Date: Fri 07-Nov-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

schools-teachers-contract

Full Text:

School Board Unveils New Teachers' Contract

BY MICHELE HOGAN

In a new contract just reached between the Newtown Federation of Teachers and

the Newtown Board of Education, local teachers will get an increase in salary,

on average, of 3.1 percent.

The Board of Education plans to offset the increased cost of salaries with

savings in health care for teachers and an early retirement package to be made

available to teachers next year.

The increased pay for teachers vary from a low of just less than 1.5 percent

for new teachers with a bachelor's degree, to a high of just over 6.2 percent

for teachers with a bachelor's degree and approximately four years of

experience.

These salary scale adjustments are designed to correct a problem that the

Newtown Board of Education has had in attracting teachers with a proven track

record and three to seven years experience - teachers that are in high demand

throughout western Connecticut, explained John Reed, schools superintendent.

Under the former contract, Newtown paid the lowest salary to teachers with a

bachelor's degree, and five or more years experience, when compared to nine

neighboring areas within commuting distance.

According to Dr Reed, in many instances, a teacher with several years

experience could expect a salary $8,000 to $9,000 a year higher in neighboring

towns.

In some instances the pay differential is even greater. In the New Milford

district, a teacher with a bachelor's degree and 16 years experience is paid

approximately $16,000 more per year than a teacher with the same education and

experience in Newtown.

In Newtown, a teacher with a bachelor's degree currently starts at $30,950 and

reaches a ceiling salary of $39,050 at step ten (steps correspond loosely with

years of experience, with some exceptions).

In New Milford, a teacher with a bachelor's degree starts at approximately the

same salary but does not reach a ceiling level until approximately 16 years

experience, and earnings at that point are over $55,000.

Dr Reed, said, "It was very disheartening last spring and summer when four

teachers that the district had attempted to hire took jobs in other

Connecticut school systems that had higher salaries. ... When you can go right

down the road to Danbury and make 20 percent more on the same step, it is

obvious that gradual improvement needs to be made."

The largest increase in salaries are for teachers with a bachelor's degree and

several years experience - accomplished teachers who are not overly expensive

to hire.

In Newtown, a teacher on step four this year receives $31,150. Next year's

salary for a teacher with the same experience and education would increase by

just over 6.2 percent to $33,100.

First year teachers salaries are hardly changed, increasing less than 1.5%

from $30,950 to $31,400 (with a bachelor's degree).

There were moderate increases at the high end of the salary scale. A teacher

with a sixth-year certification (extra credits beyond a master's degree) and

25 years experience will be given close to a 3 percent increase next year,

from $61,850 to $63,650.

Health And Retirement

Through changing Newtown teachers' health insurance and offering an early

retirement package to Newtown teachers, the Board of Education expects to

recoup the bulk of the cost of implementing this new contract.

A change in health insurance for teachers to a managed-care approach will save

$300,000, which can be used to offset the increased cost of salaries.

By offering an early retirement plan, in the second year of the contract, the

board expects to save an additional $200,000 in teachers' salaries. Teachers

high on the pay scale who choose to retire early can be replace with teachers

lower on the pay scale.

With the projected savings in medical insurance and early retirement, the

projected net percentage increase due to the new contract is 1.11 percent in

1998-1999, 1.97 percent the following year, and 2.96 percent in the year

2000-2001.

There is one other consideration with the cost of paying teachers. In most

instances, for every year of experience, a teacher moves up one step in pay,

which accounts for an additional expected salary increment of approximately 2

percent per year.

According to Dr Reed, with the new contract in place, "Newtown is now well

placed to become reasonably competitive for the foreseeable future."