After their salaries are restored to 2009 levels in July 2013, Hawaii teachers would get a raise every year that they receive at least an “effective” performance rating, under a tentative contract with the state.
The Hawaii State Teachers Association posted more details of its six-year deal with the state late Friday evening 鈥 a week after it was announced. The possible resolution of the dispute between the union and state came after the federal Department of Education warned that lack of progress jeopardized the state’s $75 million Race to the Top grant.
The state Labor Relations Board has been hearing a union protest of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s decision to implement a “last, best and final” offer last July. That contract contained 5 percent pay cuts for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years, which remain in the new deal.
“As promised, this document contains a complete and detailed summary of the Tentative Settlement,” wrote HSTA President Wil Okabe in a memo attached to the document posted Friday. “The actual language of all Tentative Agreements will be posted on the Members-Only website no later than Tuesday, January 17, 2012.”
The union has scheduled an informational briefing for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Hawaii Convention Center, which will be live-streamed via the members-only page on the . A ratification vote is set for Thursday, Jan. 19.
The document says that teachers will see annual “step” increases of 1 percent beginning July 1, 2013, as long as a teacher has an “effective” or better rating each year.
The 12-page document shows all changes to the 2009-2011 contract and memorandums of understanding. It says the contract can be reopened to negotiate across the board increases, increases to hard-to-staff incentives and supplemental pay in either January of 2013 or January 2015. The contract runs through June 30, 2017.
Here’s how the document describes the new teacher salary schedule:
This is a performance-based salary schedule, which ties effective teacher performance rating to years of service. Our bargaining goal was to move teachers up the salary schedule, so that by the end of the contract, their years of service would correlate to their 鈥渁ppropriate鈥 step placement on the salary schedule (i.e., 20 years of service would equate to the 20th step). While we were not fully successful in moving all teachers to their appropriate step, the great majority will achieve this goal. We believe the new salary construct will do the following:
- Recognize and honor a teacher鈥檚 years of service and commitment.
- Assure annual step movements for teachers up the career ladder.
- Reward teachers for their 鈥渆ffective鈥 teacher rating each year.
The document gives three teacher examples,
-
A 7-year teacher (Class IV, Step 7) whose salary is $51,426 on July 1, 2013, after the current 5 percent pay cut is restored, would earn $55,894 in 2017, the year the contract ends. (This would be an increase of 14.4 percent from this teacher’s salary of $48,864 today, according to a Civil Beat analysis.)
-
A 15-year teacher (Class VII, Step 6) making $57,243 today would go up 16 steps, from T1 to T16, by the end of the contract. (A Civil Beat analysis shows this teacher would earn $67,685 in 2017 鈥 18.2 percent higher than today.)
-
A 4-year teacher (Class VII, Step 5) earning $55,575 today would make $60,671 by the end of the contract. (A Civil Beat analysis shows this teacher would see a 9.2 percent increase from today.)
Other details:
- Teacher performance evaluations will be based half on student performance and growth, and half on “teacher practice indicators.”
- The evaluation will also be reviewed at least twice per year for “design, validity and reliability” by a joint committee of union officials, Hawaii Department of Education officials and community members.
Read Okabe’s full memo to teachers:
Earlier this week, I sent you via e-mail a brief synopsis of the Tentative Settlement, with a promise that I would send you a complete, detailed summary as soon as the State did its audit of the numbers to ensure accuracy of the salary information for each teacher. As promised, this document contains a complete and detailed summary of the Tentative Settlement. The actual language of all Tentative Agreements will be posted on the Members-Only website no later than Tuesday, January 17, 2012.
After six months of working under the State鈥檚 Last Best and Final Offer, an opportunity arose late last semester to enter into informal discussions with key State negotiators. As a result, we were able to reach a new Tentative Settlement. I know these past months have not been easy for you, and I want to express my heartfelt thanks for your patience and support as we worked through these trying times.
On Friday, January 6, 2012, your Board of Directors gave its unanimous approval to send the Tentative Settlement out to you for a vote. Like the HSTA Board of Directors, I believe this settlement is worthy of your support, and I ask that you vote 鈥淵es鈥 on ratification day, Thursday, January 19, 2012.
GET IN-DEPTH REPORTING ON HAWAII鈥橲 BIGGEST ISSUES
Support Independent, Unbiased News
Civil Beat is a nonprofit, reader-supported newsroom based in 贬补飞补颈驶颈. When you give, your donation is combined with gifts from thousands of your fellow readers, and together you help power the strongest team of investigative journalists in the state.