3.1 STEP RAISE
Step Raise explanation:
Step raises, an automatic pay increase built into contracts
negotiated between the School Board and the teacher union
(and non-teaching employees) based on a teacher’s years of
service. In addition, teachers may move from one pay level
to another as a result of the completion of additional college
educational requirements.
The current November, 2008 Sycamore teacher contract is
for school years 2008-2009 (fiscal year 2009), 2009- 2010
and 2010-2011. The Sycamore B.O.E announced salary
increases of 1%, 2.25%, and 2.5% for those same years. These cost-of-living pay (base) raises do not include step or other across-
the-board pay increases.
The automatic Sycamore step raise means an additional average 3.0 percent annual raise for all teachers in FY09, 3.0% FY10 and 3.0% FY11. (Note: These percentages are estimates based on Wyoming’s average step raise. Sycamore’s administration refuses to disclose their step raise percentage.)
I don’t know if Sycamore has an additional negotiated across-the-board pay increase and if so, at what percentage in each of the three years.
The total annual pay increase for all three categories is 4.0%
in FY09, 5.25% in FY10 and 6.0% in FY11. In just three short years the total percentage increase is over 16%. (Note: Sycamore also refuses to disclose the yearly dollar cost increase for FY2009, FY2010 and FY2011.)
Sycamore and the news media don’t mention the step raise nor the total increase, misleading the public into believing the negotiated wage increase is reasonable. Sixteen percent is much higher than the perceived 5.75% (1, 2.25 , 2.5).
Note: The above percentages and dollar amounts were not
verified nor corrected by the Sycamore School Treasurer. As of October 26, 2009, the Sycamore board and treasurer still refuses to disclose the total annual step raise dollar and percentage amounts.
.
Sycamore actual wage scale example:
The Sycamore School District announced a 2% wage increase, while the mechanic in this example actually received a total 5.3% increase in 2005-06 ($17.35 to $18.27) and an additional 5.2% increase ($18.27 to $19.22) in 2006-07 school year.
Mechanic Wage Schedule
Steps |
Effective 2004-05 |
Effective 2005-06 |
Effective 2006-07 |
| 1 | $17.35 | $17.70 | $18.05 |
| 2 | $17.91 | $18.27 | $18.63 |
| 3 | $18.48 | $18.85 | $19.22 |
| 4 | $19.04 | $19.42 | $19.81 |
| 5 | $19.61 | $20.00 | $20.40 |
| 6 | $20.18 | $20.58 | $20.99 |
| 7 | $20.72 | $21.14 | $21.56 |
| 8 | $21.29 | $21.72 | $22.15 |
| 9 | $21.85 | $22.28 | $22.73 |
| 10 | $22.41 | $22.86 | $23.32 |
| 11 | $22.41 | $22.86 | $23.32 |
| 12 | $22.41 | $22.86 | $23.32 |
| 13 | $22.98 | $23.44 | $23.91 |
| 14 | $22.98 | $23.44 | $23.91 |
| 15 | $22.98 | $23.44 | $23.91 |
| 16 | $23.54 | $24.01 | $24.49 |
| 17 | $23.54 | $24.01 | $24.49 |
| 18 | $23.54 | $24.01 | $24.49 |
| 19 | $24.11 | $24.59 | $25.08 |
| 20 | $24.11 | $24.59 | $25.08 |
Source: Agreement between Ohio Association of Public School Employees, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, (OAPSE) and its Chapter No. 243 and The Board of Education of the Sycamore Community School District. Effective July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2007. Page 76.
Negotiations Update
The Lakota Local School District Board of Educations’ bargaining team and the bargaining team representatives of the Lakota Support Staff Association met with a federal mediator on Thursday, April 22, 2010 and formalized the Tentative Agreement for the final year of the current labor contract between the parties. The Tentative Agreement provides a zero percent increase = base pay while honoring salary schedule steps. The Tentative Agreement also provides for an alternate open enrollment period for employees to enroll in a more cost effective health insurance plan.
Date: April 23, 2010
Source: Lakota school web site
William Deters, attorney representing Lakota in labor talks with teachers, said, “The (union) stated in its [press] release that the (union) offered the Board a ‘pay freeze.’ This is not accurate. The (union) offered a zero percent increase in the base pay for the 2010-11 school year. The (union) rejected the Board’s counter proposal for a freeze on the base salary and seniority steps of the teacher’s salary schedule.”
Source: Lakota teachers, officials in public dispute, The Enquirer, April 24, 2010 By Michael D. Clark
This week the Kings school board voted to accept a one-year extension of a labor pact with more than 150 non-teaching employees that calls for no pay increase through next school year. Previously, the board also approved a one-year extension of the current contract for teachers, also with no raise for the 2010-11 school year.
Source: KINGS SCHOOLS No-raise contract for staff approved, The Enquirer, Aril 24, 2010
[Administrator note – Could this also be inaccurate? See Enquirer article, Lakota teachers, officials in public dispute. The reporters credibility is at stake for not questioning the accuracy of the school offical who provides the information.]
Sycamore Mechanic Hourly Rate Scale
Steps 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
1 $18.55 $18.95 $19.30
2 $19.13 $19.53 $19.88
3 $19.72 $20.12 $20.47
4 $20.31 $20.71 $21.06
5 $20.90 $21.30 $21.65
6 $21.49 $21.89 $22.24
7 $22.06 $22.46 $22.81
8 $22.65 $23.05 $23.40
9 $22.65 $23.63 $23.98
10 $23.23 $24.22 $24.57
11 $23.82 $24.22 $24.57
12 $23.82 $24.22 $24.57
13 $24.41 $24.81 $25.16
14 $24.41 $24.81 $25.16
15 $24.41 $24.81 $25.16
16 $24.99 $25.39 $25.74
17 $24.99 $25.39 $25.74
18 $24.99 $25.39 $25.74
19 $25.58 $25.98 $26.33
20 $25.58 $25.98 $26.33
Actual Step Increases of some other school districts in their own words are listed here.
Lakota – costs for vertcal step and horizontal range increases are expected to average 2-3% a year.
Fairfield – 2% average step increase for each year of the forecast on top of a 2.75% base wage increase in FY2009 and a 2.5% base wage increase for FY2010.
Solon – Incremental increases are projected at 3.00% each year. Negotiated increases are additional.
Ross – For the period beyond the current agreement, a 2% increase has been used for personal services (the cost of step increase, no change to base salary).
Deer Park – The average rate increase due to teachers’ salary step increments, account for 1.4%. Across-the-board pay increases beyond FY2010 are based on historical trends.
Cincinnati – The cost of step increases is assumed to continue at its current rate of approximately 2% each year for fiscal years 2009-2013.
Base salaries were increased by 1% effective 1/1/07 and 2% on 1/1/08 per negotiated agreement. Base salaries are assumed to increase by 2% in fiscal years 2011-2013.
… a 4% increase in base and step salary increases …
Sources: Each district’s Five Year Forecast Assumptions, Oct, 2009.
This message was received from a Sycamore School District Taxpayer:
This is, if not the crux, a very important part of the compensation difference Sycamore vs. other school districts. Good luck in rooting this one out.
This is a copy of a 9/24/09 e-mail, a resident and taxpayer wrote Sycamore’s Treasurer and Board President:
I have received timely responses to other questions and I thank you for that. But, I have not received a response to my 9/17/09 e-mail. It’s not the first time I asked questions about ’step raise’ communication. You appear to be stonewalling again. So I want to tell you what I am thinking and feeling.
As school treasurer and board president, your constant refusal to communicate ’step raise’ percentages and dollar amounts to the community and the media is very troubling. It led to my initial distrust of our school system and my continued disappointment in your behavior.
I feel it is dishonest on your part. Sycamore and the news media don’t mention the ‘step raise’ nor the total increase, misleading the public into believing a negotiated base wage increase is reasonable. What are you trying to hide?
Just because most other districts don’t disclose the effects of ’step raises’ isn’t an excuse for Sycamore’s lack of transparency. I have a hard time believing neither of you know an estimated percentage and dollar cost associated with the annual step raise. Any professional treasurer and board would certainly want that information when negotiating new contracts and forecasting expenditures.
The new five year forecast is due next month. I hope you will you do what is right and communicate the impact of step and base raises at that time. (Note: The forecast has since been released but no mention of step raises was made.)
The Wyoming school board Monday rejected a proposal that would have raised the base salaries of its teachers by 2.8 percent this school year and 3.3 percent for each of the next two school years. The raises would have been in addition to “step’ raises many teachers receive after passing various educational and longevity milestones.
The average step increase at Wyoming is 3.1 percent annually, officials said. The Wyoming Education Association in July rejected the board’s offer of a 2 percent annual raise, a $1,000 stipend and some health concessions. District Treasurer Brian Rabe said that proposal would necessitate a 6-mill levy proposal in 2012 while the union’s proposal would require 10 mills.”
Source: Wyoming teachers don’t get a raise. THE ENQUIRER. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2009.