Raises ready to ratify
COEUR d'ALENE - Under the terms of a tentative agreement, teachers in Coeur d'Alene will receive raises this year ranging from 1.75 percent to 11.75 percent.
The proposed settlement was reached Wednesday with the help of a federal mediator, and must be ratified by the school board and the members of the Coeur d'Alene Education Association, which is the local teachers union.
The raises, offered by the board when the negotiating teams met in June, will be distributed mainly through the district's salary grid which provides compensation based on years of service and education advancement. Most teachers will receive a 3-7 percent raise.
The board will add $1,000 to each cell of the salary grid for teachers and other credentialed workers like school nurses, psychologists and counselors.
"It was clearly the intent of the Legislature to start increasing districts' revenues in order to offer competitive salaries and benefits that attract and retain quality teachers," stated Superintendent Matt Handelman Thursday in a message to The Press. "We believe that this tentative agreement honors our teachers with a fair and responsible package."
The tentative contract includes one new element. All certificated employees who are not in administrative positions will also each receive a $100 budget for supplies to enhance students' learning experiences. There are 580 certificated employees who qualify for these funds, mainly teachers, but also other credential-holding workers like school nurses, psychologists and counselors.
There will be no change to the benefits package for employees.
The state's new career ladder legislation and additional state salary funding specifically for teachers changed the dynamic of contract negotiations for districts throughout Idaho this year.
Teacher contract talks in Coeur d'Alene appeared to be breaking down in June. When negotiating teams met for the last time on June 23, the school board's negotiators said they would not add additional money to their offer, which included the raises included in the tentative agreement.
Negotiators for the CEA countered with a proposal for additional funds for salaries. Both sides agreed to meet again in late July, but they did not set a date and went to mediation instead.
The federal mediation service was provided at no cost to the school district and the teachers union.
The school board will meet at 11:30 a.m. Monday at the district office to consider ratifying the tentative agreement. The teachers union must also ratify the agreement for it to become binding.