School Board to vote on teacher contract with 6 percent pay increase

The teachers had their say; now it is the Collier County School Board’s turn.

The board will vote this afternoon on the teachers’ proposed contract, which would give the district’s teachers a pay increase of 6 percent across the salary scale.

Bargaining teams from both sides agreed that the teachers would receive a 6 percent increase across the salary schedule for the 2006-07 school year. That means teachers with zero to three years of experience and a bachelor’s degree would be paid $38,198, which is an increase over the current $33,226 to $36,036 they are being paid now.

Teachers with 16 to 19 years of experience and a bachelor’s degree will be paid $58,812, an increase over the current $54,341 to $55,483 they are being paid now.

Earlier this month, about 60 percent of the district’s teachers voted for the contract, according to officials from the Collier County Education Association, which is the group that represents about 80 percent of the district’s teachers.

Teachers who voted for the contract agreed to make a concession for the 6 percent across the board. Under the proposal, all teachers will remain at their current steps, which are measured by years of experience, for the 2006-07 school year. The teachers will move up to the next step in the 2007-08 school year, according to the agreement.

Some teachers will lose more than others. Those who have put in 19 years with the district and are expected to go on longevity pay next year will have to wait until their 21st year of service. Teachers who have four years of service will be paid the same as a first-year teacher.

In addition to salaries, district officials and the teachers negotiated a proposal that would allow teachers to transfer within the first three years of employment with the district, something that was not allowed before.

Supplements for teachers who sponsor clubs or coordinate the science fair will be indexed to the pay scale. That means that the supplements will increase when the teachers’ salaries are increased.

If the board approves the contract, School Board Chairwoman Kathleen Curatolo, CCEA president Von Jeffers, and Cal Boggess and Michele LaBute, who were the chief spokespeople for the negotiation teams; and Superintendent Ray Baker, will have to sign the contract, which will be in effect for three years.

The current teacher contract ends June 30.

Following the School Board meeting, board members will have their fourth budget workshop.

The board will discuss the No Child Left Behind Act and how federal guidelines will affect schools that receive Title I Funding. Title I is money given to the schools to help educate disadvantaged children — those with low academic achievement attending schools in high-poverty areas.

The board also will have a presentation from its lobbyist, Vern Crawford, on new legislation and its financial impact on Collier County.

The School Board is scheduled to take the final vote on its 2006-07 budget in September.

The board meeting starts at 2 p.m. in the board meeting room at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Administrative Center, 5775 Osceola Trail.