Teacher contract settled in Cd’A

The contract terms for teachers working in the Coeur d’Alene School District were unanimously approved Tuesday by the district’s board of trustees.

Certified staff, which includes credentialed professionals such as teachers and nurses, will see salary increases of at least $6,359, per Gov. Brad Little's Leading Idaho initiative to elevate Gem State teachers and Senate Bill 1205, which he signed in March. Starting salary has increased from $41,118 to $47,477.

"In 2018, we gave a 6% raise. It was the largest raise in the district’s history," Vice Chair Casey Morrisroe said. "This is substantially greater than that."

The Coeur d’Alene Education Association, which is the local chapter of the teachers union, ratified the agreement May 26.

“We didn't run into anything where we tried and the district refused," said longtime Coeur d'Alene Education Association lead negotiator and Woodland Middle School social studies teacher Scott Traverse. "We worked together really well to mutually agree on everything."

Traverse said the $6,359 increases across the board are the biggest success from this year's negotiating session.

“That’s a gigantic raise, so we’re happy with that,” he said.

State funding will not cover raises for all teachers, just 475 of the district’s 636 educators. The district agreed to make up the difference using funds from the supplemental levy, so all Coeur d’Alene instructors will receive the bump in pay.

Eric Davis, the district’s human resources director, said the agreement on the raises would not have been possible without the levy and funds from the state.

“We could have redone the salary schedule, but the increase would have been substantially less if it wasn’t for those two events,” Davis said.

The negotiated agreement also removed all the “dead zones” on the salary schedule at certain years when staff members were ineligible for pay raises despite years of service or credit attainment.

“On the old salary schedule, you could be a new teacher here for two and three years and not get a raise at all," Davis said. "Those are gone.”

As part of the negotiations, district representatives agreed to update the extracurricular salary schedule to include coaching stipends and a change to the longevity calculation for coaches from a percentage to a dollar amount.

The district will maintain its current Blue Cross insurance plans with the same coverages and deductibles and will maintain a medical insurance contribution of 68% of a family plan premium.

Not negotiated, but at the recommendation of district administration, pay for classified staff will increase from $12.75 to $16 per hour. These positions include instructional assistants and paraprofessionals; custodial and maintenance employees; clerical employees; playground assistants and crossing guards; food service staff; bus drivers; and summer employees. The cost of this increase was included in the supplemental levy request.

“I know it was so much work to get us there,” said board Chair Rebecca Smith, adding a "thank you" to the community for passing the levy.

“That helps to get us there," she said. "That was our heart and our intent, is being able to pay our staff and our classified staff."

District administrative staff will receive a salary increase of $6,359, as well.

"This increase intends to affirm for school administrators the vital role they play in teaching and learning practices and as district leaders," the district shared in a late Tuesday news release.

Also in the news release, Superintendent Shon Hocker expressed appreciation to district staff members for continuing to ensure students in Coeur d'Alene become lifelong learners empowered to become responsible citizens.

"We also express our gratitude to Gov. Little and the Idaho State Legislature for the increased funding to provide competitive pay for our teachers, and to our community for supporting the supplemental levy," Hocker said. "These investments help make it possible to provide well-deserved pay increases for our staff members. We appreciate this vital support and are committed to using it wisely and efficiently.”