SALARY
Our ask
Our most recent 4 year Mediation salary proposal for the current year (2022-2023) and THREE following years, based on current inflation data.
4% - 3.5% - 2.5% - 3%
Average of 3.25% per year
school committee offer
School Committee's most recent 4 year Mediation salary proposal for the current year (2022-2023) and the THREE following years.
3.75% - 2.5% - 2% - 2.75%
Average of 2.75% per year
KEY FACTORS
Inflation
The Social Security Administration's annual Cost of Living Adjustment for 2023 recently came out at 8.7%; 2022's COLA came in at 5.9% The SSA's COLA has not seen a percent increases this high since 1981 and 1982 when the COLAs were 11.2% and 7.4%, respectively. Given the highest inflationary period in the last three decades, we are asking for a salary increase that keeps pace with today's cost of living.
Length of contract day
Weston has a longer contract day than any comparable district in the area, nearly 12.5% longer on average than most districts, yet our pay does not reflect this longer day in the building. See below for more info and data comparing our pay with those of other districts.
Comparing weston to other districts
Weston educators have been extremely responsible in working within Weston and Massachusetts budgetary and healthcare structures over the past 15 years. We have repeatedly agreed to relatively low cost-of-living salary adjustments during standard inflationary times.
Approximately 65% of Weston educators are on the “top step” of the salary scale, which means that their salary only increases according to COLA-based salary increases that are negotiated every three years. The reported average salary of Weston educators is misleading, as it reflects Weston's very high percentage of experienced educators, who earn higher salaries than beginning educators. As such, average salaries are not accurate measures to determine salary increases. These experienced teachers are a strong foundation for Weston's culture of excellence and are invaluable mentors to our promising newer educators. We know that our community values low educator turnover, particularly as a buffer to the impacts of the well-documented, nationwide teacher shortage. Many of these educators have been on this top step for 10 or more years and have therefore found that the "relatively low salary increases" (Weston Financial Summit, "Financial Indicator Analysis" reports) over the last decade create an environment where employees have no capacity to absorb the massive pay cut (when adjusted for inflation) proposed by School Committee.
