Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. and the Columbus Educators Association have negotiated a tentative agreement that would give BCSC teachers an average salary increase of 2%. Experienced teachers could see pay increases of $5,000 to $15,000 to be funded through the referendum approved last spring.
The tentative agreement is on Monday’s school board meeting agenda, which includes a time for public comment.
The proposed 2020-21 salary increase agreement may also be viewed at BCSC’s website at bcscschools.org.
The tentative agreement proposes that returning teachers will move up a salary step — there is a difference of $1,200 between most steps on the salary schedule.
Under the agreement, teacher referendum increases will be based on years of experience (at the beginning of the school year), with each year of BCSC experience counting for one point and each year of outside experience counting for a third of a point. The referendum increase levels are as follows:
- 5-9.9 points: $5,000 increase
- 10-14.9 points: $10,000 increase
- 15+ points: $15,000 increase
Referendum and base pay increases are not to exceed the maximum salary, which is $85,000, according to the agreement. All teachers who do not receive a referendum increase would receive a stipend in January. The amount will be determined by the number of teachers who qualify and will not exceed $500.
While the referendum’s tax increase won’t take effect until May 2021, school officials have said in the past that the board plans to issue a tax anticipation warrant in January, which will allow the board to start spending funds and enact pay increases for teachers prior to collection of that tax revenue.
The school corp.’s 2021 budget, as presented on Sept. 28, shows that the referendum operating fund for next year includes:
- $4,444,050 for teacher salary increases
- $855,950 for teacher benefit increases
- $1,176,675 for non-certified staff salary increases
- $273,325 for non-certified staff benefits
- $76,674 for safety and security staff salaries
- $24,576 for safety and security staff benefits
The board will vote whether to adopt this proposal Monday. The public meeting to discuss the tentative salary increase agreement will also take place during the board meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Terrace Room of the administration building.
As mandated by the state’s Senate Enrolled Act 390, the school corporation is required to hold a public meeting 72 hours prior to its ratification meeting for this agreement, post the tentative agreement on its website and give notice of the public meeting.
All members of the public and all BCSC staff, regardless of whether or not they are CEA members, will be allowed to speak during the time for public comment. The board meeting will also be livestreamed via YouTube.
The CEA will vote on the salary increase agreement sometime in the next few days, officials said. If the association approves the agreement, the BCSC will vote on the agreement at a special meeting at 4 p.m. Oct. 23.
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The tentative agreement between BCSC and the CEA is available at www.bcscschools.org.
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What: A public meeting regarding BCSC and CEA’s tentative agreement on salary increases and collective bargaining
When: 6:30 p.m. Monday
Where: Terrace Room of the BCSC Administration Building, 1200 Central Ave.
How to watch: BCSC school board meetings are streamed live via YouTube, with a link to the video posted at www.bcscschools.org.
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All members of the public and all BCSC staff, CEA member or not, are allowed to speak during the public meeting portion of Monday’s board meeting.
Individuals wishing to speak must register their names on the Blue Sheet. Speakers should:
- Defer to a spokesperson if there is one for a defined group
- Pass if the intended point has already been made
- Refrain from using the names of individual students or staff
- Limit their remarks to 3 minutes
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