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SCHOOL DISTRICT, TEACHERS REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT MIAMI - Miami-Dade County Public Schools reached a tentative agreement Friday with the United Teachers of Dade (UTD) that will increase teacher salaries and hold health care costs in check. The handshake agreement must be approved by the School Board at its next meeting on August 17, provided the UTD ratifies it prior to that date. If it is approved, the deal will be the first contract reached in the opening month of school in nearly a decade. As part of the $52.6 million deal, all teachers will move up one step on the 22-step pay scale, at a cost of approximately $24 million to the District. The average raise will be $1,396. Teachers at the top end of the scale will receive raises of $900 for 10-month employees and $1,080 for 12-month employees. The new salary schedule takes an important first step toward increasing salaries of less-experienced teachers. For example, the starting salary for new teachers will rise to $34,200 from $33,275. A combination of step raises and enhancements to the first eight steps on the salary schedule means that teachers who are early in their careers will receive raises of between $800 and $1,100 for the coming year. The average teacher’s salary will rise to $48,307, up from $46,912. In addition, the District agreed to boost supplementary pay for teachers who assume additional duties, such as coaches and club sponsors, at a cost of $2.6 million to the District. Substitute teachers will get a 5 percent pay boost, their first increase in several years. On health insurance for 2006, the District for a second consecutive year agreed to bear the full cost of 2 percent premium increases and to maintain rates for employees’ family members. Sparing employees these additional costs will cost the District approximately $5 million. ### 06-LJG-015 |
