More than a dozen Ithaca Public Schools teachers spoke during Monday’s special school board meeting pleading with the board to do right by the teaching staff in regard to pay.
The school board met in a closed session as to how to proceed with negotiations with the teachers union, the Ithaca Education Association, which represents all 60 teachers in the district, said Mark Strong, a spokesperson and member of the union and Ithaca High School math teacher who has been with the district for 34 years.
The contract negotiations for the upcoming fiscal year from July 1 to June 30, 2019 have all been settled except for the issue of wages, Strong said.
In its contract negotiations with the school district, the teachers union is asking that the salary step be honored for 17-18 school year for all teachers; increase the base percentage of the pay schedule; and to consider that staff members who need a makeup step in their pay receive that.
“There’s nothing we’re asking for that’s really unreasonable,” Strong said.
A new pay schedule does not go into effect until August, he said.
Many teachers spoke, saying how long they have been with the district but how much that time is valued by the district in terms of pay.
A teacher’s value increases in terms of pay each year they are teaching.
There are 12 normal steps in a teacher pay schedule - one for each of their first 12 years - then four “longevity” steps every four years after that first 12 years is obtained, Strong said.
For example, kindergarten teacher Emily Stephens said she has five years of teaching experience but the district only values one year of that in terms of her pay step schedule.
Physical education teacher Julie Ward has been with the district for 20 years but her pay scale is only valued at 16 years, she said.
“It’s been very trying in the last few years,” Ward said. “As things begin to deteriorate, I wonder how long we’ll be able to provide for the next 13 years (as a district).”
Compared to other schools in the Gratiot-Isabella RESD, wages for teachers at Ithaca Public Schools have been stagnant since 2013.
The minimum pay has been at $33,943 since that time while the maximum has been at $57,567.
Teachers at other schools in the GIRESD saw an increase in the minimum pay to $35,859 in the 2017-18 fiscal year from $35,059.
Declining enrollment, the district’s aid repayment to the State of Michigan, and increasing healthcare premiums were cited by district superintendent Charmian Fletcher as reasons for a lack of pay increases for teachers occurring.
“A district’s source of funding is based on student enrollment and the foundation allowance per student,” Fletcher said in an email Tuesday. “The declining student enrollment across the State of Michigan has resulted in declining revenue. An employer’s ability to fund pay increases is directly related to their sources of revenue less current expenses.”
For all grades the district saw the following student counts, according to information from Mi School Data:
• 1,155 in the 2017-18 school year;
• 1,193 in the 2016-17 school year;
• 1,387 in the 2015-16 school year;
• 1,389 in the 2014-15 school year; and
• 1,306 in the 2013-14 school year.
Strong disagrees with the idea that the district cannot give pay increases because of the state aid repayment.
“Those issues are gone,” he said.
Ithaca Public Schools currently receives $7,631 per pupil in funding.
The state aid repayment was forgiven by the state Department of Education in February, meaning the district’s remaining $751,586.71 of $1.4 million in total penalties did not need to be repaid.
MDE officials found Ithaca responsible for the repayment in per-pupil funding disbursed in 2014 and 2015 for students enrolled in the now-defunct iSchool, an online alternative education program run by third-party vendor Michigan Educational Partnerships.
Also at the meeting, the board held an interview with Brent Hardman, who was nominated for a seat on the board that was left vacant by the departure of Rick Wilson.
“It’s my way to give back and get involved,” Hardman said to the board when asked why he was seeking the position. “I think I can offer a different view and insight.”
The board approved appointing Hardman to a seat by a vote of 4-0. Board members Kevin Kindel and Mike Reeves were absent from the meeting.
The next regular board meeting is at 7 p.m. on June 25 in the media center at Ithaca High School at 710 N. Union Street.