Your Survey Results on Vertical Movement

Teacher after teacher added comments when they answered our negotiations survey, and we know how busy you are! That you took the time to tell us how you feel makes a powerful statement, and your negotiations team is listening.

Here's a sampling of the comments added to the first question, which asked you to mark all the statements about the salary schedule that apply to you.  Over 80% of teachers responded that not having moved on the salary schedule had impacted your family's budget, and over 42% characterized that effect as "profound."  Many of the comments you added indicated you feel devalued and unappreciated.  This one hit the nail on the head:

It is difficult to attract quality teachers for the long term when teachers don't have more positive negotiation interactions and are treated with a lack of respect (having negotiations settled in a timely manner).

LNEA agrees. And attracting good teachers and keeping them are among the Board of Education's own goals.  You can find all their goals at this link.

Comments like these (and the many, many similar ones) keep the negotiations team insisting on both vertical and lateral movement.

As a result of low pay, family budget, and student loans for my Master's degree, I have resigned and accepted a higher paying position elsewhere, even though I loved my job.

It is terribly disconcerting that two teachers with one child can barely get by due to inadequate district-offered insurance, inadequate pay and no lateral or vertical movement. And we aren't living in a new or expensive house. Nor do we drive new vehicles.

I invested [a lot of money] into getting my master's and the district's failure to honor lateral movement has put severe strain on my family's finances.