Creative Budgeting in the Waterford School District

Joe Austin, Lauren Bauer, Maureen Schabel

ABOUT WATERFORD.
The Waterford School District is located in central Oakland County The District educates 11,300 students each year. Waterford Township encompasses 36 square miles and has 34 lakes. Community support in the Waterford School District was evident when voters overwhelmingly passed bond issues in 1999 and 2003.

Waterford Info Cont

Internationally Accredited District, The Waterford School District is internationally accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement MEAP Scores Exceed State Ninety-two percent of all graduating seniors pursue postsecondary education Safe Schools/Healthy Students District

INTRODUCTION
Waterford School District has been creative in their cuts is with the salary schedules and more specifically the teachers salary schedule. This creativity occurred as part of a collaborative effort between administration and the teachers Goals: impact students as little as possible prevent teacher layoffs whenever possible, keep the salary schedule attractive and competitive, allow the district to present and maintain a balanced budget

These goals were achieved with some success between the years of 2006 and 2013.

District - Highest to Lowest Funded Bloomfield Hills Birmingham Southfield Lamphere Farmington Troy W. Bloomfield Rochester Waterford Oxford Clarkston Pontiac Huron Valley South Lyon Madison Heights Brandon Holly 11,854 11,774 10,821 10,279 9,895 8,805 8,646 7,878 7,175 7,087 7,082 7,021 6,966 6,966 6,966 6,966 6,966

2006-2007

full steps were granted plus a 1% raise for the first semester, 1% raise for the second semester. This schedule also included a lump payment on the pay of the school year if the final foundation grant for the year exceeded $7,168.00 per student. This lump payment made up the difference between splitting the raise between semesters and getting 2% for the entire year. This allowed the salary schedule to increase at a competitive rate two percent over the year while only costing the district about 1.5% more.

2007-2008

A wage freeze, full steps were granted. Longevity pay was added to the top of each lane of the salary schedule. This agreement allowed all teachers to see more money in their pay without increasing the districts long term financial obligation.
2008-2009

Wage freeze, but steps were granted. This allowed those on the schedule to receive their full step increase.

2009-2010

Wage freeze Steps granted but reduced to 2%, additional step added to the schedule 1% raise added to the schedule, but not paid out This schedule allowed the stepping teachers to realize a reduced step increase. The 1% on schedule but not paid out was an attempt to increase the salary schedule the following year yet allow the district to present a balanced budget during the current school year.

2010-2011

Steps granted but the salary for stepping teachers was frozen. Teachers at the top of the schedule received a 2% off schedule reduction. An additional step was added to the schedule. Wording was added to the contract to return the 2% to those at the top as well as give steppers a 2% increase at the end of the year if the district realized an increase in the foundation allowance. This allowed the district to have a balanced budget and provided the possibility of teachers getting money returned if the district was financially able.

2011-2012 and 2012-2013

Off schedule reduction was made permanent. Salaries frozen, steps granted but reduced to 2% at all levels except the final step. The last step brought steppers to current top of the salary schedule amount and varied by lane. This kept the top of the salary schedule the same, did not add steps and allowed steppers to see a 2% increase.

2011-2012 and 2012-2013

Off schedule reduction was made permanent. Salaries frozen, steps granted but reduced to 2% at all levels except the final step. The last step brought steppers to current top of the salary schedule amount and varied by lane. This kept the top of the salary schedule the same, did not add steps and allowed steppers to see a 2% increase.

2013-2014

Steps frozen Salaries frozen Teachers working unpaid for two days. This works out to a 1% pay reduction for all teachers. It prevents the salary schedule from being reduced in future years.

Overall

Throughout this time period, Waterford was able to maintain the majority of its student programming. The district was able to present and maintain a balanced budget and not one teacher has been laid off In this regard the changes to the salary schedule were successful.

Unintended Consequences
A growing divide between younger teachers who are on the steps and veteran teachers who are at the top of the pay scale. Stepping teachers feel as though they have been moving backwards on the salary schedule. For example ; in 2006-2007 step five of the BA minimum lane was $47,931.00. In 2010-2011 that same step was at $43,395.00. Although stepping teachers have seen increases in salary in this time frame; the increases have not been as large as they expected

Unintended Consequences
Teachers at the top of the salary schedule have not realized an increase in salary since the 2006-2007 school year. They have also had their pay cut by 2% in the 2010 school year. This divide between the staff has been steadily increasing with each round of bargaining. From this point of view, the creative approach may not have been as successful.