The district is proposing zero percent raises.
The union is asking for raises for paras and support staff. They are fighting for at least $10 an hour.
The district is proposing a $750 increase for School psychologist and Otpt's.
They are proposing separate salary schedules for non-classroom teachers and classroom teachers. Non classroom teachers include instructional coaches, deans, librarians, testing coordinators, success coaches, etc. People who want to move from classroom teachers to non-classroom teachers would receive about a $3,000 decrease in pay. Based on the proposal, if a level 12 classroom teacher makes $47,122 and wants to move into a non-classroom position they would make $45,024.
Stephanie, PEA president, stated that the law does not require for non-classroom teachers and teachers to have different salary schedules. The district representatives responded by showing a house Bill that informed their decision to separate classroom based and non classroom based teacher salaries.
See below:
District representatives stated that they were not trying to be contentious and that they just made the decisions based on their interpretation of the law.
In a statement on Facebook, Polk Education Association Posted the following message in response to the district's proposal:
"We will fight these proposals with every resource available to us (September 16, 2020)."
For further and complete information, see the full meeting below:
Stephanie's follow up response to the district proposal for teacher salaries.
Queshonda Kudaisi
9/17/2020