Budget FAQ's

BUDGET FAQ's

The following questions are some frequently asked questions of many of our members. APT would like to clear up some of the confusion in the community by answering these questions.

For questions or comments, please contact our APT President Trevor Knaggs at president@pleasantonteachers.org.  

1. How can teachers expect step and column raise at a time when the district is asking for a parcel tax?

The purpose of a parcel tax is not to pay for a raise for teachers. PUSD teachers have not been receiving the raises opponents of the parcel tax have been claiming. The way the teacher's pay is set up is confusing and can lead people to incorrectly believe that each year teachers are given a "raise". The teacher's pay scale simply reflects years of experience and education level, which is set up similarly to pay scales in the private sector. PUSD teachers only get a raise when the amounts on the step and column table are increased. Like many people working in private and public sector jobs, PUSD teachers did not receive a raise this year.

If a teacher wants to move over a column on the pay scale, than the teacher is required to complete at least 10 or more post-graduate units of additional education. Unlike many jobs in the private sector, teachers are required to pay for this education with their own money. Though these classes often cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, the incentive to pay these costs is the benefit of moving over a column on the pay scale. APT encourages this increase because this incentive is necessary if we want to employ some of the most educated and experienced teachers in the Bay Area.

2. Why do Pleasanton teachers make more money than any other district in the area?

This is actually an incorrect statement. PUSD teachers used to be some of the highest paid teachers in the area, but due to a lack of raises and rising costs of health care, there are numerous districts in this area that make more than PUSD teachers. Fremont and New Haven are two Alameda County school districts that have now surpassed the PUSD teacher pay scale. Acalanes Union, Piedmont and San Ramon Valley School district are school districts that pay at least $1 Ok a year in benefits for their teachers, which allows these school districts to also surpass the compensation offered to PUSD teachers.

Since 2004, many school districts have attempted to be more competitive in trying to retain the experienced teachers it takes to run strong program. Below is a list of salary raise percentages between 2004-2009:

In addition, the cost of purchasing a home in Pleasanton is high. With our salaries, many of us were able to purchase a home in Pleasanton years ago. Having teachers who live in the community where they teach increases their efforts and time spent educating the students of Pleasanton as well as their own children since their time is not spent supporting two districts. Younger teachers now fInd it difficult, if not impossible to purchase homes in Pleasanton because our raises to the step and column schedule have not kept up with cost of living and health benefits increases. Our district is stronger when our teachers are active participants of this community but unfortunately, many teachers can't afford to live here anymore.

3. Why is the union unwilling to make any concessions? We in the private sector are losing our jobs, our benefits, and large percentages of our pay. Why do teachers think they should be exempt from the pain other community members are going through?

APT is absolutely willing to make concessions to help during this budget crisis. Our goal is to make sensible business decisions that help students and our members. Last year, APT made concessions during our negotiations and gave 1 % of our salary back to the school district to help fund the elementary science specialist program. In addition, due to the rising cost of our healthcare plan, many of our teachers took an additional pay cut this year. Over the last six years our healthcare costs have risen 10- 12 % annually, while our [cost of Living] "raise" has averaged only 3.2 %. For four of the last nine years we have had raises ofless than 1, if a raise was given at all.

APT members have been feeling the pain that many of our community members are going through. Teachers will continue to do all they can to ensure continued excellence in those programs that the PUSD community determines to be of most value.

4. Class size reduction is wonderful for classroom management and for the experience of each child, but there is no empirical data to support 20:1 and resulting higher test scores.

Actually we do have empirical data and as a result of class size reduction children in Pleasanton have made tremendous growth. Every year our district requires us to have CSR'S (class size reduction tests). At the beginning of the year, every K, 1 st, 2nd, and 3rd grade teacher gives a running record reading test to see a child's reading level. We test them again at the end ofthe year. We use this to measure growth and achievement. Since class size reduction was implemented, reading scores have steadily improved. When I had a class of32 students, 75% of the children were at grade level or above. Now with class size reduction, I have 85%-90% of the children scoring at grade level or above. If a child is not at grade level it is mainly due to being in special education or being an English leamer, so those students are left out of the scoring, then 95% of students are able to test at grade level.

You can also look at the empirical data of STAR test. Our scores have increased every year. The High School Math and English 9^th grade classes have seen similar results.

5. Is it true that the COLAs that have been awarded contributed to the budget crisis since these increases simply could not be sustained?

No, this budget crisis is the result of poor management, lack of school funding and cuts to education at the state level! Though the state has tried to maintain the COLA, the state has also taken enormous amounts of money from education by not fully funding the voter approved Prop 98. They have failed to maintain these amounts for the past few years to cover over spending in other areas of the state budget.

COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) is designed merely to maintain status quo, not to provide for growth. The "unique COLA formula" that Pleasanton receives does not even meet that minimal expectation. The lack of sufficient COLA (or no COLA at all, which is a real possibility this year), the absence of pay raises for two years, and double-digit increases each year in what PUSD teachers pay for their health benefits have already caused many of our new and veteran teachers to leave the field. In Pleasanton, teachers have not benefited from the state COLA. Over the last nine years, the COLA for PUSD has averaged 3.2%, which is much less than the publicized state formula for COLA.

6. Why should we pay for programs (AVID, Barton Reading program, etc.) that are only available to a small group of students are the schools?

These programs are reason that PUSD is able to boast that more than 90% of our graduates continue their education at a university, college, community college, or vocational school. AVID is just one of these special programs used in the high schools and middle schools to aid students to be college eligible by the end of their 4­year commitment. This program targets students identified as "in the middle" and helps over 400 students each year. (There are other programs like AP programs for the top tier of students and special ed programs for students with identified special needs.)

AVID is a national program that has chosen AVHS as a National Demonstration School for its success in running this program for our students. The A VrD program has been able to show that A VID seniors complete four-year college entry requirements at an 84% rate. The national average is 34.8%. In addition, AVID students challenge themselves to more AP courses than non-AVID students. 95% of former AVID students are enrolled in a college or university and 71.1 % are attending a four-year university.

These programs do not help just a "small group of students". These programs are part of the reason that this district achieves so much success. The Barton Reading program, though another significant program, is not an issue in this budget crisis because it is funded by Federal Title I funds.

7. What kind of retirement benefits do teachers receive?

Teachers must make mandatory contributions to the CaISTRS program for their retirement. These contributions are pretax contributions, similar to the 401K contributions that most people make for their retirement. The program is different from 401 k programs in that the numbers of days a teacher has worked and the amount a teacher has made directly affects the amount "matched" for their retirement. "Rolling back" teachers salaries can have a grave effect on their retirement. A teacher who has their salary "rolled back" only 1 %, will recognize an average cut of $30k in their retirement package.

One important fact to also know is that California is one of 14 states with a law that denies married public school teachers from receiving most of their spouse's Social Security benefits upon the death of that spouse.

On average, a California public school teacher will only receive 35-40% of their spouse's social security benefits. A person in any other profession will receive the entire amount. This offset results in a loss of pre­paid benefits that penalizes married teachers for having chosen to work as teachers, and it makes it very difficult to recruit teacher candidates from the private sector.

8. What does "rolling back" teacher's salaries by 1% really mean?

Pleasanton residents paying a parcel tax of $200 for five years would give up a total of $1 000. The $70 K salaried teacher would give up at least $3500 in that same period, more when the teacher's retirement is considered.

This is because rolling back a salary 1 % affects a teacher's retirement. It is not simply giving back money once; it is compounded every year. A teacher would never get that money back for their retirement savings or COLA since it would not be on the salary schedule. A teacher whose salary is $70,000 would give up $700 per year for the rest ofhislher career, plus COLA lost because of the lowered salary, plus lower retirement benefits level.

9. What do teachers pay for benefits in general (medical, dental, etc)?

Teachers pay an average of$1000 per month for medical and dental benefits at PUSD. A teacher choosing Health Net as their provider pays over $1600 per month for coverage for a family of four.

We hope the answers to these questions helped to clarify some of the confusion and misinformation that has begun to build up in the community as we all struggle through these difficult economic times. Please let us each remember that we are all on the same team here. Only by our concerted, united efforts working together can we hope to address the bigger picture as California reevaluates and restructures school funding. We need each other today just as we always have. The Pleasanton Community has always valued educatio~ and as stakeholders in that community, we believe that valuing educators is an equally vital part of the solution. Our goal is the same; to provide continued excellence in our Pleasanton schools.