Teacher negotiations halted

PALMER -- Contract talks between the Mat-Su Borough School District and its teachers' union have come to

a standstill.

Last week, the district declared the several months of negotiations with the Mat-Su Education Association at an impasse and called in a federal mediator. While both sides say numerous issues are contentious, salaries seem to be at the top of the list.

District officials say they have offered teachers a similar salary package as in the last three-year contract, with the exclusion of a 3-percent cost-of-living increase, which would cost an additional $1.6 million.

The school district maintains that its offer reflects funding limitations, not a lack of appreciation for the teachers.

"We value them because they are a great group of individuals," said Kim Floyd, public information specialist with the district. "We know that teachers are the majority of a classroom."

Floyd said the district's proposal did include "step increases," which give teachers more pay each year they work and for additional education. For example, she said a new teacher would make $32,287 per year. The next year, that same person would earn $33,901, and if the teacher also pursued a certain amount of hours in professional development, that number would increase to $35,515.

As for the cost-of-living increases, Floyd said the district is delivered a certain sized pie that has to be divvied up among the various expenses, including teacher salaries. She said the district is joining the statewide call from educators to increase state funding for schools, but in the meantime, she said the district has to work with the budget it is given.

MSEA President Barbara Morris said she is unable to identify where in next year's budget the additional money for cost-of-living increases should come from, but she said at this rate, the district is quickly losing ground in its ability to attract quality teachers.

"We used to have a pool of teachers to consider," she said of hiring. "There isn't a pool anymore."

Describing the district's proposal as a "salary freeze," Morris said it is similar to not budgeting in the increased cost of utilities from one year to the next.

"You can't try to pay utilities with last year's funds," Morris said. "It doesn't work."

Morris said she recognizes the budget situation the district faces, but she argues that quality teachers are the basis of a quality district. She pointed out that Alaska has fallen to 40th place in ranking for teacher salaries compared to other states, when it once ranked first. At the same time, she said, around 40 percent of University of Alaska students who graduate from the university's school of education seek employment outside of that field. She said this is largely due to the poor pay.

District officials are aware of the trend, Floyd said.

"We have a concern in our district that the level of funding provided by the state does not allow us to offer competitive salaries," she said.

Despite this, she said, the district is still able to retain quality teachers and its students continue to score as well as, if not better, than students of similar-sized Alaska districts.

While salaries seem to be among the more contentious items in the talks, Morris said there are other issues as well, including work conditions, school safety and the need to achieve high standards.

"It's not just a monetary issue," Morris said of MSEA's position. She said the union has an obligation to pursue a good contract for its members, a contract she said could also benefit the students and entire Valley.

Floyd said she feels the district administration and teachers share a common goal and that she is hopeful the mediator will enable the two groups to come to an agreement within the next few weeks.

But that may not be the end of contract disputes for the district. The Classified Employees Association, which includes non-certified school staff, is also negotiating its contract this year. Floyd said she could not comment on how those talks are going, as they are closed by an agreement from both sides.