Starting teachers at Colorado Springs School District 11 will be among the highest-paid in the region at $50,000, the district announced in a news release Thursday. They join all other district employee groups in receiving pay raises for the upcoming school year.
The school board of education approved contracts following successful negotiations between district administrators and the respective employee groups.
“This has been the most collaborative process we have had so far,” outgoing Education Support Professionals President Brenda McKinney said in the release.
Starting teacher salary makes for a 20% pay bump over the previous year. All employee groups will receive pay raises starting July 1.
On average, percent increases in salary amount to 15.99% for teachers, 23.04% for education support professionals and 13.58% for executive professionals. Those increases account for both recurring, or pay increases that will return each year, and non-recurring, or one-time bonus, benefits. The compensation packages represent the greatest investment in D-11 employees in the past 20 years.
“The Board is collectively committed to student success and staff investment priorities. These historic raises not only serve as a testament to the appreciation for the hard work and dedication demonstrated by our exceptional employees but also serve to attract talented staff to our district,” board President Parth Melpakam said in the release.
The contracts follow months of bargaining with school administration. The teachers union, Colorado Springs Education Association, held out the longest in its push for higher pay as it fought back against a poorly received change in pay schedule. The change, which would have incorporated aspects of teacher performance into its salary formula, was tabled for next year after a task force can lay out details on how this model might work.
“The CSEA Bargaining Team appreciates the overwhelming demonstration of support from hundreds and hundreds of teachers that made clear to the district their dedication to professionalism and their expectation of appropriate compensation on which to build careers as educators. We are glad that the district heard teachers' voices and agreed to the financial package and valuable adjustments to issues in the workplace,” CSEA President Joe Schott said in the release.
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