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Organizations representing teachers at Pratt USD 382 and South Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative have declared impasse and requested the assistance of federal mediators to reach agreement with boards of education for teachers’ contracts in 2009-10. Until agreement is reached, they will continue to teach under last year’s contracts.
Teachers belonging to the Pratt affiliate of the National Education Association have agreed to a salary freeze, in light of the state’s economic situation.
At issue is language that would restore step movements on the salary schedule for which teachers are eligible this year when state funding reaches a specified level, in addition to any negotiated agreement that year, Pratt-NEA president Denise Roebkes said, acknowledging that, “it could be a few years yet.”
“Pratt NEA believes teachers are the greatest resource a school district, a student, or a community has. Teachers can teach without textbook or other resources,” she said. “If you’re going to put resources in the classroom, teachers are your best investment.”
In light of current cuts in state funding and with more cuts projected, the USD 382 Board of Education is reluctant to make any commitments involving money, Superintendent Glen Davis said.
The board and PNEA are continuing to meet and are reviewing contract language and could come to agreement before a mediator is involved. The district and its teachers have come to impasse in previous years, Davis said. He described the role of a mediator as listening to both sides, seeing where the breakdowns are and twisting arms on both sides to come to agreement.
Special education teachers in 15 school districts, “want what’s right, not what’s left,” according to Julie Wilson, KNEA Uniserve director, who is acting as their spokesperson.
The SCKSEC board has offered step movement on the salary scale for years of service and additional college hours, but the increase is “way below” the Kansas average of 1.2 percent. In addition, salaries in SCKSEC are the lowest in the state, she said.
“Teachers could move to any other co-op and gain $2,000 to $10,000, depending on where they are on the schedule,” Wilson said. “SCKSEC has carried over more than a million dollars each for the past two years. These professionals teach special education students. It’s hard to find good special education instructors. We want to keep the great teachers already employed.”
Administrators, para-professionals and secretaries were all given raises, Wilson said.
Lynn Ahrens, director for the cooperative, and Kent Swartz, board president, both declined to comment on contract negotiations.
Organizations representing teachers at Pratt USD 382 and South Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative have declared impasse and requested the assistance of federal mediators to reach agreement with boards of education for teachers’ contracts in 2009-10. Until agreement is reached, they will continue to teach under last year’s contracts.
Teachers belonging to the Pratt affiliate of the National Education Association have agreed to a salary freeze, in light of the state’s economic situation.
At issue is language that would restore step movements on the salary schedule for which teachers are eligible this year when state funding reaches a specified level, in addition to any negotiated agreement that year, Pratt-NEA president Denise Roebkes said, acknowledging that, “it could be a few years yet.”
“Pratt NEA believes teachers are the greatest resource a school district, a student, or a community has. Teachers can teach without textbook or other resources,” she said. “If you’re going to put resources in the classroom, teachers are your best investment.”
In light of current cuts in state funding and with more cuts projected, the USD 382 Board of Education is reluctant to make any commitments involving money, Superintendent Glen Davis said.
The board and PNEA are continuing to meet and are reviewing contract language and could come to agreement before a mediator is involved. The district and its teachers have come to impasse in previous years, Davis said. He described the role of a mediator as listening to both sides, seeing where the breakdowns are and twisting arms on both sides to come to agreement.
Special education teachers in 15 school districts, “want what’s right, not what’s left,” according to Julie Wilson, KNEA Uniserve director, who is acting as their spokesperson.
The SCKSEC board has offered step movement on the salary scale for years of service and additional college hours, but the increase is “way below” the Kansas average of 1.2 percent. In addition, salaries in SCKSEC are the lowest in the state, she said.
“Teachers could move to any other co-op and gain $2,000 to $10,000, depending on where they are on the schedule,” Wilson said. “SCKSEC has carried over more than a million dollars each for the past two years. These professionals teach special education students. It’s hard to find good special education instructors. We want to keep the great teachers already employed.”
Administrators, para-professionals and secretaries were all given raises, Wilson said.
Lynn Ahrens, director for the cooperative, and Kent Swartz, board president, both declined to comment on contract negotiations.
