Some employees and union leaders are concerned about increases to Shoreline administrators pay and benefits for next year.
Most of the concern is in three areas. First, district principals will return to receiving extra money next year that puts them in the top 25 percent of pay for local districts.
Second, superintendent Sue Walker and deputy superintendent Marcia Harris will receive 5.6 percent pay increases, about 1.2 percent above what is mandated by the state. The state mandated a 4.4 cost of living increase for administrators.
Third, as part of a revised three-year contract approved by the board June 16, Walker will receive a roughly $15,000 annuity per year to be used for investments for retirement, a new addition to her contract.
“We have sustained so many cuts in the past several years, it’s frustrating to see the highest paid employees in the district continuing to increase their compensation,” said Elizabeth Beck, co-president of the Shoreline Education Association (SEA), the teacher’s union. Teachers are still waiting to see some of what was cut restored to classroom, she said.
“Why is the district not asking administrators to give up something?” Rose Anne McLaughlin, a district employee, asked the school board at its June 16 meeting.
In response, district officials defended the raises and reinstatements, citing loyalty to bargained agreements, raises that were forfeited this year and the district’s fiscal progress under Walker.
History
This past summer, teachers almost went on strike over the district’s refusal to fully fund cost of living increases, or COLAs, on all parts of their contract. Officials said the district, struggling financially, couldn’t afford that.
In the end, teachers and other certificated staff took cuts to activity pay and “impact and inclusion” money to get a full COLA on their basic contract and a smaller COLA on supplemental contracts. Impact and inclusion money helps teachers with a special needs student in a mainstream class.
Principals’ salary
Principals’ annual salaries are based on a formula that compares 12 local school districts. Their contract says principals must be in the top 25 percent in pay for those districts.
In August 2007, principals suspended that “top 25 percent” stipulation for one year to help the district with its financial troubles.
This coming year, principals will once again receive extra pay to be in the top 25 percent for local districts.
If the district commits to paying one group of employees in the top 25 percent, it should do that for all employees, Beck said.
In response to the union’s concerns, Harris said that the stipulation is in the principals’ contract and is not being bargained this year, so the district must honor those agreements.
District office administrators’ salaries are based on an index of Shoreline principals’ salaries. They don’t directly receive extra money to be in the top 25 percent, but their salaries go up the following year if principal’s salaries do. The administrators’ group doesn’t include Walker and Harris.
5.6 percent raises
As for Walker’s and Harris’ 5.6 percent cost of living increase, officials said it is comparable with what teachers received this year.
Teacher’s union leaders said it is not comparable. Altogether, SEA members received a 5.6 percent increase.
Part of the COLA teachers received this year comes from a 0.7 percent adjustment to equalize teacher salaries among districts, which are unequally paid. In addition, to get a COLA on all parts of the contract, Shoreline teachers had to give up other pay, while Walker and Harris don’t have to do that, Beck said.
Teacher Veronica Cook advises a club that has doubled in size, but she took a 25 percent cut in activity pay, per the current contract, she said. She also questioned the raises.
Harris said that asking for a 5.6 percent salary increase, rather than the 4.4 percent mandated by the state, was an attempt to catch up for salary that Walker and Harris forfeited this past year.
In summer of 2007, Walker and Harris opted for 3.2 percent COLAs for themselves rather than the 3.7 percent mandated by the state for 2007-08 because of the district’s financial struggles.
Annuity
As for the new $15,000 a year annuity in Walker’s contract, that is something that was in former superintendent Jim Welsh’s contract that was not included in Walker’s contract in 2006 because of the district’s financial situation at the time, Harris said.
“They have restored (that) based on the progress the district has made under (Walker’s) leadership,” Harris said.
Fiscal future
The district has been trying for years to get out of the red and build up a healthy reserve.
Officials have managed to get into the black and are growing a fund balance this year, though it is still significantly below what it should be, according to district policy.
The district continues to struggle with declining enrollment projections, increased costs and insufficient state and federal funding, officials said.
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