Pinellas teachers to see raises

The superintendent and budget officials recommend that all employees get average raises of 6 percent.

By KELLY RYAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 17, 2000

LARGO -- State legislators this year sent local school districts a clear message: Use extra cash to bolster teacher salaries.

Pinellas County is listening.

Superintendent Howard Hinesley and district budget officials are recommending that all district employees, including teachers, administrators and support personnel, receive average raises of 6 percent in 2000-2001.

In all, the school district will spend about $27-million next year to increase salaries. That's significantly higher than last year, when the district spent $16.9-million to raise salaries an average 4 percent.

How the money will be divided among employees is still being negotiated, but the district's bargaining team hopes it will be decided before school ends June 7.

"This is the best year since I have been superintendent," said Hinesley, who was hired in 1990. "We were told, "You better put this money in salaries.' "

School Board members, who ultimately approve the district's budget, were presented with the figures at a workshop Tuesday. Though they didn't take a formal vote, they committed to spending the recommended $27-million on raises alone.

For 2000-2001, the district has $37-million more to spend than last year. Beyond the $27-million for salaries, the district plans to spend $3.5-million improving employee benefits and $1.6-million for two extra teacher training days.

Including the value of the improved benefits and enhanced training days, district officials estimated that some teachers would earn 8 or 9 percent more next year.

That will depend on where the teacher falls in the pay scale. Ron Stone, an associate superintendent who is the district's chief negotiator, said the raises will range from about 5.4 percent to about 10 percent, with the highest raises for new teachers.

The Legislature also set aside money for districts to give "signing bonuses" for new teachers who teach certain subjects. Because of a national teacher shortage, Pinellas plans to give all new teachers bonuses of about $1,000.

Last year, new teachers with bachelor's degrees earned $27,000. With the raises and bonuses, the district will be better positioned to recruit and retain teachers, officials said.

"Are we really going to be competitive?" asked board member Lee Benjamin.

"I think we will be," Stone said.

This summer, board members will be presented with a recommended budget and asked to approve a tentative property tax rate. The new tax rate has not been figured yet, though budget officials guessed it could drop slightly from last year. Final budget approval will come in September.

Board members have some tough decisions to make.

By spending more than $32-million on salaries, benefits and teacher training and $1.6-million adjusting for inflation in expenses such as fuel, board members have only about $3-million to put toward a long list of priorities.

On the proposed list of recommendations: expanding algebra instruction and a specialized reading program. The district also will consider buying more practice materials for the all-important Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and expanding on-campus intervention programs.

Several board members said they should assess those initiatives and consider honoring some of the commitments they made last year, including funding elementary school curriculum specialists. Right now, that's not recommended -- and neither are achievement specialists for high school or technology specialists for middle school.

"I can't in good conscience vote for any new spending until we follow these objectives," said board member Nancy Bostock.

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