Navigating Beginning of the Year Pay Cycles
Often ten-month employees begin work in August but don’t receive their first paycheck until mid- to late September.
The misalignment of the work calendar and the pay cycle at the start of the school year results in a ten-month employee whose pay is annualized working six to eight weeks prior to receiving their first paycheck. To address this, school districts often use a 13th paycheck opportunity for teaching staff. This same option may be effective for other ten-month employees, such as educational aides and clerical staff.
Typically, 10-month auxiliary employees (e.g., child nutrition workers, bus drivers, bus monitors) are paid twice monthly. Depending on the school district’s pay cycle, these employees may benefit from a 25th paycheck their first year of employment if their pay is annualized. Auxiliary employees paid once monthly could be provided the 13th paycheck option.
Basically, a 13th or 25th paycheck would occur during the month of August. Annualized pay would be calculated, and payments would be divided by 13 or 25, respectively. While each check would be less than the standard calculation, pay for these employees would begin sooner.
Including a pay option election form in an employee’s new hire paperwork can make management of this option simple. Most human resource information systems (HRIS) allow flexibility of pay cycles to accommodate this option.
Requiring an employee to work an extended period prior to receiving their first paycheck creates a financial hardship. While supporting these employees with a 13th or a 25th pay option can reduce stress, it may also serve as a recruitment tool.

Karen Dooley
Karen Dooley joined HR Services in 2016. She provides oversight to a team of consultants providing staffing services, HR reviews, and other projects. She provides training and assists school districts with their HR-related needs. Dooley is a seasoned administrator with more than 17 years of HR experience in Central Texas districts as a coordinator, director, and assistant superintendent. She also worked as an assistant principal, counselor, and teacher, and holds a superintendent certificate.
Dooley received her master’s degree from Prairie View A&M University and her bachelor’s degree from Texas State University.
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