Key Takeaways
- Flagler Schools’ technology department will introduce a three‑tier career ladder (Technology Support Specialist I‑III) to give employees a clear path for promotion.
- The plan reallocates funds from a vacant $52,000 position to raise hourly wages for current staff: $1.62 more for Specialist I, $0.85 more for Specialist II, and $2.66 more for Specialist III.
- The website content manager role will be renamed Web Systems Support Specialist and require a technical degree instead of a communications background.
- Deising based the new structure on salary surveys from neighboring districts (Nassau, Volusia, Lake, Seminole) and local municipalities to improve competitiveness.
- The School Board is expected to approve the realignment at its May 19 meeting, with implementation to follow shortly thereafter.
Overview of the Realignment Proposal
Ryan Deising, Flagler Schools’ chief of technology, presented a comprehensive plan to the School Board aimed at retaining technology staff by creating upward mobility within the department. The proposal centers on restructuring existing roles, adjusting pay scales, and updating job qualifications to better align with market standards. By establishing a clear promotional pathway, Deising hopes to address the frustration expressed by employees who feel stuck in entry‑level positions with limited advancement opportunities.
New Career Ladder for Technology Support Staff
The core of the plan introduces three distinct levels for technology support personnel. The current entry‑level network service technician role will be upgraded to Technology Support Specialist I. Existing technology support specialists will become Technology Support Specialist II, and a new Technology Support Specialist III tier will be created, with two positions reserved exclusively for internal candidates. This ladder allows employees to progress from Specialist I to II and ultimately to III, providing measurable milestones for professional growth.
Rationale: Addressing Retention Concerns
Deising cited staff feedback and turnover data as the primary motivators for the redesign. He noted that four or five technology employees left the district this year because they perceived no clear path for promotion, often feeling compelled to wait for a vacancy to arise. Employees expressed that the lack of defined progression made external offers difficult to refuse. By instituting a structured ladder, the district aims to increase engagement, reduce turnover, and build a more stable, internally‑promoted workforce.
Financial Adjustments and Pay Scale Increases
To fund the wage increases without raising the overall budget, the plan eliminates a vacant $52,000 technology support position. The resulting savings are reallocated as hourly pay boosts: Specialist I employees will receive an additional $1.62 per hour (≈$10,000 total annual increase), Specialist II employees will gain $0.85 per hour (≈$23,000 total), and the two Specialist III roles will earn $2.66 more per hour (≈$11,000 total). These adjustments elevate the overall compensation package while remaining fiscally neutral.
Approval Timeline and Implementation
The proposal was shared with the School Board during an agenda workshop on Tuesday, May 12. The board is slated to vote on the realignment at its next business meeting, which has been moved up to May 19. Assuming approval, the changes would take effect shortly thereafter, allowing the district to begin implementing the new pay scales and role descriptions in the immediate fiscal year.
Reconfiguration of the Website Content Manager Role
In addition to the support specialist ladder, the plan renames the website content manager position to Web Systems Support Specialist. Deising explained that the original role focused on marketing and content management, requiring a bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, technical writing, or five years of related experience. The revised position shifts the focus to technical web maintenance and now mandates a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or a related technical field, while retaining the same pay lane as before. This change reflects evolving district needs for web infrastructure support.
Benchmarking Against Neighboring Districts
Deising and his team conducted a salary and job‑classification study of technology departments in surrounding counties—including Nassau, Volusia, Lake, and Seminole—as well as municipalities within Flagler County. The analysis revealed that Flagler’s entry‑level technicians were paid less than peers in all surveyed districts except Putnam. Notably, Volusia County’s program that recruits high‑school students into technology support influenced the placement of the new Specialist I tier. The benchmarking exercise ensured that the revised pay scales would position Flagler competitively in the regional labor market.
Qualifications and Pay Scale Positioning for Entry‑Level Roles
The updated Technology Support Specialist I role now calls for an associate’s degree in computer science or information systems, or two years of comparable experience in information systems technology. Deising described this qualification level as placing Flagler “at the bottom of the midway point” of the pay scale—no longer at the lowest rung but still with ample room for upward movement. By aligning entry‑level requirements with regional standards, the district hopes to attract qualified candidates while offering a clear trajectory for salary growth.
Board Member Response and Broader Implications
Board member Lauren Ramirez praised the initiative, echoing her prior advocacy for similar career‑ladder approaches in nursing. She expressed enthusiasm for the technology plan but urged the district to explore analogous salary‑enhancement strategies across other departments without increasing the overall budget. Her comments suggest a potential district‑wide push to streamline roles and create internal advancement pathways, reflecting a broader commitment to employee retention and morale.
Conclusion and Outlook
The proposed realignment represents a strategic effort to stabilize Flagler Schools’ technology workforce by offering tangible career progression, competitive wages, and updated role expectations. If approved, the plan could serve as a model for other departments seeking to improve retention through internal promotion pathways. Successful implementation would likely reduce turnover, enhance employee satisfaction, and strengthen the district’s ability to deliver reliable technology services to schools and staff. As the School Board prepares to vote on May 19, stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether this initiative yields the desired outcomes for both employees and the district’s operational goals.