“It is the right thing to do for our staff and our students,” said CCSD Board of School Trustee President Lola Brooks. “CCSD is committed to ensuring our staff is compensated for their hard work in the classroom every single day.”
Funding the Deal
Our projections have been trending positively as stated in previous board meetings, we will continue to stay financially disciplined and do the following to keep cuts away from the classroom as we have seen improvements since our projected budget in:
- Interest earnings
- Frozen central office positions
- Reallocating appropriate positions from the district operating budget to state/federal grants
“We are committed to running efficient operations to drive resources to the classroom where they are needed most,” said CCSD Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara. “Central Office positions will go unfilled unless they directly impact student achievement. We are serious about creating lasting and impactful change to benefit the district for the long run.”
Tough Road Ahead
Today, a deal was reached amicably, yet funding remains a persistent issue for CCSD. Beyond talking points and strike rhetoric, the stark reality of limited funding persists. The long-term financial implications of brokering such a financially significant deal with CCEA will be felt for years to come. The funding to end this potential strike has, in essence, fueled a greater debate and significantly increased financial responsibility of the district and the state into the future. A debate that should not and cannot be ignored in light of today’s positive outcome.
The Final Deal
An impressive package was presented and approved, this afternoon. Below is a comprehensive outline of the package provided to CCEA:
- A 3% adjustment for every employee in the bargaining unit with an adjustment on the current salary schedule.
- A step increase in each year of the contract (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) for every eligible employee of the bargaining unit.
- A 4% increase in both years in CCSD’s contribution to monthly health insurance premiums.
- A column advancement for every employee of the bargaining unit who has completed their Professional Growth System (PGS) requirements of meeting the 225 contact units per Article 26 of the collective bargaining agreement for each year of the current contract.
- Upon ratification of the economic re-opener, the parties agree to form working groups to discuss a new PGS with research based system that improves teacher practice to improve student achievement.
The district looks forward to the rest of the school year with this very present theme in mind, “Our students are watching! Compromise must always be the key.”
