Freshmen move-in day
Was house fire racial revenge?
Bodies ... The Exhibition
Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2008 > August > 07 > Entry
Dayton teachers approve contract, raise
City school district teachers Thursday overwhelmingly approved a new three-year labor contract that includes a 2 percent raise retroactive to July 1.
Teachers got no raise last year and a 1.25 percent raise the prior year as the district struggled with tight finances. Union President Pat Lynch said following the vote at Thurgood Marshall High School that there was strong support for the deal.
Workers will pay the same 15 percent of their health care premiums, but the cost will go up for visits to the emergency room and urgent care. The deal sets the emergency room copay at $100, up from $25, and urgent care at $25, up from $10.
Interim Superintendent Kurt Stanic said recent cuts of about $2.2 million, including the elimination of a half dozen central office jobs, helped free up enough money to make the raise possible for teachers despite the district’s difficult financial position.
“The teachers provide the most important thing that goes on in our school district and that’s instruction,” he said. “We want to protect the integrity of our instructional program.”
Teacher planning periods also will be restored during the school day, rather than before or after school as they were last year. This is made possible by the return of music, art and gym class at elementary schools. When those subjects were curtailed last year and planning periods moved, teachers complained that the long stretches without a break caused more illness and stress.
The union had filed a grievance over the elimination of planning periods, which it said were required by its prior contract to be during the school day.
Under the terms of the new deal, the raise and insurance premiums for the last two years will negotiated next summer and the following summer.
Permalink | Comments (20) | Post your comment | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By New Teacher
August 10, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this
The reason I can’t find a job in Ohio is because there are about 4 or 5 full-time jobs in the State that my certification qualifies me for. I don’t know how harder I can look. Ohio graduates a large number of teachers, making every job very competitive. Wouldn’t it make sense to employ them if their schools are in such bad shape? Meanwhile the State does nothing about the unconstitutional system of funding we have. I have many friends, in a wide range of certifications, that have encountered the same problem. The spelling error is a result of late night job searching and sleeplessness. You get a gold star for today.By Eve
August 10, 2008 11:37 AM | Link to this
Dear New Teacher, it’s “lose”, not “loose”. This might be part of the reason you’re having trouble finding employment.By New Teacher
August 10, 2008 5:04 AM | Link to this
I just graduated and got my teaching license this spring. 4+ years of school, plus student teaching(when I couldn’t otherwise work for 3-4 months),expensive background checks,certification costs…I wish teacher unions would dig in a little harder and get what we deserve. I cant find a job in Ohio either, looks like another year of scraping by for me. Dayton is supposed to be attracting young, creative professionals, right? They will loose one more at the end of this month.By Paulie
August 10, 2008 12:26 AM | Link to this
$1700 for professional attire? Where do you SHOP? 22 minutes for lunch? I am a public school teacher and an OEA member, but I really have to say to my brothers and sister in DPS…. You have got to get a life. 13-15 hours a day? $2,700 on supplies? And you accepted a raise that is an insult. Seriously, I don’t know who I am more angry at. The administration that disrepects you or the teachers that continue to flog themselves with their own virtue. I imagine all the teachers on here are good people, but you really have to think of your own best interests. Obviously guys like Don don’t think you have sufficiently crucified yourselves yet. I don’t care if there is a levy coming up, you are only going to get more of the same. History has shown that.By Paulie
August 9, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
DPS teachers have only themselves to blame for their horrible pay, terrible insurance and poor treatment from principals and administration. You know, the ones that are too busy preening before the DDN about “new days dawning”.. while leading the district to ONE indicator out of 30. Thanks Percy! The problem is that they set the stage for the rest of the teaching force in the Miami valley. You are professionals who had to shell out 10s of thousands of dollars to get certification. In response to the DPS teacher that spent $600+ on her classroom… WAKE UP. DPS has shown you what you are worth. Unless you are willing to take a stand for your profession, you will continue to eat the proverbial excrement sandwich. Some of are tired of it.By Paulie
August 9, 2008 10:22 PM | Link to this
I am a teacher, and would have voted NO on this contract. I have voted NO on better contracts than this actually. DPS gets what they deserved. Teachers will continue to flee. Meanwhile, the brain trust downtown will think that the real strength lies in the supt. of schools. What a great job Percy Mack did. ONE indicator out of 30. Yes, until the teachers stand up for themselves, they will continue to get steamrolled. I don’t fell sorry for them. The contract sucked and they should have said NO. If it is “about the kids”, tell the parents to vote in a better school board and pay attention.By Terri
August 9, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this
Don - I’m a teacher. If you add up my hours and divide it into 40-hour weeks I work the equivalent of 12 months a year. To retire at “almost full-pay” I have to go 35 years. I do have to admit that I appreciate my insurance.By DPS teacher
August 9, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this
Don, I don’t know where you’re getting your numbers. I work from 8am until at least 4pm—closer to 5, every single work day. That’s 8-9 hours, then another 2-3 at home (planning, grading, preparing presentations, etc.) That’s 10-12 hours a day. I also have to continue my own education—that’s another 2-3 hours a day reading, writing, web-conferencing and doing all the things I do for my Master’s. We’re up to 13-15 hours per day devoted to my career. During the 8-week summer break, I take twice as many classes. I have never taken a vacation. With 9 remaining hours, I have to eat, sleep, and maintain my home, health, family and personal relationships. I have already spent $1000 on classroom supplies and another $1700 on professional attire and the year hasn’t even started yet. Toss in another $1000-$2000 for more supplies. Total = about $4500, which is 7.5% of my gross income (and I haven’t even mentioned my own tuition and related costs.) I haven’t had a car in 5 years, which is the only way I’m making ends meet.By anon
August 9, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this
don…its sad if you really think that teachers only work 7 months of the year.By Laura
August 8, 2008 6:28 PM | Link to this
Don: You’ve got at least some of it wrong. I’m not a “government employee”. If I were, I’d be making significantly more. As to the “extra” days off I have, I don’t get paid for them and with year-round, we can no longer get summer jobs. If I were a gov’t employee, I’d get 4 weeks of PAID vacation (which I could use whenever I wanted) that I don’t get now. And, yeah, I wish I only worked 7 months out of the year. If we have it so good, why do as many as 50% of all teachers change careers within 5 years??By Alwazaprincess
August 8, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this
The contact passed overwhelmingly Thursday and the mood was exciting! DPS Teacher, if you read the new contract, there are provisions for wage re-openers for each year of the contract. Our DEA leadership team have worked very hard, as usual, to make sure that teachers got their planning periods back (not to mention the art, music and PE teachers being recalled back from their layoffs). DPS teachers are feeling very hopeful and excited to start the year. Something we haven’t seen in a very long time. They aren’t starting the year with dread of what is to come and high stress levels. As I have said before, we are well on our way to a great year! The Dayton community needs to pass this levy. It is less than half of wht they asked for in the past. Most communities have school levies on the ballot every other year. It might be interesting for Scott to do a piece on just how often the school districts around Dayton have levies and the amounts. DPS hasn’t asked the community for an operating/general funds levy in 16 years! So think, are you paying the same amount for food, shelter or gas that you were paying 16 years ago? Or, is your salary the same as it was 16 years ago? We are ALL on a tight budget and limited income. I know very few people who aren’t. I ALWAYS vote for school levies where I live. And they are on the ballot every 3 years in my community. I don’t even have a child in school anymore! Someone voted and passed a levy for me when I was growing up and it is my moral duty to do the same for the children in my community.By Old Teach
August 8, 2008 5:03 PM | Link to this
Gee “Don” maybe you should have done your homework in school and learned how to spell and punctuate correctly. You should also do your homework before making statements you know nothing about. We have to work several more years than 20 to collect “almost full pay”. If you are so unhappy with your job, benefits,and pay, then you should get 6-8 years of an education and become a teacher. According to you, it seems to be such an easy job. Come to my classroom for a week and see if you feel the same…By don
August 8, 2008 8:25 AM | Link to this
Gee-these poor teachers. Lets see-these gov,t employees pay 15% of their premiums and I pay 185%——100 for me and 85% of theirs. I work all year, they work about seven months I work 50-55 years for a SS pittance and they work 20-retire at almost full pay-then double-dip fot another 20—-retire again and I,m still working.By Voted no, but not unhappy
August 8, 2008 1:53 AM | Link to this
I voted no, but I’m not unhappy that the contract passed. The 2% raise is really not even keeping up with increased prices and living expenses. And with the increases in health insurance, well I’m going the wrong way in the fiscal rat race. But, the economy stinks right now and a lot of people in other fields are trying hard not to have their salaries CUT. Soooooo, I’ll take what we could get. But, let’s make this clear: if the levy passes, we need a REAL raise next summer.By dps teacher
August 7, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this
Thank God our planning periods are back. Going all day with only a twenty two minute break for lunch was so hard and stressful. I already notice a difference in morale in the staff in my building this year as compared to last year. It really seems as if Stanic is going to relate to teachers in a more positive way than any of the other three supers I have worked under. Now if he gets the levy passed…we will truly know God is moving through Him.By Dr. Suess
August 7, 2008 9:40 PM | Link to this
Good for them… in this troubled time with the local economy, the dayton teachers ( probably not all ) deserve a raise.By tim
August 7, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this
As a teacher with Dayton Public, I am very impressed with the new superintendent. He seems to understand the core elements necessary for an efficient and effective educational system. I believe that he will inspire faculty and staff to make the most of limited resources to empower students. I hope that the community will recognize the great need that the district, and the community at large have, and voters find it within themselves to support the upcoming levy.By hmmm
August 7, 2008 8:23 PM | Link to this
dont get me wrong here…the teachers more than deserve what they make and should make more. but, they cant have busing for the kids?! what gives!!By mom and educator
August 7, 2008 7:25 PM | Link to this
I’m just doing the math. $2.2 million divided by a half dozen is around $350,000. There’s more to this story. Fill us in Scott… As a Dayton teacher and parent of DPS graduates, I’m happy to see the current superintendent’s problem solving abilities. I believe that these same solutions were available previously. As a teacher, I’m finally optimistic again about the promise of DPS, the current board of education and leadership. We have always had the MOST talented educators. I know because I’ve worked in both private and suburban schools in this county.By DPS Teacher
August 7, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this
I am very disappointed! As usual we will approve anything. This deal might have been OK, if it were a one year deal. Everyone got a 2% raise, so I don’t think the teachers got anything for all of our hard work. My 2% is about $1000 considering that I’ve already spent 659.87 preparing for THIS school year, and I’m sure I’ll spend more, I consider it a loss. Please pray I don’t need the emergency room. The raise from $10 urgent care to $25 will cause me to take days off work so I can make regular dr appointments which for most Dr’s is during the school day. Thank a teacher for taking the cut once again!!