Teacher salary proposal filed

HB 11 by former House Public Education Committee Chair Harold Dutton was filed Wednesday. The bill includes several provisions regarding teacher pay and other workforce issues.

NOTE: This bill is lengthy and complex. In the interest of getting information to our members quickly, we have compiled a brief summary below, and will refine/revise it as we have more time to fully analyze the legislation.

TCTA has been recommending that the Legislature take the relatively simple approach to educator salaries seen in HB 1548/SB 693 by Rep. Talarico/Sen. LaMantia. These bills use language drafted by TCTA that provides an across-the-board increase for all teachers and others subject to the state minimum salary schedule; other nonadministrative employees would receive a specified percentage increase.

HB 11 takes a different approach that does not increase salaries across the board, and that relies in part on the Teacher Incentive Allotment. Below are some highlights of the bill:

Direct salary provisions

• Replaces the current state minimum salary schedule to instead provide minimum salary levels based on ranges of experience, type of teacher certification, and applicable Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) designation:
  • A teacher with fewer than five years of experience and no certification - $35,000
  • Fewer than five years and serving as a teacher intern or trainee, or with a probationary certificate - $37,000
  • Fewer than five years with standard certification - $40,000
  • Fewer than five years with standard certification and a "residency educator" certificate (newly created elsewhere in the bill) - $43,000
  • Fewer than five years with any certificate and a TIA designation - $43,000
  • For teachers with 5-9 years of experience, add $10,000 to each of the above categories (e.g., a teacher with 5-9 years with standard certification would be entitled to a minimum salary of $50,000)
  • For teachers with 10+ years of experience, add another $10,000 (e.g., a teacher with 10 or more years with standard certification would be entitled to a minimum salary of $60,000)

• Eliminates the current provision under which minimum salaries automatically increase as the basic allotment (the basic per-student funding for school districts) increases.
• Requires districts to use 50% of additional funding from increases in the basic allotment to increase total compensation per employee for teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians.
• Increases some of the current TIA designation allotments, and adds an "effective" designation with a base allotment of $3,000.

Other provisions

• Increases the basic allotment from $6,160 to $6,210.
• Adds language similar to the rules recently adopted by SBEC that enhance teachers' ability to resign after the uniform resignation date in certain situations.
• Creates a "time study" to examine how school schedules, including required noninstructional duties and professional development requirements, are affecting teacher work time.
• Prohibits uncompensated required teacher training beyond the amount currently required.
• Eliminates the current TIA provision that National Board Certification holders are automatically designated as "recognized".
• Creates a grant program to assist districts in developing local designation systems for TIA.
• Creates a teacher residency partnership program and allotment under which educator preparation programs would partner with districts/charters to provide residency positions.
• Creates a teacher quality assistance grant program under which districts/charters receive financial and technical assistance for strategic compensation, staffing, and scheduling efforts that improve professional opportunities, and staff retention; “Grow Your Own” initiatives; and programs that school leaders may use to establish clear and attainable behavior expectations while proactively supporting students.
  
• Provides that teachers' children would be eligible for free prekindergarten.
• Provides funding for reimbursement of certification fees for teachers receiving special education or bilingual education certification.
• Repeals the requirement that State Board for Education Certification rules be approved by the State Board of Education.