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Analysis of professional collective bargaining agreements, 2006-07

Bachelor's degree salaries
The average bachelor's degree salary reflects a gain of $797 (2%) on the beginning salary over last year's average $35,109.

MINIMUM MAXIMUM
Distribution Pct. Districts  Distribution Pct. Districts
Below $31,000 11% Below $53,000 12%
31,000-31,499 2% 53,000-53,999 1%
31,500-31,999 3% 54,000-54,999 2%
32,000-32,499 3% 55,000-55,999 2%
32,500-32,999 3% 56,000-56,999 5%
33,000-33,499 3% 57,000-57,999 5%
33,500-33,999 2% 58,000-58,999 7%
34,000-34,499 4% 59,000-59,999 6%
34,500-34,999 4% 60,000-60,999 7%
35,000-35,499 6% 61,000-61,999 6%
35,500-35,999 6% 62,000-62,999 7%
36,000-36,499 7% 63,000-63,999 6%
36,500-36,999 3% 64,000-64,999 5%
37,000-37,499 6% 65,000-65,999 3%
37,500-37,999 4% 66,000-66,999 4%
38,000-38,499 5% 67,000-67,999 3%
38,500-38,999 5% 68,000-68,999 2%
39,000-39,499 4% 69,000-69,999 2%
39,500 & Above 5% 70,000-70,999 2%
40,000 & Above 14% 71,000 & Above 13%
Bachelors' Degree Minimum Bachelors' Degree Maximum
Mean (average) $35,906 Mean $61,940
Median 
(1/2 above, 1/2 below)		 $36,120 Median  $61,676
   
Master's Degree Salaries
Master's degree minimums increased $764, a 2.0% increase over the 2005-06 average of $37,070. Master's degree maximums increased $1,594, a 2.4% increase over the 2005-06 average of $66, 054.
MINIMUM MAXIMUM
Distribution Pct. Districts Distribution Pct. Districts
Below $32,000 14% Below $57,000 11%
33,500-33,999 5% 59,000-59,999 7%
34,000-34,499 5% 60,000-60,999 4%
34,500-34,999 2% 61,000-61,999 6%
35,000-35,499 1% 62,000-62,999 4%
35,500-35,999 3% 63,000-63,999 6%
36,000-36,499 4%  64,000-64,999 9% 
36,500-36,999 5% 65,000-65,999 4%
37,000-37,499 3% 66,000-66,999 5%
37,500-37,999 5% 67,000-67,999 6%
38,000-38,499 3% 68,000-68,999 4%
38,500-38,999 3% 69,000-69,999 4%
39,000-39,499 4% 70,000-70,999 2%
39,500-39,999 3% 71,000-71,999 4%
40,000-40,499 5% 72,000-72,999 1%
40,500-40,999 4% 73,000-73,999 2%
41,000-41,499 5% 74,000-74,999 1%
41,500-41,999 3% 75,000-75,999 1%
42,000-42,499 3% 76,000-76,999 1%
42,500-42,999 2% 77,000-77,999 2%
43,000-43,499 2%  78,000-78,999 1%
43,500-43,999 2% 79,000-79,499 1%
44,000-44,499 1% 80,000-80,999 2%
44,500 & Above 13%  81,000 & Above 12%
Master's Degree Minimum Master's Degree Maximum

Mean (average)

$38,743

Mean

$67,648

Median 
(1/2 above, 1/2 below)

$38,550

Median 

$65,700
   
Teachers' Work Year and Normal Workday
The average number of workdays in the teachers' normal workyear remained steady for 2006-07 at 187.4 days. Again, most contracts call for a normal workday of  7 1/2 hours.
    No. of
  Workdays		 Pct. Districts
    Normal Workday
 (hrs) *
 Pct. Districts

181 or fewer

1%

Less than 7 hrs.

1%

182-183

6%

7 hrs. to
7 hrs. and 14 min.

4%

184-185

25%

7 hrs. and 15 min.
to 7 hrs. and 29 min.

16%

186-187

24%

7 hrs. and 30 min.
to 7 hrs. and 44 min.

69%

188-189

15%

7 hrs. and 45 min.
to 7 hrs. and 59 min.

7%

190-191

21%

8 hrs.

3%

192 or more

8%
*Includes 30-minute
duty-free lunch
   

Fringe Benefits

Term life insurance is provided in 97% of the districts

All districts (100%) provide health insurance plans, with 43% being paid for the employee's dependents. In 84% of the districts, dental insurance is paid, with 76% paying for dependents. Vision care insurance is provided in 59%, prescription plans in 31%.

Tuition reimbursement is included in 92% of the contracts.  An income protection plan is provided in 39%.

Tuition Reimbursement
None of the 65% of districts that pay a percent pays less than 50% of the total cost.
      Mean          89%
      Mode          100%

Pct. of Total Cost Paid
Pct. of Districts

100%

60%

80-99%

12%

60-79%

20%

46-59%

8%

Term of Agreement
 Most newly negotiated agreements (43%) are for five years.

Term Pct. of Districts

2 years or less

1%

3 years

18%

4 years

29%

5 years

42%

6 years

8%

7 years or more

2%



 

 


    
   
Instructional Days

Number of Days

% of Districts

180

72%

181

5%

182

10%

183

5%

184

5%

185

1%

186

1%
187
0%
188
1%
Of the 238 school districts that reported instructional days in their professional agreements, the average number of days was 181. The maximum number of days reported was 188.
    

Each year, the PSBA research staff compiles a review of major contract provisions of all professional contracts received to date. This analysis is based on 342 contracts. School districts can use this report each year to make statewide comparisons, evaluating their current agreement against trends established by more recent settlements.

The average starting salary for teachers is $35,906. Of districts reporting minimum salaries, the average starting salary raised $797, a 2.3% increase over the 2005-06 average of $35,109. Master's degree minimums increased $764, a 2% boost over the 2005-06 average of $37,979.

Bachelor's degree maximums grew $1,256, a 2.1% increase over the 2005-06 average of $60,684. Master's degree maximums increased $1,594, a 2.4% increase over the 2005-06 average of $66,054. (A few contracts do not report minimum or maximum salaries. The salary charts in this article are based on those reporting minimum and maximum salaries.)

As PSBA evaluates the state of contract talks throughout the commonwealth, it continues to see major trends in the area of health insurance. School boards are attempting to contain the runaway costs of health insurance coverage for employees in order to provide equitable salaries and continue funding much-needed instructional programs and services without having to substantially raise taxes. Furthermore, with the talk of a potential statewide healthcare plan, it can be expected that rather contentious bargaining over health insurance will continue.

As we analyze collective bargaining agreements, more districts are experiencing success with having employees make a contribution to the cost of their health insurance packages. Some agreements require the employee to pay a flat rate each pay period for medical coverage, with the fee being tied to the type of insurance package selected, such as single, two-person or family coverage.

Other contracts call for the employee to contribute a small percentage of his or her annual salary so that the burden is more equitably spread throughout the bargaining unit. Still other collective bargaining agreements control costs by paying employees to opt out of the district's coverage. These are just a few strategies being utilized.

Although it is safe to say that more bargaining units are realizing the need to make some form of contribution to health insurance costs, PSBA continues to receive information that other unions do not believe they should contribute anything to the cost. In these cases, both sides agree that the cost of health insurance continues to skyrocket; however, the dispute remains over how teachers should be involved (if at all) in helping the district curb these costs.

The percentage of districts with cost sharing of fringe benefits is: 59% for health benefits, 20% for dental, 11% for vision and 16% for prescription. Last year, these figures were: 49% for health benefits, 19% for dental, 11% for vision and 14% for prescription.

Of course, salaries work hand in hand with benefits, so compensation also continues to be a major issue at bargaining tables. Many unions that have agreed to health insurance-premium contributions also have sought larger salary increases to offset those costs. Other issues of contention during contract talks include early retirement-incentive plans, teacher workday and workyear requirements and tuition-reimbursement language.

PSBA wishes to thank its members for sending their contracts for analysis, and the association strongly encourages members to continue providing PSBA with this important data. It serves as a very valuable resource for districts throughout the state.

    

If you need more details, contact Anne Herald at PSBA Research
 (800) 932-0588 or (717) 506-2450, ext. 3364.