Educational Support Professional Association (CBESPA), the Central Bucks Transportation Association (CBTA), and the district’s confidential secretaries.

“These wage increases, which have a cumulative value of $4 Million across the duration of these contracts and agreements, will enable employees to enter and progress across our salary scales at market value,” said Superintendent Dr. Abe Lucabaugh. “Our auxiliary employees will also see increases in the coming weeks.”

Starting rates under the CBESPA contract will increase a minimum of 5 percent and rates in some categories will exceed a 10 percent increase over current rates. (These increases are in addition to the annual percentage increase guaranteed by the contract.)

CBSD and CBESPA also agreed to replace the current Salary Rate Differentials for Educational Assistant Premium Pay (related to toileting) with a flat rate of $1.25 (currently the highest differential rate). This new rate will apply to any Educational Assistant or Personal Care Assistant assigned to a student with toileting needs, and it will apply to any eligible EA/PCA who fills in for the regularly assigned employee on a per diem basis.

The changes also boost the hourly pay of the district's bus drivers.

The district and the CBTA have agreed to increases in wages and various other rates in the current CBTA contract (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025). Unless otherwise noted, all rate changes are retroactive to July 1, 2023, and no changes have been made to rates or wages paid for 2020-21, 2021-22, or 2022-23 fiscal years.

Drivers having completed five years of service will earn $27.36 an hour effective July 1, 2023 and $28.04 effective July 1, 2024. Drivers with at least one year of district service and up to five years of district service will earn $26.39 an hour effective July 1, 2023 and $27.05 effective July 1, 2024. And drivers with less than one year of district service will earn $25.41 an hour effective July 1, 2023 and $26.05 an hour effective July 1, 2024.

The contract will also be amended to reflect an increase in the trainer rate from $1 per hour to $2 per hour.

The wage increase is scheduled to be voted on at the school board meeting on September 12.