Teachers will receive a 1.4 percent raise this year and 1.5 percent next year under the tentative two-year contract it reached with Racine Unified, according to copy of the contract leaked to RacinePost.
Currently, teacher salaries range from $37,822 to $65,084. Under the proposed contract that would go up to $38,351 to $65,995 this year, and $38,926 to $66,985 in 2010-2011.
Racine Education Association members are scheduled to meet tonight to ratify the contract, which runs through the 2011 school year. A majority of the district's 1,600 teachers must approve the deal before it's approved.
Here are a few highlights we picked out of the tentative contract:
* Prep time for teachers is brought up in the contract. The proposal gives teachers a minimum of 360 minutes of prep time every two weeks, with the goal of 200 minutes per week and 40 minutes per day. Teachers use prep time for grading, lesson plans and other organizational tasks not possible when teaching.
* A school administrator will observe new teachers in their classrooms at least three times per year, but not more than six. Teachers in their first year must be observed within the first quarter of the school year.
* Administrators will make an effort to observe "tenured" teachers at least once per school year, but not more than six times, according to the tentative contract.
* Students get out two hours early on the last day of school.
--Teachers at the top of the salary scale with 15 years' experience would receive a $900 bonus this year, and $400 the next.
--Extra-duty stipends, which under the existing contract are paid at the end of each semester, would be paid in quarterly installments, on the 6th, 12th, 18th and 22nd paychecks of the school year.
--Teachers will pay $19 per month for single health insurance, compared to $18.29 in the 2007-2008 contract; $38 for family health insurance instead of $36.58 in the 2009-2010 school year; those rates rise to $19.75 and $39.50 in 2010-2011. Teachers' insurance copay increases from $10 to $15 unless they go to a special clinic where the copay is $0.
There's a lot more in the contract, and not being teachers, we don't know what we don't know. So take a look and if anything jumps out send us note.
Sections 19 & 22 are the real disgraces.
ReplyDeleteRUSD should simply eliminate Section 22.
Wow, everyone else in the public sector have been taking or forced to take pay freezes the past few years. The teachers and school board seem to be really out of touch with what is happening in this community.
ReplyDeleteNews flash ... we are in a protracted economic downturn. People are losing their homes. Business and government have been freezing pay raises and laying people off the past few years.
Way to be be completely out of touch with the community and the realities here in Racine County.
Somehow this is Dickert's fault. He was behind this. He is the reason its cold outside. If he was not Mayor, it would be sunny and warm outside. He and his trolls rule this community and we can do nothing to stop him. Please help me get my army of trolls together to defeat his empire of corruption.
ReplyDelete1.4 % raise is hardly anything, but I know to the many without jobs it may seem like an insult. The teachers work extremely hard as they try to educate some very challenging kids.
ReplyDelete2:52 - that's funny and my exact sentiments. Getting back to the article - why does it not surprise me that these incompetant teachers are being offered a raise? This is one of the last big unions we have squash.
ReplyDeleteThe REA and School Board deserve credit for being able to reach an agreement and avoid, long drawn out contract negotitations.
ReplyDeleteI don't belong to a Union, but I know enough about history to appreciate all they have done for workers - vacations, minimum wage, health benefits. Study American history and stop watching Fox News.
ReplyDeleteAnon 3:06 - There are many great teachers in Racine and some not so good. Just as in any job and at any company, some workers are good and some are not. And some people just like to complain.
ReplyDelete...and what is the % increase of the cost of health insurance is the district picking up. You are pointing out wages only. WHAT THE HECK is with the portions of the contract that limits the amount of visits an administrator can make to a classroom.....wtf...they should be able to watch the teachers teach anytime they want to!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteStop the BS about pay freezes in the private sector.
ReplyDeleteI got a 1.57% raise this year and I am not a government employee, nor do I belong to a union.
3:12 - so let's just give them all a raise - good or not. That's the union mentality. That is why we have to squash one of the few remaining ones. That is why most major manufacturing left town, that is why so many companies went out - the unions want something for nothing. Fortunately eventually all the unions will be gone.
ReplyDeleteWe should support our teachers like we support our troops. They both protect our futures.
ReplyDeleteAs an educator in RUSD for going on 20 years, I continue to be challenged and rewarded every single school day working with students from our community. It saddens me to know that so many people I share this community with have no regard for the work we do with all of our students.
ReplyDeleteIt saddens me to know that The Racine Post would publish a tentative agreement between the district and REA before we even have a change to meet and discuss what is on the table. Will you do the same with other union contracts before members meet and vote on their contracts?
For anyone who wants to experience the joys of helping children learn and explore the world -- please consider becoming an educator. For those who believe we do nothing and should have no respect or regard -- come and visit our schools and see for yourselves.
3:52 - That is an insult to compare our troups to the Racine Unified teacher's. The teachers only protect the 50% that don't flunk out - and they protect their dismal scores. the troops protect 100% of the U.S. citizens and others around the world.
ReplyDeleteThe teachers and the troops both provide a government service that benefits the nation and its future.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good comparison between soldiers and teachers. They are both important to the future of America and our way of life.
ReplyDeleteI dare you to find a soldier that would be insulted by being compared in importance to a teacher.
ReplyDelete3:57 Get over it. Your contract negotiations should be open to the public, televised.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the 50% that don't graduate? How does this teaching incompetance benefit the nation. Give it up, RUSD sucks - their teacher's, the student scores,attendance, graduation etc. They deserve nothing more than the excessive pay and benefits they have today. the teachers don't even know how to dress properly in a school environment.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the 50% have heard over and over that RUSD sucks. If the students keep hearing how poor their education is why would they respect the process and go to school?
ReplyDelete4:16 - You are a joke - always blame someone else theory. That is also a union mentality. People have to take responsibility for their own lives and quit blaming others.
ReplyDelete4:22 - like blaming the teachers. pot meet kettle.
ReplyDeleteTeachers are doing the best they can - it's the parents that suck.
ReplyDelete4:28 - BINGO!, direct hit, you sank my battleship, bullseye...
ReplyDeleteSDJ
@4:10
ReplyDeleteExcessive pay? Are you insane?
I would love to teach secondary school. LOVE TO. But with the field I'm in, I'm looking at at least a $40k/yr pay cut by the time I'm fully educated and confident and competent enough to teach, and teach well.
All sciences and math are neglected in secondary schools, and it's mainly due to low pay. Those who can't cut it in private sector jobs often teach. Those who do take the pay cut and make it their calling are saints. I loved those teachers in high school, but could always point out the former.
Where does the supposed 50 percent graduation rate come from? Racine's rate is in the mid- to high-70s, significantly better than the national average.
ReplyDeleteRacine's grad rate may be relatively low for Wisconsin, which is in the 90th-percentile, but hardly poor compared to the rest of the country.
Well, I suppose you could expand the commarison with RUSD teachers and troops - they both put their lives on the line everyday. :)
ReplyDeleteReally, though, teachers are very important to our country's future. So are parents, day care professionals, church leaders (yes, so of us still attend church), volunteers and others who work closely with those in need of help, pediatric doctors and nurses, etc., etc. I still don't think all teachers should get a raise just because they have the job. They should have raises based on performance - just like "regular people." There are many people with important and difficult jobs (ever wonder what would happen if the people at the sewage treatment plant failed to do their jobs correctly? Ick.)
Is SEIU the teachers union?
ReplyDeleteYou see if your a government worker you get whatever you want while others suffer.This is the socialists way. Though this is not much of a raise it's still a raise during the worse economic time since the great depression.
You all have to understand one thing "If you lick the hand that feeds you, you get a raise". GO PROGRESSIVES.
Wow $38 per month for a VERY good health insurance plan ! What do people in the private sector pay ?
ReplyDeleteI fully appreciate and respect teachers. But I am disappointed with a few things. The restriction on how many times a teacher can be observed looks like it protects those who are not teaching. If I caught a teacher sleeping 12 times I could be in trouble for observing too many times?
ReplyDeleteMany of the unions took pay freezes. We should never have put guaranteed pay raises into the contract.
The health care co-pays and fees are really unbalanced with what the average citizen is getting. This just guarantees any referendum will be shot down.
How about bonuses based on living in Racine? Bonuses based on performance?
I don't know why they gave this sweetheart deal to the teachers when they know they need a referendum for the new buildings and improvements they want to make. I bet they are planning some way around a referendum.
Teachers salary and benefits make up 80% of RUSD's $250,000,000.00 budget. How can we keep operating with only a fifth to work with?
How can they have such good insurance? How can they get a raise in this economy? Why isn't the pay according to merit? I think it is because they have representation that does a good job negotiating for them. I think Racine held the line pretty well. Kenosha has 2% the first year and 2.5% the second year. If you feel the raises are too much, question the people negotiating. The teachers union and teachers are only trying to do the best they can. All of us try to do the same in our own lives.
ReplyDeleteKenosha is growing. They have route 50 where all our retailers who closed up are still flourishing. So the 2% means far less to them than the 1.5 means to us. We are shrinking in tax base. We are losing tax income every day. A raise is ludicrous to promise.
ReplyDeleteI thought these Walker budget cuts were unilateral for all state teachers and other employees. I know University employees will be paying $88/mo for their insurance for a single person and more than twice that much for a family. It doesn't even say that they will be paying the pension percentage like everyone else. I don't even see how they are getting a raise when everyone else's wages are frozen. How is this happening?
ReplyDelete