Source: Lakota school web site

Source: Lakota teachers, officials in public dispute, The Enquirer, April 24, 2010 By Michael D. Clark

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.]

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 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.

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 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.