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Pay unsettles PSS teachers
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Posted on Mar 12 1999
The June 18 pay deadline of the Public School System continues to raise concerns from teachers who are counting to receive a total of 26 pay periods in a year.
According to teacher representative David Borja, rumors are circulating in schools about the payless payday after June 18 this year during the Board of Education meeting yesterday.
Based on the school calendar approved by the Board of Education, teacher will work for a total of 190 days and will receive compensation according to academic background and work experience for 26 pay periods.
“Teachers at various school locations are being informed that they will not be paid beyond June 18, 1999. What does this mean?” he asked the Board.
He said teachers face the uncertain meaning of the June 18 pay schedule – will they get a lump sum of their remaining salary or will teachers be informed in writing that they will not get the equivalent of 26 pay days.
PSS Legal Counsel Tim Connor said the effective date of employment contract will determine the amount PSS owes to the teacher concerned. Not all contracts will expire on June 18 and not all teachers began working with PSS at the same time.
However, PSS will honor the 190 day-ratio in computing the remaining pay.
Connor informed Borja that a contract proposal prepared by the PSS administration is scheduled for discussion by the Board that will contain a temporary regulation providing for a 90-day notice if funding is not available.
The second concern brought up in the meeting was the proposed salary cut for teachers. In his memo to the Board, Borja stated some teachers have alleged that they heard about the pay cut from Special Adviser for Education Dan Nielsen.
Nielsen, who was present during the meeting, immediately denied the report. “I object being blind-sided. That’s not true,” he said.
Teachers also raised the issue on the teacher to student ratio, Borja said. After the Board suspended the student to teacher ratio last year, teachers are asking PSS to publish the number of instructors needed in one school. They are also asking the number of teachers currently on board and how many are expected to be hired for the coming school year.
