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SALT LAKE COUNTY -- The Jordan School Board of Education has approved its 2010-2011 budget which will fill a more than $29 million shortfall. It calls for 190 jobs to be cut from administrative and staff positions, but no teachers will be fired.
However teacher pay will be frozen, which isn't going over well with many teachers and Jordan Education Association President Robin Frodge.
"It actually freezes the wages of all employees for the third year in a row. I find it very disappointing that the board was not willing to implement the use of furlough days in order to unfreeze these salaries and let employees move on their salary schedules," says Frodge.
Teacher Salary History
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Increase | 3.00% | 5.60% | 5.87% | 5.16% | 1.00% |
| Lanes (Advanced degrees & education) | 0.41% | 0.43% | 0.49% | 0.50% | 0.46% |
| Steps (Years of experience) | 1.57% | 1.89% | 2.16% | 2.21% | None |
| Bonus (one time) | 1.92% | ||||
| <b>Total</b> | 4.98% | 7.92% | 10.44% | 7.87% | 1.46% |
"You are given a salary schedule that shows annual increases for each year of experience. That is a salary scheduled that is given to employees when they first accept a job with the Jordan School District," she says.
Jordan district spokesman Steven Dunham disagrees with Frodge's statements, saying teachers received a 1 percent cost of living adjustment last year and well "lane" increases, which are given to teachers who receive higher degrees.
"To imply they haven't received any raises for three years isn't quite accurate." Dunham says.
As for furloughs, Dunham says the board of education wanted a sustainable budget that could be kept in place and maintained over the years. He says furloughs just give the district one-time money and would not continue to cover the costs of pay raises that are permanent.
The teachers association doesn't see it that way.
"Teachers are very, very discouraged that our school district is not making greater efforts to make Jordan School District a better place for them to work," says Frodge.
"This budget is going to have an impact on every person in the district, and the board's job was really to look at how they can represent their patrons, their employees, their parents, and their students as best as possible," says Dunham. "This budget is a compromise that they feel represents all of those interested parties to its maximum."
The teacher pay issue looks to be heading to mediation between the district and teachers' association.
E-mail: rjeppesen@ksl.com
