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Teachers will get additional $159K in new contract
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · June 25, 2015
West Branch Board of Education will give teachers an additional $159,000 in the first year of a two-year contract, an increase of about 3.7 percent over the current contract.
With the contract, salaries and benefits for teachers will increase from about $4.29 million to almost $4.45 million in the 2015-16 school year.
The second year of the contract will wait to see what other schools do next spring. Superintendent Kevin Hatfield said that, specifically, West Branch will look at the first 50 contract agreements approved by Iowa schools, then take the average increase and apply that to the West Branch Education Association base salary and benefits.
Hatfield said the school board and WBEA will meet next year to see how the math works out on those 50 contracts, but will not change any other contract language.
With the teachers’ contract ratified, the school board approved the same 3.7-percent increase for the rest of the school staff, from administrators to aides to custodians, Hatfield said.
All together, it adds up to $227,000 in additional salaries and benefits throughout the school district.
Most of that will be covered by about $208,000 in new revenues, the superintendent said: Almost $91,000 from one-time funding, $63,000 from “budget guarantee” money — a buffer given to schools with a dip in enrollment — and $52,000 from a 1.25-percent increase in state aid. The 1.25 percent amounts to $6,446 per student, or about $80 more than the current year.
However, that $91,000 in one-time funding is still uncertain. In fact, so is the 1.25 percent increase. Gov. Terry Branstad has yet to decide on the education funding bill, has said he does not like one-time funding and may call the legislature back in session. Branstad has until July 6 to consider end-of-session bills.
One of the bigger factors driving West Branch two-year teachers’ contract is the three-year, $250,000 Teacher Leadership and Compensation meant to hire three mentors in an effort to improve teaching practices. The TLC requires the school district to pay starting teachers a minimum of $33,500.
That does not mean the lowest number on the teachers salary schedule is $33,500, Hatfield said, just that the gross salary meets that threshold. For West Branch schools, that meant raising the base salary 3 percent, from $28,250 to $31,000 on the salary schedule. The remaining $2,500 difference will be paid by state Teacher Salary Supplement funding.
Hatfield said about $7,000 of the total package goes toward pay increases for “Schedule B” — a salary schedule for coaches and other jobs that oversee extra-curricular programs, like marching band, drama, student government, etc.
New contract language also encourages staff to start new academic clubs on campus, he said. If someone can get at least 15 students involved for three years with at least six meetings per year, that sponsor can earn $500 to $1,000 to oversee the group.
However, the school board wants to see opportunities open up at all three schools, the superintendent said. If three new groups form, the fourth group must make sure there are new groups at all three school buildings. For example, if the first three groups are available to middle and high school pupils, the fourth group must be available to Hoover Elementary pupils.
New contract language also requires teachers to attend and help supervise at least two school events each year. If the event sells tickets, the volunteering teacher and a spouse get in free. And if the teacher volunteers to supervise three or more events, they will be paid $25 for each event and earn a “child free” pass.
“Kids will see their teachers at more events,” Hatfield said.
While the school board approved the contract May 20, they cannot print the contract until Gov. Terry Branstad signs education funding legislation. The Iowa legislature approved an education funding bill which increases state aid 1.25 percent and adds $55.7 million in one-time money, but Branstad has yet to sign it.
Without Branstad’s signature on the funding bill, and thus no solid budget figures, that also means that there are no West Branch teachers officially signed on to teach during the 2015-16 school year.
“It could be further into summer,” Hatfield said. “As of July 1 (the start of the next budget) we may not have teachers signed up to teach.”
Hatfield said he felt the contract allowed for more opportunities for pupils.
“(Teachers) really want great things for kids,” he said, adding that WBEA President Mary Buol and Vice President Jan O’Neil “were great to work with on this.”
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