The Lebanon Community School Corporation Board held a public hearing regarding the updated master teacher contract between the corporation and the Lebanon Classroom Teachers Association on Oct. 17 for a ratification date of Nov. 8.
The tentative agreement was presented to the board by Superintendent Dr. Jon Milleman on Oct. 17, and the agreement will be presented at a special meeting on Nov. 8 to ratify the contract. The 2-year agreement will cover the 2023-2024 and the 2024-2025 school years. The contract states that if student enrollment decreases or increases by 75 students or more on Sept. 15, the contract will be reopened by the administration to examine compensation items only.
The contract strikes the current model of payment that relies on a flat dollar amount that is multiplied by a point value determined by the teachers’ evaluation ratings, and a salary table will be implemented instead. Teachers that receive an “effective” or “highly effective” evaluation will be eligible for the same compensation increases according to the contract.
The steps on the salary table will increase by $1,600 for each step. In the first year, all eligible returning teachers will garner a one-time base salary increase of $3,700. The contract specifies that teachers who were affected by state legislation and budget cuts when entering the teaching profession will be compensated through the salary table, and the contract notes that the teachers in this category had their salaries frozen for two years due to the legislation and budget cuts. The corporation will provide additional compensation to the affected group and will create a differentiation on the salary table to account for years of service as well.
“One of the points that we drove during our (campaigns) was being able to help make our teacher’s salary scale or table competitive,” Milleman said. “I believe this accomplishes that. Certainly a step in that direction. It’s because of the community that’s allowing us to bring this package to our teachers.”
The contract states that starting salaries for teachers with no years of experience and new teachers will be $50,000. Teachers in this category should expect to see the salaries adjusted to $50,000 for the 2023-2024 school year per the contract summary. The 2024-2025 compensation model provides a $500 increase in base salaries in addition to the salary step increase for all teachers according to the contract.
Milleman commented that the extra-curricular teachers were a focus of the administration when developing the contract, and the extra-curricular stipends have been increased to reflect regionally competitive levels. The compensation model was also altered to ensure the language and process is efficient and understandable. The administration also delved into the extra-curricular positions to adjust the number of employees involved, including the number of assistant coaches and more for every sport.
Teacher benefits were also a highlight of the contract, and an additional 5% will be added to the district’s contribution to employee health insurance premiums per the contract. The agreement also increases the amount granted to teachers for unused personal and illness days above 60 days from $50 per day to $67.50 per day.
“The term we typically use is ‘buy back’ unused leave days above 60 that teachers accumulate,” Milleman said. “That’s placed in what’s called VEBA account, which is an account that will help teachers in retirement pay health insurance premiums for health-related expenses.”
Additional compensation may be awarded to teachers with perfect attendance records or one absence within a semester. Perfect attendance earns $250, and one absence earns $125 for the semester. Exemptions to attendance records include jury duty, Teachers Association leave days and district-planned professional development days.
The agreement also increases compensation for teachers required to cover a classroom in the absence of another teacher, typically resulting from the substitute shortage Milleman stated. The contract will increase hourly rates for participation in curriculum and assessment development, after-school detention and homebound instruction.
“We did not have a dollar amount in previous contracts about elementary teachers who cover another teacher’s class when we’re not able to find substitute teacher coverage,” Milleman said. “This does include that. It also increases the amount for class coverage across all grades.”
The contract summary concludes by highlighting the addition of language revolving around workman’s compensation to better address whether the days count against personal and illness days.
The public was invited to comment at the meeting on Oct. 17. A special meeting will be held on Nov. 8 to recommend ratification of the contract.