St. Joseph Teacher Contract Summary

The average teacher salary in the St. Joseph Public Schools was $57,861 in 2009, and employees are not required to contribute anything to health insurance policies that cost the district some $11,400 annually. These are among the highlights in the current collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the district and the local arm of the Michigan Education Association union.

About 67 percent of the district's $22 million operating budget goes towards paying employees covered by this contract, which covers teachers and a few other employee groups. St. Joseph enrolls about 2,800 students and employs approximately 170 teachers.

The base salary for most St. Joseph teachers is between $49,347 and $71,061. How much an individual actually gets is determined by a single salary schedule that grants automatic pay raises based solely on years on the job plus additional pedagogy credentials. Teachers are granted "tenure" after four years on the job, and once tenured are evaluated once every three years, but neither these evaluations nor the performance of their students affect how much they are paid.

St. Joseph teachers receive small raises for their first five years, but in their sixth year (and after 20 graduate course credit hours) get a 35 percent increase. From years six to ten, they get automatic 2 percent pay raises, and then a 19 percent increase in year 11. Three percent annual increases continue until a teacher's 16th year in the district.

School employees receive a lifetime pension when they retire, and also expect to get lifetime post-retirement health benefits. Based on the state-run retirement system's formula, the starting pension for a St. Joseph teacher with 30 years experience and an average base salary of $71,061 (the final "step" on the salary schedule) would be $31,977. For most retirees, this amount increases by 3 percent every year.  An employee may begin collecting a pension upon reaching age of 55, or younger if he or she has 30 years of employment in public schools.

As mentioned, employees are not required to contribute anything to the $950 per month health insurance premiums paid by the district. The district offers three plans to teachers: a basic, PPO and a high-deductible health plan with an attached health savings account. In 2009, the district spent $1.65 million on teacher health insurance.

The union contract includes extra bonus pay for additional duties and certifications. Teachers are paid $500 per semester per child in a class over the contractual class size limit of between 20 and 28 (depending on the grade level). Any secondary teacher who has an extra class assignment gets $11,500. New teacher "mentors" earn about $2,100 over the course of three years. Department leaderships and "vertical steering representation" positions pay $1,100 per year, and teachers also get an extra $4,300 annually for serving as a guidance counselor. Summer school instruction earns another $30 per hour, as does subbing during a preparation period, helping to development curriculum or any other extra duty outside of the contractual school day or year.

Teachers can earn extra cash by coaching or participating in other extracurricular activities, such as band, drama, yearbook, intramurals, student clubs and many others. Aside from one of the 70 different athletic-related positions (which pay between $1,631 and $8,717 annually), there are nearly 30 different extracurricular positions that pay between $881 and $5,499 each year.

All teachers are allotted 12 leave days per year, and can accumulate up to 100 of these. They also get paid leave time for jury duty, conferences and conventions, professional visitation days and for attending board meetings of the Michigan Education Association as a board member. Employees may take unpaid leaves for up to one year for political campaigning for or filling a public office, joining the Peace Corps or Job Corps, child care or maternity, a foreign exchange program or any other approved personal reason. If a teacher accepts a paid position with the MEA union, they get a two-year leave of absence. Upon returning from leave, they are guaranteed the same or equitable teaching position. 

Finally, the union contract also covers working hours and conditions. It defines the "work year" as 175 days, of which a maximum of 167 are student instruction days. Each day measures just over seven hours on the job, which works out to a total work year of 1,313 hours. The national average for all occupations is 1,792.

The following is a detailed analysis of the current St. Joseph Public Schools union contract that covers teachers as well as a few other employee groups. The district employs about 170 teachers and enrolls 2,800 students. Of its $22 million operating budget, about 67 percent goes toward paying employees working under this contract.

Salary Schedule

• Base salaries are determined strictly by a matrix based on years of experience and graduate credit hours and degrees.
• St. Joseph teachers receive small raises for their first five years, but in their sixth year (and 20 graduate credit hours) get a 35 percent increase.
• From years 6 to 10, automatic 2 percent pay raises are worked into the schedule.
• After 10 years (and earning a Master's), teachers get a 19 percent base salary increase, and this amount increases by about 3 percent each year up to a teacher's 16th year in the district.
• 65 percent of teachers have graduate degrees and 69 percent have more than 5 years experience, meaning most teachers' base salary is between $49,347 and $71,061.
• The Michigan Department of Education reported the average teacher salary in St. Joseph in 2008-09 was $57,861.

Fringe Benefits

• Each teacher receives $950 per month for the cost of their health insurance premium.
• The district offers three different health insurance options to teachers: a basic, PPO and high-deductible/health savings account plan.
• Details of the plans can be found here.
• In 2009, the district spent $1.65 million on teacher insurance benefits.

Pension and Retirement Benefits

• Every teacher participates in the state-run Michigan Public School Employee Retirement System, a defined-benefit lifetime pension system.
• Pension calculation: highest 3-year average compensation X 1.5 percent X years of service.
• After 55, subsidized medical, dental and vision insurance for life (employees never contribute more than 18 percent of premiums).
• Starting annual pension based on 30 years experience in St. Joseph with base salary of $71,061 (final M.A. step): $31,977 (this amount increases by 3 percent every year).

Bonus Pay for Additional Duties or Certification

• Guidance director: $4,229-$4,398
• Department leadership (16): $1,100 per year
• Vertical steering representation (5): $1,100 per year
• Driver's education director: $1,762-$1,832
• Teaching a class that exceeds the class size limit: $500 per student per year
• Reimbursement for unused sick days at retirement: $35 per day
• Mentoring new teacher:
  • Year 1: $1060
  • Year 2: $705
  • Year 3: $385
• Teachers get $30/hour for:
  • Any extra regular teaching duties beyond school day or year
  • Subbing during a preparation period
  • Summer school
  • Summer music, athletic or recreational programs
  • Curriculum development
• Teaching extra class assignments: $11,500
• Obtaining credits towards a Master's degree: $30-$75 per semester hour reimbursement (not to exceed $3,200 per year)

Work Schedule/Environment

• Contractual year: 175 days
  • 165-167 student instruction days
  • 8 half-days for parent-teacher conference preparation
• Work day:
  • Elementary: 7 hours, 50 minutes (50-minute duty-free lunch)
  • Middle school: 7 hours, 30 minutes (24-minute duty-free lunch)
  • High school: 7 hours, 31 minutes (28-minute duty-free lunch)
• Total work week may not exceed 39.25 hours.
• Total work year: 1,313 hours
• National average for all occupations: 1,792 hours
• Preparation time:
  • Elementary: 200 minutes per week
  • Middle school: 1 regular class period
  • High school: 1 regular class period
• Maximum daily direct instruction:
  • Middle school: 285 minutes
  • High school: 300 minutes
• Maximum class size: 20-28, depending on the grade level
• Teachers may not be required to:
  • Collect lunch or milk money (unless in case of an emergency)
  • Supervise safety patrol
  • Supervise lunch or recess
  • Supervise more than 60 minutes per week (elementary)

Leave Time/Sick Days

• 12 annual leave days per year may be used for the following:
  • Family illness: 10 days
  • Funeral: 3 days
  • Discretionary: 3 days
• Leave days may accumulate to 100
• Paid extended leave:
  • Family bereavement (3-5 days)
  • Jury duty
  • Approved conferences, meetings, conventions or workshops
  • Teacher conferences
  • Professional visitation days
  • Acting as officer or board member of MEA
• Unpaid extended leave: (teachers returned to same or equitable position about return)
  • Short term personal leave (10 days maximum)
  • Extended personal leave (2 semesters)
  • Campaign for or serve in public office (1 year)
  • Peace Corps (1 year)
  • Job Corps (1 year)
  • Foreign exchange program (1 year)
  • MEA staff member (2 years)
  • Maternity/Adoption/Parental/Child Care (1 year)
  • Sabbatical (1 year)

Extra Curricular Activities Compensation

Position	Min	Max
High School Sports
Men's Basketball Head Coach	$5,825.00	$8,717.00
Women's Basketball Head Coach	$5,825.00	$8,717.00
Football Head Coach	$5,825.00	$8,717.00
Men's Swimming Head Coach	$4,368.75	$6,537.75
Women's Swimming Head Coach	$4,368.75	$6,537.75
Volleyball Head Coach	$4,368.75	$6,537.75
Wrestling Head Coach	$4,368.75	$6,537.75
Men's Basketball Assistant Coach	$4,077.50	$6,101.90
Women's Basketball Assistant Coach	$4,077.50	$6,101.90
Football Assistant Coach	$4,077.50	$6,101.90
Baseball Head Coach	$3,669.75	$5,491.71
Softball Head Coach	$3,669.75	$5,491.71
Men's Track Head Coach	$3,669.75	$5,491.71
Women's Track Head Coach	$3,669.75	$5,491.71
Men's Basketball 9th Grade Coach	$3,203.75	$4,794.35
Women's Basketball 9th Grade Coach	$3,203.75	$4,794.35
Football 9th Grade	$3,203.75	$4,794.35
Men's Swimming Assistant Coach	$3,087.25	$4,620.01
Women's Swimming Assistant Coach	$3,087.25	$4,620.01
Volleyball Assistant Coach	$3,087.25	$4,620.01
Wrestling Assistant Coach	$3,087.25	$4,620.01
Competitive Cheerleading Head Coach	$2,912.50	$4,358.50
Men's Cross Country Head Coach	$2,912.50	$4,358.50
Women's Cross Country Head Coach	$2,912.50	$4,358.50
Golf Head Coach	$2,912.50	$4,358.50
Soccer Head Coach	$2,912.50	$4,358.50
Men's Tennis Head Coach	$2,912.50	$4,358.50
Women's Tennis Head Coach	$2,912.50	$4,358.50
Baseball Assistant Coach	$2,563.00	$3,835.48
Softball Assistant Coach	$2,563.00	$3,835.48
Men's Track Assistant Coach	$2,563.00	$3,835.48
Women's Track Assistant Coach	$2,563.00	$3,835.48
Volleyball 9th Grade Coach	$2,388.25	$3,573.97
9th Grade Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Competitive Cheerleading Assistant Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Men's Cross Country Assistant Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Women's Cross Country Assistant Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Golf Assistant Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Soccer Assistant Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Softball 9th Grade Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Men's Swimming Diving Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Women's Swimming Diving Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Men's Tennis Assistant Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Women's Tennis Assistant Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Men's Track 9th Grade Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Women's Track 9th Grade Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Intramural Sports Director	$2,819.92	$2,932.64
Soccer 9th Grade	$1,601.88	$2,397.18
Pom Pom	$1,233.72	$1,283.03
Sideline Coach	$1,233.72	$1,283.03
High School Extracurricular
Conductor of Bands	$5,287.35	$5,498.70
Orchestra Director	$3,172.41	$3,299.22
Conductor of Bands, Assistant	$2,819.92	$2,932.64
Choral Director	$2,467.43	$2,566.06
Driver Education Director	$1,762.45	$1,832.90
Spring Musical Director	$1,409.96	$1,466.32
Student Council Advisor	$1,409.96	$1,466.32
Variety Show Director	$1,409.96	$1,466.32
Wind-Up Sponsor	$1,409.96	$1,466.32
Year Book Advisor	$1,409.96	$1,466.32
Forensics Director/Coach (Each)	$1,233.72	$1,283.03
Spring Musical Director, Assistant	$1,057.47	$1,099.74
Variety Show Director, Assistant	$1,057.47	$1,099.74
Junior Class Sponsor	$1,057.47	$1,099.74
Senior Class Sponsor	$1,057.47	$1,099.74
Clubs	$881.23	$916.45
Show Choir Club	$881.23	$916.45
All School Play Director	$704.98	$733.16
Senior Play Director	$704.98	$733.16
Sophomore Class Sponsor	$528.74	$549.87
Freshman Class Sponsor	$528.74	$549.87
Middle School Sports
Athletic Coordinator	$5,825.00	$8,717.00
Basketball 7th Grade Boys	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Basketball 7th Grade Girls	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Basketball 8th Grade Boys	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Basketball 8th Grade Girls	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Football Head 7th Grade Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Football Head 8th Grade Coach	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Wrestling 7th and 8th Grade	$2,038.75	$3,050.95
Football Assistant 7th Grade Coach	$1,922.25	$2,876.61
Football Assistant 8th Grade Coach	$1,922.25	$2,876.61
Cross Country 7th and 8th Grade	$1,631.00	$2,440.76
Tennis 7th and 8th Grade Boys	$1,631.00	$2,440.76
Tennis 7th and 8th Grade Girls	$1,631.00	$2,440.76
Track 7th Grade Boys	$1,631.00	$2,440.76
Track 7th Grade Girls	$1,631.00	$2,440.76
Track 8th Grade Boys	$1,631.00	$2,440.76
Track 8th Grade Girls	$1,631.00	$2,440.76
Volleyball 7th and 8th Grade	$1,631.00	$2,440.76
7th Grade Cheerleader Advisor	$704.98	$733.16
8th Grade Cheerleader Advisor	$704.98	$733.16
Middle School Extracurricular
Year Book Advisor	$1,409.96	$1,466.32
Student Council Advisor	$1,057.47	$1,099.74
Clubs and Activities	$881.23	$916.45
Elementary School Extracurricular
Science Olympiad	$1,233.72	$1,283.03
Elementary Clubs	$881.23	$916.45