Volume 09, Number 2:                                      April 27, 2009

MAJOR OBSTACLE TO POSSIBLE CONTRACT
SETTLEMENT IS WITHDRAWN

     At last Wednesday’s bargaining session the School Board acknowledged for the first time its willingness to fully fund the step and longevity increments for next school year, thus removing what could have been a major obstacle to settling a contract this spring. While the Legislature has still to reach agreement in next year’s funding levels, few people put much credence in whatever budget they come up with. Almost everyone in Tallahassee expects the budget figures to be overly optimistic, with districts around the state gearing up for a 3-4% holdback of funding some time next school year. With this issue off the table, that leaves the middle school teacher duty day and supplements as the two major remaining issues in this year’s round of bargaining. Management’s proposal for the middle school teacher duty day brings it into line with that of the elementary school teachers as well as being very similar to that of high schools (now that block scheduling has been withdrawn). Their proposal would increase the middle school teacher teaching load to that of the elementary and high school teachers. Our concerns with that proposal center on the number of course preparations a middle school teacher would be required to have as well as securing time for ESE teachers at all levels, giving them sufficient time for writing IEPs and attending the associated meetings. The supplement committee continues to meet. Supplements for many areas will decrease in the coming year. The current thinking of the committee is to go to flat dollar amounts for team leader, department and SLC chair supplements. The goal of the supplement committee was to trim $750,000 from the supplement expenditures from next year’s budget. The teacher placement process occurs next week. Between that and trying to settle a contract prior to the end of school should make for a very busy last few weeks of school! The next bargaining session is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29th at the SC/TA office