RayAnne Nickerson is a Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 teacher of more than 29 years who expected a significant increase in her Oct. 31 paycheck for completing graduate-level coursework beyond the requirements for a master’s degree.

Nickerson said during a meeting of the district’s Board of Education on Tuesday, she took online courses through Idaho State University to qualify for an increase of several thousand dollars a year, but it did not happen.

“(Human Resources) decided they were going to pause it,” she said. “I had every reason to expect my (increase) in my Oct. 31 paycheck. We were blindsided on Oct. 30 at 5:09 p.m. with an email from our union saying they were notified the day before.”

What Nickerson did not know is that a review of the Idaho State program is underway to determine if its courses qualify for additional compensation under the terms of the contract between the district and the Waukegan Council Lake County Federation of Teachers Union.

Nickerson and Lanette Oliver, another longtime teacher, made their case to the District 60 Board of Education on Tuesday at the Education Service Center in Waukegan in hopes of receiving the raises they believe they have earned.

Teacher pay for the current school year ranges from just over $52,000 for a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree, to more than $151,000 for a teacher in their 35th year with a PhD, according to the contract. Raises are based on steps, or years worked, and lanes, or levels of education.

District 60 Superintendent Theresa Plascencia said in an email Wednesday that nearly 50 teachers recently submitted credits from Idaho State, representing more than $190,000 in potential salary adjustments this year. The administration wants to be sure the credits are valid under the contract.

“We value our teachers and their commitment to professional growth,” Plascencia said. “A review is currently underway regarding the interpretation of the bargaining agreement and whether the credits recently submitted by teachers from Idaho State University qualify for a lane change that would increase their individual annual salary or other benefits.”

The Albion Center for Professional Development at Idaho State offers non-degree, graduate-level online courses for elementary, middle and high school teachers, according to the school’s website. Students work at their own pace to finish. They can take up to 30 credits a semester.

Plascencia said she is concerned because some of the submissions from teachers “reflect levels of coursework that would traditionally require multiple semesters to complete,” prompting a pause on the pay increases while the district takes a closer look.

“We are conducting due diligence to ensure that all credits meet the standards outlined in the teachers’ contract and board policy, while also being aligned with expectations for accredited, graduate-level study,” she said.

Since traditional graduate-level courses at other schools generally have 16-week semesters, Plascencia said the courses are significantly longer with higher academic expectations. Earning 30 credits would typically take one to two years of full-time work, and more than three years part-time.

Oliver said she is upset because she completed 15 credits in the spring, submitted her paperwork to the Human Resources Department and it was approved. She took another 15 credits over the summer, and it was also approved.

“After 28 years of dedicating my professional life to this district, I was devastated,” she said. “More than 40 educators completed coursework through Idaho State University, and suddenly, after all the work was done, the district decided these courses don’t count.”

Board of Education President Michael Rodriguez said at the meeting that he is troubled by what he sees. He asked the administration to keep the board members informed about how they are handling the Idaho State situation.

“A lot of people spend a lot of time hoping to advance themselves,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to be in their position right now because it’s a very uncertain position. A lot of people are asking a lot of questions, and I don’t know how to answer them.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/20/waukegan-schools-teacher-pay/