The School Board proposed $1.5 million be devoted to salary increases, which would be parceled out according to a formula for “effective” and “highly effective” teachers. Association of Bay County Educators (ABCE) chief negotiator Cindy Fowler said the union will seek more money.
“There’s more money to be had than the $1.5 million,” Fowler said.
The district’s chief negotiator Pat Martin said the district will discuss the possibility of moving away from the $1.5 million, keeping in mind that the agreement with ABCE last year called for the district to budget a minimum of $1.5 million for teachers salary increase.
Negotiations last year ended with qualifying teachers receiving a $2,175 pay increase and all teachers getting a $500 one time bonus. The state had recommended and provided funding for all teachers to receive a $2,500 pay increase.
“It was nice to know that we had a little breathing space, that we weren’t starting from zero ... but there’s definitely more money out there that is meant for the instructional staff,” Fowler said.
“And we will be asking for it,” she added.
Step increases, a salary increase schedule based on a mixture of merit and longevity, also was ended during last year’s negotiations. Teachers now get raises based on their evaluation, of which half is determined by their students’ performance.
In response, the union has proposed that the district give three-year contracts to teachers who have established a consistent rating of effective and highly effective.
“For new hires ... they’re annual forever and so every year they have to sit on the edge of their seat ... wondering if they will get that pink slip,” Fowler said. “We’re not asking for tenure to be restored, but we do think we should reward these annual contract people that have a performance record that’s high.”
At Monday’s meeting, the School Board unloaded several pages of proposed changes — from ending the requirement for schools to hold voluntary faculty meetings prior to budget submission to ending mandatory voluntary faculty meetings to allow teachers to give input regarding staffing at schools.
Martin said all of the hard work was completed with last year’s negotiations.
“I don’t think it will be a real protracted negotiation,” he said. “A lot of the harder issues ... we made all of those decisions last year. So, we’re back at what we do every year — discuss how much money there is and, in a way, how it will be divided up.”