Tentative Agreement Announced

Post date: Aug 4, 2011 11:55:14 AM

The BEA and Board bargaining teams met in mid-July and reached a tentative agreement. All district teachers are urged to participate in the ratification meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, August 16 immediately after the district morning rally. So if things go as they usually do, grab your T-shirt and then come back into the auditorium to consider the agreement for ratification.

Please see the ratification newsletter for an explanation of all changes. 

Highlights of this year's bargaining are:

• All district employees will see an increase in compensation, based on experience, despite the tremendous state budget challenges. All teachers will receive the step increase called for by the existing salary schedule and those topped out on step 25 will see last year's $500 stipend increased to $600.

• Teachers may now pay $30 out-of-pocket to their site financial secretary as a permit fee to bring their own personal compact refrigerator to school for the academic year. They may also still pay a $10 out-of-pocket fee to bring a personal microwave to school for the academic year. Fans are still unrestricted while all space heaters and other personal appliances are banned. (Please do NOT ask students or Parent Support Groups to pay these fees. They are personal fees to be paid out of the teacher's own pocket.) This policy is not part of the formal Tentative Agreement.

• All extra duty increments were reviewed and compared to our peer districts. A few academics and athletics increments were added while one fine arts increment was added and two existing ones were boosted. The total projected cost to the general fund is $9,360.

• A committee composed of five teachers and five administrative appointees will meet during 2011-2012 to make preparation recommendations for the new statewide TLE appraisal system.

Read the details in the ratification newsletter and you can review precise language changes in the agreement as well.