171 replies to this topic

[JoAnne Reinking]

Seems hope of more federal money is fading quickly.

[The Average Joe]

Seems hope of more federal money is fading quickly.

Good. We need long term solutions that address the roots of the problems, not a band aid of federal dollars that will put us right back in the same place a year or two from now...

[mac_convert]

The TA passed.

[aubie84alum]

From last few weeks' press (settlements/offers from teacher's unions):

Elk Grove: 9 furlough days plus other caps/freezes
Manteca: furlough days plus stipend freeze
Capistrano: 10% pay cut
S. Whittier: 9 furlough days for 09-10 plus additional 10 days for 10-11
LAUSD: 7 furlough days
Lake Elsinore: 7 furlough days
Saddleback: 3 teacher days plus 5 student days, totaling 8 furlough days
Long Beach: 5 furlough days
Poway: Same as Saddleback
San Diego: 5 furlough days for 10-11 and 5 more for 11-12
Riverside: 5 furlough days
Oceanside: 6 furlough days

You forgot to mention that Elk Grove teachers already get a higher salary, lifetime health benefits and lottery money as bonuses. Interesting too, Elk Grove is your only comparison with local districts. Why?

Also, what did those districts give up last year?

[aubie84alum]

Question: I assume the $140 decrease you're referencing is from the furlough days taken for 09-10.

Was that before or after you received the automatic increase(s)?

Each level of the scale has a bottom salary. I hit that bottom a few years ago. It ends at year 12. I have twenty. The last column, which I will attain this coming year, has a plateau at 12. After that, every three years you move down the scale. In essence, each column has yearly increases, but they stop at different levels (i.e., 2, 9, 11, 12, for the first 4. 15, 18, 21 for the last column). The incentive to keep current in education is quite strong; however, it takes time, money, and effort (sometimes an act of God or increased governmental requirements) to move over on the scale. The highest paid, after 21 years, is $79,272. It goes no further; there are no years after 21.

The cost of college units varies, depending on the institution. My lowest cost, in recent years was $145 for a necessary, introductory course for which I received no grade or units to $635 for 4 semester hours. It takes 75 graduate level units to move to the last column. A typical class is 3 semester hours.

Furthermore, we have to negotiate for a small percentage of the COLA (cost of living allowance), a moot point really, considering the economy. I don't think I've received a contractual "raise" in years, a small percentage of the COLA, and that's been furloughed.

[stacycam]

Wow. I'm completely confused. Your explanation about the salary schedule made no sense to me - and I worked in HR for over 15 years. I don't know if the schools are like the government, but with me, I had over 18 years with Sacramento County. Our salary schedule had up to nine "steps"and once you hit the top step in your classification, you no longer got yearly raises, except for COLAs (which were small and not that common). The only way to go higher was to promote up. I don't understand why you are dropping in your salary schedule - to get to the "bottom." Anyway, I topped out (hit the top step) in my job class a few times while working. That meant I would go a few years with no pay increase, other than a COLA (usually 2%, which didn't even cover insurance increases). The only way to make more was to get a promotion.

[akmommy]

This is the salary schedule for 2009-2010. The salaries at the top have the least # of years of experience. Each year a teacher completes, they move down. At 12 years, the teacher stops moving down annually, but rather in 3 year jumps (so for the 12th, 13th and 14th year in a district, the teacher's salary remains unchanged, unless the salary schedule is adjusted that year to include a COLA). At 21 years of service, a teacher will no longer receive pay increases related to longevity, only COLA adjustments.

http://www.fcusd.org...ARY SCHEULE.pdf

When times are good, the state will pass down COLA $$ to the districts and the teachers typically have to fight to get any of it (the district tries to keep the COLA $ in the general fund and not pass it on to the teachers' salaries). Often the teachers end up agreeing to accept less than the full amount of the COLA $.

[stacycam]

Got it! Okay, that makes complete sense. Thanks for the clarification, akmommy.

[tessieca]

Furthermore, we have to negotiate for a small percentage of the COLA (cost of living allowance), a moot point really, considering the economy. I don't think I've received a contractual "raise" in years, a small percentage of the COLA, and that's been furloughed.

Ha ha! Since the state calculated a negative COLA this year, there won't be much to negotiate .

[sckfc]

Ha ha! Since the state calculated a negative COLA this year, there won't be much to negotiate .

So does that mean that it costs less to live this year?

[supermom]

Wow. I'm completely confused. .......Anyway, I topped out (hit the top step) in my job class a few times while working. That meant I would go a few years with no pay increase, other than a COLA (usually 2%, which didn't even cover insurance increases). The only way to make more was to get a promotion.

I have a gov job and the only way to get a raise after topping out-is to apply for a higher classification position when it opens up...steps increases-supposedly were automatic before I was born- but now require the birth of 20 pounds of documents. Supervisors would rather you go postal.

And cola for the sacramento region has not been reevaluated to match actual living costs for 10 years-although an automatic 3% raise was given to the region 7 years ago.

Now if only we could get some back east to believe the cost of a loaf of bread in san francisco is not 100% higher than here.....maybe we could get more cola.

[tessieca]

Sooo-now, instead of the public paying for my kids public education:

Teachers are paying for my kids electives.


Jesus, the irony is thicker than stew.


Who in the hell guilts the teachers into this?

This is wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Do you understand that without the union giving something back, it will be their fellow teachers who will pay by giving up 100% of their salaries? Guilt? Perhaps there are several teachers who don't want to lose the services of fellow teachers, counselors, etc.

So does that mean that it costs less to live this year?

Gov. S thinks so. -.038% COLA is in his proposed budget.

[sckfc]

Do you understand that without the union giving something back, it will be their fellow teachers who will pay by giving up 100% of their salaries? Guilt? Perhaps there are several teachers who don't want to lose the services of fellow teachers, counselors, etc.


Gov. S thinks so. -.038% COLA is in his proposed budget.

That is pretty funny. I guess I will have to figure out what to do with all of that extra money that I am saving by living. No wait, I can't. We are losing 15% pay with one job in our family, and 100% pay with the other. I guess that will more than eat up that -.038%.

[tessieca]

Oops, put the decimal in the wrong place. It's actually -.39%.

[supermom]

Hmmm---so you're saying that by the union (gag me) forcing the teachers (because I am assuming that teachers can not "opt out" of a union decision if it involves their paycheck)---to give up .38% cola will amount to somewhere around $2500 per employee for the year, that we are not only saving jobs but we are also saving those 2.5 electives for students at the middle school?

I'm supposed to believe that? Hook, line, and sinker?

It sounds more like a steamed up houka dream..