{"id":2449350,"date":"2019-09-30T15:56:57","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T21:56:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=313650"},"modified":"2019-09-30T15:56:57","modified_gmt":"2019-09-30T21:56:57","slug":"teachers-union-wants-50k-starting-pay-eagle-county-schools-says-it-cannot-afford-that","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/teachers-union-wants-50k-starting-pay-eagle-county-schools-says-it-cannot-afford-that\/","title":{"rendered":"Teachers union wants $50K starting pay, Eagle County Schools says it cannot afford that"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Seventeen members of the local teachers union showed up at Wednesday’s Eagle County school board meeting to ask for a $50,000 salary for new teachers. School district officials say that would mean a 20% salary increase across the board, and they cannot afford that.<\/strong>
Randy Wyrick\/Vail Daily<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

GYPSUM \u2014 The local teachers union is asking Eagle County Schools to boost starting salaries to $50,000 a year, which would be among Colorado\u2019s highest.<\/p>\n

School district officials say they cannot afford that.<\/p>\n

In the district\u2019s 2019-20 budget, the school board increased starting pay to $42,000 for new teachers straight out of college with a bachelor\u2019s degree. That starting salary does not include insurance, retirement funds or other benefits, pushing the total package to $58,800, according to school district data.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe appreciate what the school board has done and the commitment they\u2019ve made,\u201d said Karen Kolibaba, president of the Eagle County Education Association.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s still not enough, Kolibaba said. Some teachers\u2019 own children are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch. Other teachers are eligible for government assistance, Kolibaba said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have a teacher shortage \u2014 we have a shortage of master\u2019s degree earners who are willing to work an 80-hour work week for $40K a year,\u201d Kolibaba said, quoting a social media meme.<\/p>\n

Kolibaba, a fourth-grade teacher at Gypsum Elementary, said teachers are committed to working with the district, but they want a \u201cfair\u201d base salary of $50,000.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are fighting for a living wage. Many are working other jobs to survive,\u201d Kolibaba said. \u201cWe are asking for the school board\u2019s support to help create a fair and competitive $50,000 base salary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEagle County Schools appreciates and respects our teachers for speaking out and making the case for higher base pay,\u201d the school district said. \u201cEach year, we work side by side with ECEA to arrive at the most robust compensation package we can afford for our staff. Retaining and recruiting the best possible educators remains our priority.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ripple effect<\/h2>\n

For the 2019-20 budget, the school district returned to a standard salary schedule. It starts with a base salary and then adjusts salaries for additional education and years of experience on the job, explained Dan Dougherty, the school district\u2019s chief communications officer.<\/p>\n

\u201cElevating the base pay would ripple across all steps and lanes, potentially resulting in a 20% increase in overall salaries and benefits. At present, the school district cannot afford that,\u201d Dougherty said.<\/p>\n

Education is a labor-intensive industry. At 76% of the general fund \u2014 the checkbook by which the school district conducts its day-to-day business, salaries are by far the school district\u2019s largest annual expenditure\u00ad: $66,434,339 in 2019-20 for salaries and benefits.<\/p>\n

Starting salaries in similar districts<\/h2>\n

Around similar school districts, starting salaries round out like this:<\/p>\n