We began our
session with a description of the funding structure of Adult Basic Education
and Early Childhood Family Education programs from district Community Education
Director Steve Kerr. We asked a number
of questions about their intentions regarding putting ABE/ECFE teachers, who are
on a significantly lower pay schedule than the rest of our unit, onto the
regular salary schedule. Kerr responded that the state funding has not kept
pace with increases in costs. We also asked
if the school board had any intention to subsidize these programs like they do other
underfunded priorities. They do not seem to be planning to use general fund dollars
to bolster these programs, despite the high returns on investment for this kind
of education.
Next, the
district team made an “alternate economic offer”. They proposed adding an
additional step between Step 11 and Career 1 that would split the increase a
member normally gets as they go into the career steps. The money saved from lengthening the contract
this way would be used to fund an increase on the career steps of 1.25% the
first year and 1.55% the second (they still propose no salary schedule
improvement on the earlier steps).
The
district confirmed that this proposal includes no real improvement over their
last offer, it simply rearranges where the money is placed around the schedule.
That was the same situation in their last offer, so though this is their third
proposal, there is effectively no change from their first offer. You may
remember that the first offer only had money added onto the career steps that
was taken from a reduction in district contributions to our health care
premiums.
In summary,
we have had three economic offers from the district that are effectively the
same value as our last settlement, despite an improvement in district finances.
The district
team also presented a couple of language items. The first was a response to our
communication time idea. They shared a copy of a Memorandum of Understanding
regarding six hours of communication time at the secondary level for addition
to the contract. One of the AHEM team’s concerns was that those hours were used
with varying levels of success. We would like to see any communication time be
at the discretion of the teacher so it can be tailored to each educator’s
specific assignment. Both sides acknowledged that there needs to be more work
on a solution at the elementary level.
The district
also introduced an item that would provide exceptions to current seniority
rules. They would like to see those with training in International Baccalaureate,
Advanced Placement, AVID, Reading Recovery, Project Lead the Way, College
Concurrent Enrollment, Music Teacher area of specialty focus (winds, strings,
choral), and/or other mutually agreed upon programs be able to be retained in
the case of layoffs over teachers with more seniority. Though the categories
are new, the district has introduced similar language for the past several
rounds.
After a
short caucus, the AHEM team confirmed that we agreed to the new positions the
district proposes adding to the contract in Appendix B. We decided that we will respond to the
economic proposal at our next meeting November 6th, 4:45 pm at the AHEM office.
