MAY THE SCHOOL BOARD OF WAKULLA COUNTY RETROACTIVELY INCREASE THE COMPENSATION PAID TO TEACHERS OBTAINING MASTERS DEGREES?
You state in your letter of inquiry that the Wakulla County School Board on June 28, 1982, retroactively increased the pay of several teachers who had received a masters degree either near the end of or after the fiscal year 1981-82. Eleven teachers were involved and all were bachelor degree teachers for most of the school year. The Auditor General has questioned this payment and, in the absence of authority therefor, recommended that appropriate compensation adjustments be made for each employee. According to information contained in the audit report, seven of the teachers received their masters degree certificates in June, 1982, two received their certificates in July, 1982, and two received their certificates in August, 1982. It is the Auditor’s position that “in these instances, advanced status was achieved after the teacher contracted to teach for the 1981-82 fiscal year and had completed essentially all of their teaching responsibilities.” For the reasons set forth in this opinio
