SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Changes scheduled for Springfield Public Schools staff pay are causing a lot of commotion.

SPS has decided to move away from its annualized pay system and only pay staff over the nine months they work during the school year, many fear they will be left without a paycheck over the summer.

Tonight many spoke at the school board meeting on their concerns.

“I am asking you to hear the voices of over 1100 support staff and reverse the decision to end our annualized pay,” said a speaker from tonight’s meeting.

SPS will move away from its annualized pay system for non-teacher hourly staff.

Paying staff out over the nine months they work during the school year, instead of evenly over 12 months. SPS says that they are offering staff information meetings to help with budgeting.

“When they realize that their pay remains unchanged, they actually receive more pay upfront for the hours that they work. When they work it, they feel much more confident,” said Stephen Hall with SPS.

Some fear it will make them ineligible for food stamps and other assistance and accuse the district of dismissing their concerns.

Many wish they would have been included in discussions before a decision was made.

Staffers and those in support of those affected say that they hope tonight their voices were heard. 

“We’ve got a lot of people that are very dependent on this income and to take that stability away is there’s just nothing that is going to be beneficial for them at all,” said Laura Mullins, the president of the Springfield National Education Association.