In a district reeling from school closures, teachers are about to get what leaders are calling a big morale boost: the biggest pay raise in 15 years.
The Granite Education Association and Granite School District have struck a tentative agreement for a 5 percent cost of living increase, the biggest in a decade and a half, says GEA president Jay Blain.
Steps and lanes — the pay hikes that come with more experience and educational attainment — also were funded, GEA executive director Star Orullian said.
Insurance increases were shouldered with money saved when employees a few years ago started paying more for insurance and in deductibles, assistant to the superintendent and attorney Martin Bates said. Teachers also will no longer have a maximum on preventative care.
"We're excited," Bates said.
"I think the school board wanted to show their thanks to teachers, saying that we have some money, we're going to give it to you," Blain said. "We feel it is a fair settlement."
Granite's 3,566 teachers have until May 4 to vote on the tentative agreement, which the school board would approve May 16, the district reported. GEA leaders say teachers already are giving positive feedback.
The Granite pay raise would cost about $8 million, Bates said.
"Granite needed a good year," Orullian said. "We had a great year. . . . Our hope is it sets a bar for other districts that, in a year that they can take care of their teachers, to do so."
Granite might be Utah's first to strike a tentative teacher contract for next school year. Davis, Nebo and Alpine school districts are getting close to negotiating agreements, officials there said.
The Utah Legislature last month agreed to a 6 percent hike in the weighted pupil unit (WPU), the state's basic per-student funding formula, which largely funds teachers. The increase was the biggest in about a decade.
But that number can be deceiving, teacher association leaders say.
"Many mistakenly think that equates to a 6 percent salary increase," said Scott Berryessa, president of the Jordan Education Association.
Districts are expected to grapple with rising insurance costs and post-retirement benefits, Utah Education Association President Pat Rusk said. Every district is in a different situation.
"Definitely more (WPU) money always helps," said Mike Gowans, president of the Alpine Education Association. But he notes new guidelines by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board require districts to save money for future retirement benefits, a departure from the "pay-as-you-go" accounting tradition. "That takes a little bit of the money away if we want to retain our (retirement) benefits."
Such variables are expected to make for tough negotiations in Jordan School District.
Teachers have been telling the Jordan Board of Education that morale is low, particularly after its decision to phase out district post-retirement benefits.
Jordan Superintendent Barry Newbold said insurance costs in his district are up about 24 percent.
"I know the reality of the dollars, and I know the reality of the obligations," Berryessa said. "I'm hoping the school board recognizes the great need to do something for teacher morale, and that would make them do everything possible to find a way."
Negotiations there start Monday.
An April memo from the Jordan Board of Education, focusing on the post-retirement benefits decision, said it is "looking to the future to see what we can do for our current and future employees in providing better salaries, basic benefits and addressing the ongoing issue of lowering class size."
Contributing: Laura Hancock
E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com