Reply to Dec 18th: FY 2026 Recommended Operating Budget

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Expensive benefits?  You are living in the past!  Teachers now have crappy Kaiser or crappy Cigna, and pay more for either than ever before.  And, pensions are significantly less- have to do the old 401ks just like everybody else.  Sure, once you hit 15/20 years and pay for your own Masters it isn't too bad,  but have you seen the numbers of how many new teachers don't even make it to give years?  Teaching is in crisis
 [/quote]

What's wrong with Cigna PPO? Cigna has a pretty good network and the copays are pretty low.

What's exceptional, though, is the employee cost care.  It's rare for the empployer to pay 83-88% of the premiums. That includes paying for 83% of vision and dental coverage. You're not going to see that many places.  Feds, for instance, don't get subsidized dental or vision coverage. There are group plans, but employees have to pay the full premiums.[/quote]

Dental and vision are much worse than before. Just had an eye exam (in network). I need glasses (progressives) for the first time in my life. I chose the cheapest frame and still had to pay $390. I am a para, have been with MCPS for five years and, after taxes and insurance premiums, my weekly take home pay is about $320-$375 depending on how many no work no pay days and unpaid holidays we have (teachers get paid but paras do not). At my school, all paras except one have Bachelor’s degrees and many have Master’s. We work with (babysit) students with extreme behavior needs, many of whom need more support than possible in a regular classroom setting but MCPS refuses these students alternative placements (throwing chairs, flipping desks, hitting adults and classmates, cussing out staff). It’s not uncommon to find out as we walk in the building that we are needed to cover classes because there are no subs but still have to work our regular lunch and recess duty schedule (unlike a traditional sub, we don’t get a “break” when the kids go to specials and lunch/recess), and deal with what has become a Lord of the Flies situation during recess. 90% of the paras at my school collectively spend SO MUCH emotional energy encouraging and empowering our students, mitigating unsafe behaviors, and making sure kids feel safe and loved (the other 10% do their job but do not go above and beyond)…all for a couple hundred dollars a week.

I am a former teacher and would love to go back into teaching if I wouldn’t have to start at the bottom of the salary scale. The highest paid teachers at my school do the least amount of work. At my Title 1 school, the teachers making the least amount of money (based on MCPS service years) are the most enthusiastic, energetic, creative, and go above and beyond for the kids. These are not just young teachers but also career changers.

I agree compensation needs to be reevaluated but more needs to be included other than simply years of service within Montgomery County. The insurance / benefits were great my first two years with the county but now I believe the health insurance is average and the dental and vision are much worse. And yes, with my experience and qualifications, I could get another job that pays more (and likely will need to if the system doesn’t change), but I have stayed because I do believe the work I am doing makes a difference. [/quote]

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