Recently, we witnessed RCFA President Barbara Barosa create some terrific fairy tale. You know, it’s the classic fable about how the RCFA membership only wants to negotiate a fair and economically sound contract proposal and the wicked, mean-spirited administration persists in its heartless actions.
Let’s not be beguiled and misled by these RCFA tales of woe and the weeping and gnashing of teeth in the hallways – remember what happened to Alice when she met up with a hooka smoking caterpillar? Don’t let any smoke be blown up your pants leg or anywhere for that matter. Remember fairy tales are for kids, so let's leave them to our children.
I would ask you to join me on a small, but significant reality tour of the current collective bargaining agreement between the RCSD and the faculty union. Ever wonder what a 30-year faculty career in our school district costs you the taxpayer? A brief look into the life money of a teacher starting a career in 2005 will not only to be interesting but instructive with regard to how and what our tax dollars support.
The following scenario is based on current collective bargaining agreement’s articles and language and is a fair representation of salary and benefits over a teaching career. There may be some variation caused by additional income sources, but for the most part the following table is accurate.
Teacher A is hired to begin his career Sept. 1, 2005. He has the requisite NYS certification and master’s degree, but no prior teaching experience other than student teaching in college. Teacher A is married and elects to be included in the district’s health insurance offering.
Teaching Salary Over the 5-year Agreement July 1, 2005-June 30, 2010
Master’s vertical step column
September 1, 2005 Salary Step 1 $48,357
September 1, 2006 Salary Step 2 $51,844 [+7.2 percent]
September 1, 2007 Salary Step 3 $56,254 [+8.5 percent]
September 1, 2008 Salary Step 4 $60,910 [+8.3 percent]
September 1, 2009 Salary Step 5 $65,822 [+8.06 percent]
Salary levels taken from the “Agreement Between Board of Education, Riverhead Central School District and the Riverhead Central Faculty Association July 1, 2005-June 30, 2010”.
The difference in salary over the five-year contract period is $17,465 from the original base salary, representing an increase of 36.12 percent.
Now consider that Teacher A, being ambitious and interested in maintaining his cutting edge skills, decides to add 15 college credits more to his master’s degree, landing him in the horizontal salary column, M+15. This happens during the first year of employment with the district, so on Sept. 1, 2006 he not only moves vertically to Step 2, but horizontally to Step 2 of the M+15 salary column.
Teaching Salary over the 5-Year Agreement of July 1, 2005-June 20, 2010
Master’s + 15 vertical step column
Effective Sept. 1, 2006 Salary Step 2 $54,352 [+ 12.40 percent]
Effective Sept. 1, 2007 Salary Step 3 $58,850 [+ 8.28 percent]
Effective Sept. 1, 2008 Salary Step 4 $63,596 [+ 8.06 percent]
Effective Sept. 1, 2009 Salary Step 5 $68,605 [+ 7.88 percent]
The difference in salary over the five-year contract period is now $20,248 [step 5 minus step 1, entry level, above], representing an overall increase of 41.87 percent.
Benefits and Payroll Taxes Paid by the District over the five-year agreement, July 1, 2005-June 30, 2010
Payroll Taxes [FICA, UIB, etc] - 7.6 percent of total annual salary
Family Health Insurance- 85 percent of $18,000 annual premium = $15,300 per year
Benefit Fund Contribution $1,700 Year 1, then the base sum increases 3.5 percent each subsequent year
NYS Teacher’s Retirement Contribution - 12 percent of total annual salary
EBALR Contribution Based on 1/200 of annual salary multiplied by number of sick days accrued each year
Other salary possibilities
Coaching Jobs
Teacher A is a real fire brand and wants to be part of the after-school coaching jobs. IRS rules and regulations do not allow District employee coaches to be paid by honorarium, but must be considered “second employment” and hence part of the total salary that is considered when making all payroll taxes and retirement find contributions.
Our coaching enthusiast applies for and is accepted to coach Middle School wrestling beginning September, 2006 and each subsequent year through 2010.
Coaching Salaries Over the 5-year Agreement, July 1, 2005-June 30, 2010
Ass’t Coach Wrestling, Middle School
Effective July 1, 2006 Salary $4,636
Effective July 1, 2007 Salary $4,798
Effective July 1, 2008 Salary $4,966
Effective July 1, 2009 Salary $5,140
Summer School/Summer Programs
Teacher A only works 10 months a year, so he is available for additional employment with the district’s summer school. He decides to teach in the elementary summer programs and is paid at the following rates over the five-year contract [Article XV, page 21. Teacher A began in September 2005, so missed the summer of 2005.
Summer 2006 $31.70/hour
Summer 2007 $32.81/hour
Summer 2008 $33.96/hour
Summer 2009 $35.15/hour
This summer program salary adds to the salary used to calculate future pension and retirement bonuses.
Retirement
And now we fall through the rabbit hole and arrive at Year 30 of employment with RCSD for Teacher A.
Teacher A has completed a 30-year career and informs the district he intends to retire, effective June 30th.
Let us assume that Teacher A’s avarice has abated somewhat over the last 25 years, the first five have passed quickly and so busily. And also let us assume that he has added no more credits to his master degree status and remains in the M+15 salary column. And better yet, the annual salary adjustment for vertical movement from Step 5 to Step 30 has been held to a modest 5 percent for each step. What do we see? What will be spent?
30-Year Teaching Salary: Snap shot years
Assumptions: No more horizontal movement, vertical step increases are held at 5 percent; coaching and other salary payments excluded:
Step 13 Salary $101,361
Step 15 Salary $113,271 Mid-career Salary Exceeds $100,000
Step 23 Salary $165,106
Step 25 Salary $182,029
Step 27 Salary $200,687 Level exceeds $200,000 mark for 10-month employment
Step 30 Salary $ 221,258
What is the probable pension? With 30 years in the retirement system, and having reached the qualifying retirement age, Teacher A can expect to receive about 60 percent of his final year’s salary, or about $132,755 annually in pension. This pension is subject ONLY to federal income tax.
An exit bonus
But hold on. Article XXII of the collective bargaining agreement requires the district to pay Teacher A his annual salary plus 30 percent of his final salary minus the value of his 180 unused accrued sick/vacation days.
Value of unused sick days:
1. Divide $221,258 by 200 and multiply this by 180 = $199,132
2. Next take 30 percent of $221,258 and add that number to $221,258 = $287,635
3. Subtract $199,132 from $287,635 = $ 88,503
This amount — $88,503 — is paid to Teacher A as he leaves the building. This is not part of the pension plan, but an added retirement "bonus."
And we're not finished yet. Article XXII also provides a generous $40,000 to help those individuals who are not yet eligible for Medicare to purchase additional health care coverage.
Is your head spinning yet?
Well, there is more to consider:
The salary represents a 10-month salary. If annualized, the amounts would be even greater.
All faculty have a paid lunch period built into their seven-hour work day.
All faculty have a paid classroom prep period built into their seven-hour work day.
All faculty in the high school get paid by the period if they teach more than five periods in a nine-period day.
On average, out of a 420-minute work day, faculty at RCSD actually only 225 minutes: 53.5 percent of the day is spent in the classroom.
Teachers get paid (currently) $50.00 per hour to grade the NYS standardized tests in addition to usual and routine salary.
Teachers get paid (currently) $36.29 per hour to develop curriculum.
Teachers get paid (currently) $36.29 per hour to proctor NYS Regents exams.
The list of the many ways faculty accrue additional salary and benefits goes on and on.
The challenge before us is how and what to do to contain this runaway freight train of expenses over and beyond a fair and equitable salary. It is a challenge that we will either meet or let steam over us as in the past. The choice is ours.
Angela DeVito is a former member and past president of the Riverhead Board of Education. She lives in South Jamesport.