USD 234 Teachers to try negotiating one more time

Member teachers of the Fort Scott Chapter of the Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) and the USD 234 Board of Education will hold one final salary negotiation session in an attempt to resolve the two sides' disagreements on pay raises for the district's teachers.

The open meeting will take place at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12 at the BOE office, 424 S. Main St.

Last Thursday's meeting was originally believed to be the final session. In that meeting, the teachers stated their decision to declare impasse after disapproving of the board's final salary package offer. However, both sides are hoping that another session can resolve the salary dispute before a federal mediator is brought in to help settle it.

"We're hoping we can resolve it," Glenda Miller, the teachers' lead negotiator and Eugene Ware fifth-grade teacher, said. "It will be a give and take thing. It's not one side against the other. We need to work together on this."

Superintendent Rick Werling said he also hopes the meeting will settle the issue, though he isn't certain that it will.

"I don't know if it will come to anything," Werling said. "We're going to try, though."

The main issue that needs to be resolved centers around pay raises for teachers. The teachers team is asking for a 6-percent increase in teachers' salaries, while the board is offering a 3.5-percent increase, according to a district document. The same document shows that the teachers' plan would cost the district $503,161 while the total cost for the board's proposal would be $341,129.

The two sides also disagree on longevity pay. The teachers are asking for $10 per year beginning with 15 years, which brings a total cost of $16,130. The board is proposing $5 per year beginning with 25 years. That plan would cost $3,670. Overall, the teachers are asking for a salary package of 8.83-percent increase, totaling $562,959. The board's proposed total salary package comes to a 6.1-percent increase, costing $388,467.

Werling said the board's proposals are the most the district's budget can handle without having to raise taxes. However, Fort Scott KNEA President and Eugene Ware Title I teacher Linda Jackson said she does not see the teachers' proposal as too high.

"We think what we're asking is reasonable," Jackson said.

Miller said the teachers are in need of a considerable pay raise in order to keep up the rising costs of living.

"We want to see that percentage go up so we can pay our bills a little easier," Miller said.

Miller added that higher paid teachers can benefit the students, as well.

"In the end, we want what's best for the children," Miller said. "A well-paid, well-trained professional is good for our children."

She also said a higher pay raise would increase morale among the teachers, which could also benefit the students. Although, she added, the disagreement is not affecting how the teachers perform.

"We're still doing our job on last year's salary," Miller said. "It would be nice to have it settled soon. Our bills sure aren't waiting to be paid."

Jackson said the disagreement does not mean the two sides are feuding, so to speak.

"We're having a disagreement, but we're not shouting at each other," Jackson said. "The next step is simply coming to an agreement."

The two sides have come to agreement on the total cost for health insurance, supplemental contracts and incremental pay raises for advanced degrees.

State salary negotiation notes, according to documents provided by USD 234 indicate the following:

* Kansas State Department of Education Fiscal and Administrative Services Deputy Commissioner Dale Dennis stated last month that the estimated salary package raise for Kansas school districts would be 5-6 percent. So far, 72 of the 296 districts in Kansas have reported settlements to KASB. The Wichita school district has recorded the highest increase at 11.1-percent. The average raise so far is around 4.3 percent.

* The board's total salary package offer of 6.1 percent can be compared with the few area districts that have settled their negotiations. Of those, Altoona-Midway has the highest increase of 8 percent. Other increases include Galena's 7.2, Pleasanton's 6.6, Parsons' 4.9, Uniontown's 4.2 and Marmaton Valley's 4.

* Among the Southeast Kansas League schools, Fort Scott has the shortest teacher contract at 183.5 days. The longest is Labette County with 189 contract days.

* Of the 296 state school districts, 117 give off-schedule pay to their teachers, including any district with longevity pay. Of the 32 districts in the KASB Region 3 area, 21 of them have off-schedule pay.