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Teacher raises will be 2.7 percent and bonuses, $850; but the board laments a drop in state funding.
By KELLY RYAN
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 13, 2001
LARGO -- Pinellas School Board members on Tuesday approved contracts with district employees that include only modest raises for teachers, administrators and support personnel.
In the 2001-2002 school year, teachers will get an average of 2.7 percent raises plus a one-time bonus of $850. Support employees and administrators will get average salary increases of 2.5 percent.
Also, the district will continue to pick up sharply rising health insurance costs for its employees. On average, the district will spend $728 per employee annually for health care.
In 2000-2001, beginning teachers earned $28,800 plus one-time $1,000 bonuses; in 2001-2002, beginning teachers will earn $29,400 plus the $850 bonus.
Teachers only narrowly approved the contract, with some frustrated by a one-time bonus that doesn't count toward retirement and others frustrated that so little money is being used to reward the most experienced teachers.
Board members unanimously supported the negotiated contracts, but lamented that the state is not adequately funding education -- or is providing dollars with strings attached.
"Maybe it's time we set up a grading system for the Legislature, A through F," said board Chairman Tom Todd. "If we had a grading system, this would definitely be an F this year."
Board member Max Gessner urged residents to write their legislators, asking for more local control to make decisions.
"It is incomprehensible to me that in our community and in our nation we cannot find the will to provide the dollars necessary to fund what is so often held up as our highest priority," Gessner said.
In the 2001-2002 school year, Pinellas is getting significantly less money than it received last year and had to find $12.8-million in cuts to balance the budget.
Schools are losing some discretionary funds, teacher's assistants and specialists in technology, behavior and curriculum. Schools are not allowed to cut teachers, though some schools will see some class sizes go up because they are losing money that paid for extra instructors.
In other news, the School Board:
decided to make an innovative program at Tarpon Springs High School, the senior project, a graduation requirement beginning with the Tarpon High class of 2005. Freshmen entering ninth grade in the 2001-2002 school year will be the first to have to pass the senior project to graduate, though other students will be expected to complete the class.
The senior project, unique to Tarpon High and piloted in 2000-2001, allows students to select a topic, research it, write a paper, develop a hands-on project and make a presentation to a panel of adult judges.
The goal is not only to engage students in their education, but to make sure they have the skills to present what they have learned, in writing and orally. The topics students have studied this year include music, bodybuilding and diabetes.
The change affects only Tarpon students, though board members have talked about eventually expanding the senior project to the other 15 high schools.
appointed three new elementary school principals. Debbie Ramker, principal at San Jose Elementary School, is moving to Safety Harbor Elementary School on Aug. 3. Her salary will remain $68,665.
Carolyn Sinclair, principal at Skyview Elementary School, will move to Highland Lakes Elementary Aug. 3. Her salary will remain unchanged at $71,030.
Robert Poth, assistant principal at Cross Bayou Elementary School, is being promoted to principal of Ridgecrest Elementary School, effective this week. His salary will increase from $42,559 to $56,184.
Teachers set to get minimal raises (June 7, 2001)
Schools struggle to cut costs (May 16, 2001)
Schools running short about $12-million (May 8, 2001)