More school salaries are cut

The Post Falls and Lakeland school districts and the teachers unions have come to agreements calling for furlough days to reduce salaries more than 3 percent.

Lakeland's agreement for the upcoming year requires six furlough days for all employees for a salary reduction of 3.16 percent.

"Our furlough days will be one professional work day at the beginning of the school year and five student contact days," said Tom Taggart, Lakeland's business director. "The instructional days will be cut from the end of the year. We will end school a week earlier than usual."

The Post Falls agreement calls for all certificated employees to take five unpaid furlough days, lowering salaries and benefits by 3.2 percent. It also reduces the amount the district will pay in benefits costs by about $100,000.

"We greatly appreciate that the district and the PFEA (Post Falls Education Association) are working together during these difficult financial times," Board Chair Donagene Turnbow said. "This is not an agreement that makes anyone happy. However, it is reasonable under the circumstances. Once again the PFSD team has come together to solve this year's financial problems."

The cuts, similar to what is expected in districts across the state, were necessary due to less revenue from the state.

"This was not a year when anyone felt good," Taggart said. "We are extremely disappointed that all our employees are having their pay reduced. It is good to have the agreement finished, but the end result is not something we feel happy about."

This year Lakeland teachers have 190-day contracts. Next year they will have 184-day contracts.

"They will be paid the same for each day worked, but will work less days," Taggart said. "There are no substitute costs because we won't be having school on those days. Our students will attend five less days compared to this year. All schools will still provide the required number of minutes of instruction."

In the agreement, adjustments were made to the district's health insurance plan that resulted in no increase in base rates.

"We currently have a medical plan that has a co-pay for everything," Taggart said. "Our new plan has a $250 deductible and then the employee pays 10 percent. Office visits remain a co-pay and our prescription coverage remains the same."

Both districts will hold public hearings on their budgets on June 14 at 6 p.m.