Tentative Agreement Reached for 2011-12 Contract Year
Subject to Teacher Ratification
August 1, 2011
Representatives of Leavenworth-NEA and USD 453 Board of Education have reached an agreement regarding the terms and conditions of employment for teachers for the 2011-12 school year. Below are the changes to the negotiated agreement, subject to ratification. Articles from the negotiated agreement that are not mentioned here will remain unchanged.
Salary
Average increase of 1.785%.
In this proposal, vertical and lateral movement on the salary schedule will occur. It is also proposed that an additional $70 will be added to the “additional compensation” amount that is listed at the bottom of the salary schedule, bringing that amount to $2,260. This total amount, while not subject to the index increments as a teacher moves across the salary schedule, has been embedded in the chart to reveal your total proposed salary.
This proposal includes NO increase to fringe benefits. However, there will be a 4% drop in health insurance premiums--not something the teachers’ association negotiates, but still beneficial.
Significant decrease in stipend paid for more than three preparations at high school was proposed. That amount would be reduced from $2,915 to $1,527.
Article 6, Duty Day
Major change in secondary planning time (LHS and Warren) – Rather than guaranteeing one class period per day for planning, this proposal stipulates secondary teachers will have 225 minutes per week, with at least one 20-minute period scheduled per day.
Decrease in elementary weekly planning time is also proposed, from 280 minutes per week to 260, with a minimum of one 20-minute period per day. The board’s negotiating team stated that they need to increase collaboration time by decreasing individual planning time.
Subject areas re-defined, for the purpose of paying a teacher assigned to teach in more than 2 separate subject areas. Proposed list combines Technical Education, Business, Family and Consumer Science, and Computer Studies into one subject area – Career and Technical Education (CTE). All other subject areas remain as previously defined.
Article 23, Lateral Movement
Significant change in what counts for lateral movement.
This proposal stipulates that beginning September 1, 2014, IDP points earned on contract time and/or at district expense will not count for lateral movement, unless administration requests a teacher participate in a particular training. Essentially, beginning 2014-15 school year, only those IDP points earned on teachers’ “own time, own dime” will count for lateral movement, as long as the appropriate steps have been taken in My Learning Plan.
Grandfather clause is in effect. IDP points earned previously and earmarked for lateral movement will be honored. Note that the agreement already stipulates that hours earned must be used within five years.
Article 30, Calendar
Non-working days for the 2011-12 school year were negotiated this time last year, and appear on the district calendar.
Proposed non-working days for the 2012-13 school year are as follows:
September 3 – Labor Day
November 12 – Veteran’s Day
November 21-23 – Thanksgiving Break
December 24-January 2 – Winter Break
January 21 – Martin Luther King Day
February 18 – Presidents’ Day
March 18-22 – Spring Break
March 29 – Non-Working Day (Good Friday)
April 29 – Off unless needed for snow makeup
May 27 – Memorial Day
Designated Teacher Work Days:
1.5 days before the start of classes
1 day at the end of the first quarter
1 day after the end of semester break (January 3)
1 day at the end of the third quarter
At least a half day at the end of the school year
The last Monday of April is a designated snow makeup day. This date will be used as makeup day in the event of inclement weather exceeding two days.
Article 31, Evaluation of Teacher Performance
Out of district SpEd teachers will be evaluated in home district.
For a pilot period of two school years, 2011-12 and 2012-13, it is proposed that Leavenworth County Special Education Cooperative teachers who are assigned full time to a district other than USD 453 will be evaluated by and use the evaluation instrument of the district to which they are assigned. Special Education teachers assigned to more than one district within the cooperative will be evaluated by and use USD 453’s evaluation instrument.
Article 33, Resignation Incentive Program (Early Retirement)
Significant changes in benefits coming in two years – entire benefit will not be available after 2025.
It is proposed that beginning June 30, 2015, the yearly cash stipend for early retirement will no longer be paid. This cash benefit is defined as the lesser of a factor of 15% or $8,000.
This proposal also stipulates that the health benefit will be made available from the date of early retirement until the retiree becomes eligible for Medicare, until the year 2025.