Teachers, District Make Progress

BROOKSVILLE --

Hernando Classroom Teachers' Association officials still want 5.5 percent pay increases for teachers for the 2008-09 school year - like the one awarded in May to Superintendent Wayne Alexander - but are willing to work with the numbers.

The school board has traditionally given all groups the same percentage pay raise, a fact pointed out by HCTA president Joe Vitalo.

But Hernando County School District officials said that given the state's current economic situation, they cannot afford that much.

During a negotiating session Thursday in Brooksville, the district proposed a 3.5 percent average pay increase, which includes collapsing the number of seniority-based "steps" from 28 to 20. It also includes picking up the anticipated increase cost for health insurance, which is equivalent to 1.5 percent of each employee's salary.

Together, the salary and benefit package totals 5 percent, and would bump the average teacher's salary from $40,827 to $42,255, said finance director Deborah Bruggink.

Under the union's proposal, the average teacher's salary would jump to $42,882.

Both proposals' steps are built upon what a new teacher makes in their first year, or $34,000 this year. The district's proposal would start teachers at $34,855, while the union's proposal would start teachers at $34,820.

However, the union's proposal focuses on collapsing the steps to 16, enabling teachers to make money faster in their careers. Since the union's collapse is deeper, it would use more money, Bruggink said.

"We haven't said we're dropping the 5.5 percent (request), but we'll work within the parameters of what's being offered," Vitalo said.

Because of the district's reduction in teachers, the increase requested by the union is not more than the $75.9 million it set aside for teacher salaries last year, Vitalo added.

He explained that the district is working with less in per-child funding from the state, but is not working with less overall dollars than last year because the number of students has grown.

"We felt that our proposal was quite feasible," he said.

However, district officials said they are concerned they may not receive all of the students that the state has projected for this year.

Vitalo also pointed out that last year's raise was an average of 5.5 percent, plus an additional workday, totaling 6.04 percent.

"Since we all know that increasing salaries help the economy by increasing spending power, then we know this is a priority for all," he said. "However, we are seeing the district spend money in other areas before considering salaries."

Union officials said they plan to spend the next few days digesting the district's proposal and will produce a counter-offer.

"We're not completely comfortable with (the district's offer), but at least now we have something to work with," Vitalo said. "We appreciate that this isn't a 'take it or leave it' deal, and we want to work on examining their proposal to see if there's something we can squeeze more."

With a switch from last year's "interest-based bargaining" to a more simplified, to-the-point collaborative bargaining system, the process is expected to go faster than last year, when the average 6.04 percent teacher raises were not given until December.

"We'd very much like to get the money into the hands of teachers before Christmas," business services director Heather Martin said. "The board is recognizing that this is a tough economic year, and we want to wrap it up as soon as possible."

Last year, Hernando County's average teacher salary was ranked 62nd of 67 school districts in the state.

The final budget will go before the school board on Sept. 16, with amendments added in October.