LAWRENCE, Indiana — On Oct. 8 Lawrence Township Schools announced it was in the collective bargaining process with the Lawrence Education Association.
The district promised to approach the negotiations with honesty and transparency and working diligently to find "mutually beneficial solutions."
The letter goes on to say that "one of the board goals is attracting and retaining effective staff."
The letter highlighted the annual raises teachers have been receiving and promised to continue that practice "subject to the financial realities of our district."
Lawrence schools get a set dollar amount of funding for each student, as set by the Indiana General Assembly. That means that changes in enrollment also impact the overall budget.
Due to increases in the per-pupil rate and enrollment, the district estimates its budget will increase by $3.8 million next year.
In the letter, Lawrence Schools Superintendent Dr. Shawn Smith said: "Our goal is to find a middle ground that fairly compensates teachers while maintaining the district's financial stability, and we are committed to exploring all options to achieve this balance."
13News has reached out to LEA for comment but has not heard back as of the time this article was published.
