what is going to happen to teachers' salaries next year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't FCPS just say that now they have the lowest vacancy rate since during the school closures for Covid (no one was quitting that sweet gig).

Yes, Reid has said they have their lowest vacancy rate. They also didn’t do anything to cut costs or target raises to high vacancy spots (I am guessing special ed teachers are still in that category). Instead they proposed a huge across the board raise for all their employees. I have no idea what the union was thinking when they bargained for that. Such a lost opportunity. I’m pretty sure the vast majority of residents would support good raises based on need as shown by vacancies, or at least for just teachers and other direct student-facing roles. Instead, central office employees who either make huge salaries or do purely administrative work would get the same raises as teachers! And the county told them the amount of money that was available and the school board still put forth a budget that blew that amount out of the water. Makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by “accept”? What other options are there once it’s decided?

I don’t think teachers will get 7%, but I also don’t think it will be zero.

There are plenty of other options in surrounding counties, especially with the current teacher shortage. The 7% was supposed to bring FCPS teacher salaries closer to what other counties are paying their teachers, so if FCPS doesn't come through, there are better paying options nearby.

I think a few of the fired Feds might step up and transfer to teaching positions. This might help the shortage, for now.

Oh god no, that will be a disaster. People leaving mid-year because they can't handle it, or because they found "better" jobs. Just like the year they had all those provisionally licensed teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t they get a step increase every year or no?

No. Over 30% of years it’s been “frozen” (no step, no cola). Many years I made less than prior years with health insurance premiums increasing.

Wow that’s crazy. How do they account for inflation?

DP who is not a teacher - a lot of people didn't get raises this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't FCPS just say that now they have the lowest vacancy rate since during the school closures for Covid (no one was quitting that sweet gig).

Yes, Reid has said they have their lowest vacancy rate. They also didn’t do anything to cut costs or target raises to high vacancy spots (I am guessing special ed teachers are still in that category). Instead they proposed a huge across the board raise for all their employees. I have no idea what the union was thinking when they bargained for that. Such a lost opportunity. I’m pretty sure the vast majority of residents would support good raises based on need as shown by vacancies, or at least for just teachers and other direct student-facing roles. Instead, central office employees who either make huge salaries or do purely administrative work would get the same raises as teachers! And the county told them the amount of money that was available and the school board still put forth a budget that blew that amount out of the water. Makes no sense.

Perhaps they will think more strategically in the future and realize that people are more willing to support raises for teachers in the classroom than Gatehouse staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by “accept”? What other options are there once it’s decided?

I don’t think teachers will get 7%, but I also don’t think it will be zero.

There are plenty of other options in surrounding counties, especially with the current teacher shortage. The 7% was supposed to bring FCPS teacher salaries closer to what other counties are paying their teachers, so if FCPS doesn't come through, there are better paying options nearby.

I think a few of the fired Feds might step up and transfer to teaching positions. This might help the shortage, for now.

Oh god no, that will be a disaster. People leaving mid-year because they can't handle it, or because they found "better" jobs. Just like the year they had all those provisionally licensed teachers.

Well, about 50% of those feds were rehired shortly after, and why would a fed take a $20-40,000 pay cut to work 100 times harder than they ever did at their last job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't FCPS just say that now they have the lowest vacancy rate since during the school closures for Covid (no one was quitting that sweet gig).

Yes, Reid has said they have their lowest vacancy rate. They also didn’t do anything to cut costs or target raises to high vacancy spots (I am guessing special ed teachers are still in that category). Instead they proposed a huge across the board raise for all their employees. I have no idea what the union was thinking when they bargained for that. Such a lost opportunity. I’m pretty sure the vast majority of residents would support good raises based on need as shown by vacancies, or at least for just teachers and other direct student-facing roles. Instead, central office employees who either make huge salaries or do purely administrative work would get the same raises as teachers! And the county told them the amount of money that was available and the school board still put forth a budget that blew that amount out of the water. Makes no sense.

The unions did not collectively bargain for an across the board increase. They bargained for their members, instructional and operational employees, which are student facing work categories. Reid added in an across the board increase when she presented her budget.

And there are still plenty of school-based openings, despite the “low vacancy rate”:

https://careers.fcps.edu/vl/vacancy.htm

[Anonymous]

I won’t be returning. The workload is insane, there is not enough support, not enough pay, and it’s extremely difficult to take any days off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't FCPS just say that now they have the lowest vacancy rate since during the school closures for Covid (no one was quitting that sweet gig).

Yes, Reid has said they have their lowest vacancy rate. They also didn’t do anything to cut costs or target raises to high vacancy spots (I am guessing special ed teachers are still in that category). Instead they proposed a huge across the board raise for all their employees. I have no idea what the union was thinking when they bargained for that. Such a lost opportunity. I’m pretty sure the vast majority of residents would support good raises based on need as shown by vacancies, or at least for just teachers and other direct student-facing roles. Instead, central office employees who either make huge salaries or do purely administrative work would get the same raises as teachers! And the county told them the amount of money that was available and the school board still put forth a budget that blew that amount out of the water. Makes no sense.

The unions did not collectively bargain for an across the board increase. They bargained for their members, instructional and operational employees, which are student facing work categories. Reid added in an across the board increase when she presented her budget.

And there are still plenty of school-based openings, despite the “low vacancy rate”:

https://careers.fcps.edu/vl/vacancy.htm

+1

Why are people thinking they bargained for people not represented by the bargaining unit? Where is that idea coming from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t they get a step increase every year or no?

No. Over 30% of years it’s been “frozen” (no step, no cola). Many years I made less than prior years with health insurance premiums increasing.

Wow that’s crazy. How do they account for inflation?

DP who is not a teacher - a lot of people didn't get raises this year.

Obviously there complaint is that it’s been multiple years in a row within the same decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I won’t be returning. The workload is insane, there is not enough support, not enough pay, and it’s extremely difficult to take any days off.

Enjoy your much less stressful life (I left in 2022)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't FCPS just say that now they have the lowest vacancy rate since during the school closures for Covid (no one was quitting that sweet gig).

Yes, Reid has said they have their lowest vacancy rate. They also didn’t do anything to cut costs or target raises to high vacancy spots (I am guessing special ed teachers are still in that category). Instead they proposed a huge across the board raise for all their employees. I have no idea what the union was thinking when they bargained for that. Such a lost opportunity. I’m pretty sure the vast majority of residents would support good raises based on need as shown by vacancies, or at least for just teachers and other direct student-facing roles. Instead, central office employees who either make huge salaries or do purely administrative work would get the same raises as teachers! And the county told them the amount of money that was available and the school board still put forth a budget that blew that amount out of the water. Makes no sense.

The unions did not collectively bargain for an across the board increase. They bargained for their members, instructional and operational employees, which are student facing work categories. Reid added in an across the board increase when she presented her budget.

And there are still plenty of school-based openings, despite the “low vacancy rate”:

https://careers.fcps.edu/vl/vacancy.htm

+1

Why are people thinking they bargained for people not represented by the bargaining unit? Where is that idea coming from?

I have seen zero push back from the union to Reid’s budget that extended the raises to all employees. Instead, the unions have fallen in line with Reid’s BS excellence at a crossroads PR campaign. I also don’t know why the union didn’t bargain for a step instead of a massive percentage raise?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t they get a step increase every year or no?

No. Over 30% of years it’s been “frozen” (no step, no cola). Many years I made less than prior years with health insurance premiums increasing.

Wow that’s crazy. How do they account for inflation?

DP who is not a teacher - a lot of people didn't get raises this year.

Obviously there complaint is that it’s been multiple years in a row within the same decade.

FCPS employees have gotten raises pretty much every year except maybe one or two during Covid. They just did not get steps some or most years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I won’t be returning. The workload is insane, there is not enough support, not enough pay, and it’s extremely difficult to take any days off.

What’s your new job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I won’t be returning. The workload is insane, there is not enough support, not enough pay, and it’s extremely difficult to take any days off.

What’s your new job?

only fans extraordinaire

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't FCPS just say that now they have the lowest vacancy rate since during the school closures for Covid (no one was quitting that sweet gig).

Yes, Reid has said they have their lowest vacancy rate. They also didn’t do anything to cut costs or target raises to high vacancy spots (I am guessing special ed teachers are still in that category). Instead they proposed a huge across the board raise for all their employees. I have no idea what the union was thinking when they bargained for that. Such a lost opportunity. I’m pretty sure the vast majority of residents would support good raises based on need as shown by vacancies, or at least for just teachers and other direct student-facing roles. Instead, central office employees who either make huge salaries or do purely administrative work would get the same raises as teachers! And the county told them the amount of money that was available and the school board still put forth a budget that blew that amount out of the water. Makes no sense.

The unions did not collectively bargain for an across the board increase. They bargained for their members, instructional and operational employees, which are student facing work categories. Reid added in an across the board increase when she presented her budget.

And there are still plenty of school-based openings, despite the “low vacancy rate”:

https://careers.fcps.edu/vl/vacancy.htm

+1

Why are people thinking they bargained for people not represented by the bargaining unit? Where is that idea coming from?

I have seen zero push back from the union to Reid’s budget that extended the raises to all employees. Instead, the unions have fallen in line with Reid’s BS excellence at a crossroads PR campaign. I also don’t know why the union didn’t bargain for a step instead of a massive percentage raise?

My spouse has dealt with unions a lot. During the push for collective bargaining rights, I asked whether this was a good thing or a bad thing for teachers. Spouse's reply: a good thing if the union is competent and a bad thing if it's incompetent. I wasn't aware that retirement was based on steps (if what a PP said is true) but if so, it sounds like the union is incompetent.