The Emporia board of education on Wednesday approved a 4.2 percent increase in the salary package, including health benefits, for district teachers. The approval came on a 5-0 vote, with board members Homer Garza and Mary Helmer absent.
The contract adds $1,198 to teachers’ base salaries and $209 to salaries of teachers holding master’s and doctoral degrees, according to a contract summary provided by the district.
The district expects to receive about $1.9 million in additional funds during the second year of the school finance law, according to information from the district. The money will go to the general and supplemental general funds.
The district chose to spend the money on additional teaching positions, educational supports for students, anticipated increases in fixed costs and salary increases to help recruit and retain qualified staff.
The salary range for teachers who hold bachelor of science degrees begins at $33,438 for entry-level and ends at $42,013 for teachers. Teachers with BS degrees and no graduate hours reach the maximum salary at step 15, with no step increases through step 40.
The salary ranges for other certified staff, from entry level to step 40, in other categories are:
• BS plus 15 graduate hours, $34,045 to $43,944
• BS plus 40 graduate hours, $34,652 to $48,523
• Master of science or BS plus 40 (grandfathered in), $37,125 to $57,666
• MS plus 15 hours, $37,732 to $58,273
• MS plus 35 hours or Specialist, $38,339 to $58,880
• MS plus 50 hours or Specialist with 15 hours, $38,946 to $59,487
• Doctorate, $41,419 to $61,960
Teachers who show proof of full certification in English as a Second Language will receive a $1,000 stipend annually, with an initial one-time bonus of $1,000.
The board also voted unanimously to award a 3.9 percent raise to Superintendent John Heim.
The administrative salary schedule reflects a 3.92 percent package increase for district and building administrators, which brings the base salary to $45,328.
The classified exempt salary schedule includes an average increase of 3.92 percent, to bring the base salary for department directors and other supervisory classified positions to $29,404. Changes in this category include eliminating QUEST coordinator positions and reflecting the change in responsibility for the director of maintenance, as approved this year by the school board.
Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance premiums dropped this year because decreased use by district employees. The district next year will offer one option for employees, with “considerable enhancements” over a previous plan.
The cost of an individual premium will remain at $360, and the district will pay an additional $14 per month — to $349 per month — toward the cost. The monthly cost of health insurance for a certified employee will decrease to $11 per month.
The district will allow $2.01 per hour for each classified employee to cover the district’s share of individual health insurance.
The cost of employee/child coverage dropped from $539 to $505; employee/spouse coverage from $642 to $605; and employee/dependents from $732 to $705. Maximum coverage increase from $2 million to $5 million.
The policy has a 50/50 co-pay for out-of-pocket expenses up to $1,500 for an individual, and $3,000 for out-of-pocket coverage for two or more family members. The district also will maintain the $40 mail-order drug co-pay for 90-day supplies.
The Interest-Based Bargaining group recommended that, beginning next year, each certified employee (half-time or more) will have an Employer Paid Deferred Benefit 403(b) account. The district will contribute $85 per month to the account per participant, with full vesting for employee at 15 years.
At retirement, current employees, as of the 2006-07 school year, will be eligible for the Voluntary Early Retirement option or the Deferred Benefit option.
The district is developing a similar system for classified employees, according to a synopsis of the contract.
Emporia National Education Association members of the IBB group are: Nancy Gilpin, Rick Eckert, Ann North, Nancy Lawson, Shelly Lutes, Nancy Robohn, Joy Haegert, Katie Adams and Jill Jones.
The school district IBB representatives are: Susan Hernandez, John Heim, Theresa Davidson, George Abel, Elizabeth McCoy, Mary Helmer, Steve Turner, Steve Ternes and Jared Giffin.
In other action, the board unanimously approved:
• purchasing $141,800 worth of textbooks in 2008, on recommendation from the Instructional Council. About $150,000 is available for textbooks each year. George Abel told the board that other factors, such as the cost of energy, “could greatly affect the money we have available for textbook purchases.”
• revisions to the Emporia Middle School handbook for the coming year to reflect the addition of competitive volleyball and football at the seventh-grade level.
• revisions to the Emporia High School handbook for 2007-08, including a new student information policy, confiscation of electronic devices such as cell phones, unexcused absences and excessive tardies.
• purchase of assessment monitoring tools to help EMS and EHS students who are not achieving state and classroom standards. The cost is $73,385 for Compass Learning Odyssey software and a server for EHHS. A server may need to be purchased later for EMS.
• hiring of a director and support staff for Head Start. The board earlier Wednesday evening deferred action on a contract with ECKAN for Head Start because of errors in contract language. The board sent the contract back to be corrected and considered at the next board meeting.
• a cell phone policy to pay stipends to administrators or classified exempt staff who must carry cell phones. The allowances range from $50 to $70 per month. The district previously provided cell phones; however, the Internal Revenue Service has begun taxing the phone costs as benefits. Several cell phones will be available for check-out for out-of-town travel or other needs involving student and staff security. In the past, the cost was slightly over $10,000 annually to furnish cell phones. The cost of the new system will be about $17,000, according to Susan Hernandez, associate superintendent of business.
admireed (anonymous) says...
What are the new salaries of the top administration folks?
June 14, 2007 at 4:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MelissaE (anonymous) says...
Oooh. Good question!
M
June 14, 2007 at 4:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )