THEY are usually making MORE than teachers, and they are also the ones setting the rules & the spending agendas....
http://www.ride.ri.gov/finance/funding/survey%20reports%20and%20data/Documents/Summary%20Report%20-%20Updated%20to%20100%25%20-%20Wages%20&%20Co-Sharing%20of%20Premium%20FY09%20and%20FY10.pdfSUMMARY OVERVIEW – Updated 2/1/10
SURVEY OF RI SCHOOL DISTRICT WAGES AND CO‐SHARING
FY2009 AND FY2010
The RI Department of Education and Secondary Education (RIDE) surveyed all RI school districts in
December of 2009. The survey focused on four main questions to determine district response from a
negotiations viewpoint to the current economic environment facing RI and the nation. The response
rate to the survey was 100%.
Three questions were posed regarding wages for both teachers and administrators. The questions
addressed pay reduction, pay freezes (no COLA), and pay increases. One additional question was
presented to look at changes in co‐sharing of premium in response to the economic climate. The results
of the survey are summarized below.
When asked whether either the teacher group or administrative group had taken an actual reduction in
pay over the previous year or years, three districts reported decreases in pay with a combined savings of
$4.3M. These districts were: East Providence, North Providence, and West Warwick.
In response to the query concerning a waiver or deferral of a pay increase or COLA, nine districts
reported adjustments in this area with savings of $6.5M. They are summarized as follows:
• Coventry – Teachers extended contract and waived 3% increase + $500 they would have
received in FY10.
• Lincoln – Administrators and support staff waived a 3% COLA.
• Pawtucket – The FY10 teacher contract was reopened and teachers took a pay freeze instead of
the 2% COLA they had negotiated. Administrators did not receive an increase for FY10.
• Portsmouth – Administrators waived a COLA increase.
• Warwick – In FY09 teachers deferred 1.5% of their COLA until retirement.
• West Warwick – Teachers waived a 1.45% COLA in FY09 and a 2.5% COLA in FY10. Salaries were
rolled back to the FY08 level.
• Woonsocket – 1.5% of the half‐year employee increase was deferred for 5 years.
• Exeter‐West Greenwich – All administrators took a pay freeze. Certified staff provided
concessions including forfeiture of buy‐backs, reduction of stipend payments, and waiver of
stipend for some activities.
• Blackstone Academy Charter School – A COLA increased was waived saving $15,000.
When asked whether pay increases were provided to either group in FY09, 45 districts or 86.5%
reported providing increases either in the form of steps movement only or steps along with a COLA
increase. FY09 increases ranged from 1% to 10%. The increased cost resulting from these increases in
FY09 was $19.2M. FY10 saw a decline with 33 districts or 63.4%, reporting either increases based on
step and/or COLA. Increases ranged from a low of 0.5% to an isolated high of 9.22%. The increased cost
reported in FY10 was $18.8M.
The final question on the survey asked whether or not co‐sharing of premium had been increased. In
FY09, 14 districts or 26.9% reported increases in co‐sharing resulting in additional savings to the district
of $2.01M. FY10 16 districts or 31% reported increased co‐shares resulting in savings to the district of
$4.86M. It should be noted that 8 districts have reported increases in co‐shares for FY11 and FY12.
A SNAPSHOT OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS
(Data incorporated in overall summary)
Since Charter School populations are generally smaller in size than most districts, presented here in
excerpted form is a summary of the Charter School survey responses. The response rate to the survey
from the 13 Charter Schools was 100%.
When asked whether either the teacher group or administrative group had taken an actual reduction in
pay over the previous year or years, there were no charter districts who reported a reduction.
In response to the query concerning a waiver or deferral of a pay increase or COLA, one charter school,
Blackstone Academy, reported doing so achieving a savings of $15,000.
When asked whether pay increases were provided to either group in FY09, 10 of the 11 or 91% of
charter schools in FY09 responded that increases were provided, either in step movement or step plus a
COLA. FY09 increases ranged from 1% to 10%. The increased cost resulting from these increases in FY09
was $600K. FY10 saw 10 of the 13 providing increases ranging from 1% to 15% for a total increased cost
of $857K. Two charters, Democracy Prep and the Segue Institute for Learning were in the initial year of
operation in FY10.
Pay scales in the charter schools are closely aligned with the public districts in which they reside.
Textron and Times 2 follow the Providence district; Highlander’s original scale was based on the
Providence scale and has varied slightly since that time; Learning Community Charter School was based
on the contract of Central Falls with slight variances; International was based on the Pawtucket contract;
and Beacon Charter mirrors the Woonsocket pay scale. Compass Charter recently aligned their pay
scale with South Kingstown and then added an additional $1,000. Blackstone Academy originally
followed a district contract and now has pay ranges while Kingston Hill has an independent pay scale.
Democracy Prep, one of the new charter schools, does not follow a district contract. Information is not
currently available for Segue Institute for Learning. Salaries at the charter schools are described as very
competitive with the other public districts.
The final question on the survey asked whether or not co‐sharing of premium had been increased.
There were only two reported increases in co‐share by Times 2 Academy and NE Laborer’s
Career/Construction Academy beginning with FY10. This achieved a reported savings of $34,866.
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