Brighton Area Schools is one of only 32 Michigan districts
currently operating with a budget
deficit, even though it takes in more than $8,000 per pupil. According the Michigan
Department of Education, the district overspent by 17 percent last year. A good place to start looking for ways to get
out of the red would be the teachers
union contract, since the costs contained therein consume almost 70 percent
of the district's general funds.
The average teacher salary in Brighton Area Schools was $66,514 in
2009, the highest in Livingston
County. The base salary
for most Brighton teachers is between $56,352
and $78,130. Teachers are paid much like assembly line workers: individual pay is
determined by a single salary schedule that grants automatic raises based only
on years on the job plus additional pedagogy credentials. Brighton teachers receive
"step" increases of 4 to 5 percent for their first nine or 10 years in the
district. The final step increase on the salary schedule results in an
automatic 13 percent jump in pay. In addition, the entire salary schedule grows
by 1.125 percent each year.
Teachers are granted tenure after four years on the job. The
district offers two different types of longevity payments: one grants them
between $377 and $1,657 per year after their 16th year, and another adds between
$250 and $1,750 to their pay each year after their 13th year.
A family health insurance plan for a teacher costs the
district about 46 percent more than the average employer in the state. The district
paid $15,064
for each employee in 2008-2009, with teachers chipping in $450 annually. The
average employer contribution for a family premium in Michigan is $10,341,
with employees paying $2,800 per year. The Brighton
plan
features no deductibles or co-pays and a $10/$20 prescription plan. Each
teacher who does not enroll in the district's medical plan receives an
additional $3,227 per year (plus dental, vision, life and long-term disability
insurance).
School employees receive a lifetime
pension when they retire, and also expect lifetime post-retirement
health benefits. Based on the state-run
retirement system's formula, the starting pension for a Brighton
teacher with 30 years experience and an average base salary of $78,130 (the current
final "step" on the salary schedule) would be $35,159. For many retirees this amount increases by
3 percent every year. An employee may begin collecting a pension upon
reaching the age of 55, or even younger if he or she has 30 years of employment
in public schools.
The union contract includes bonus pay for additional duties.
Teachers make $45 an hour when they sub for another teacher or have to instruct
students during a designated preparation period. "Coordinators" get between
$1,518 and $3,343 extra each year. Administering certain standardized tests
pays between $1,569 and $3,173. If a
secondary teacher takes on an additional class they get a bonus of one-fifth of
his or her salary, and teachers with "oversized" classrooms get between $1,500
and $3,000 per extra student per year.
The district also pays out stipends for coaching and other
extracurricular activities, such as band, drama, student clubs and others. These
stipends increase by 2.25 percent each year. Aside from the more than 80 different
athletic-related positions that pay between $912 and $8,695 annually, there are
about 20 other extracurricular positions that pay between $448 and $6,802 each
year.
Teachers are allotted 12 leave days per year that can be
used for personal illness, illness in the immediate family or personal
business. They can accumulate 120 of these. The district allows for five bereavement
days as well. Teachers may take unpaid leaves for child care, extended personal
illness, continuing education or any other district-approved purpose. Upon return, teachers are guaranteed the same
or an equivalent teaching position.
Working hours and conditions are also covered in the
contract. It defines the "work year" as 184 days and lists teachers' total
hours at 1,101. The national average annual hours worked in all occupations is 1,768. Teachers
may not instruct students for more than 5 hours and 30 minutes at the secondary
level and 5 hours and 27 minutes at the elementary level each day.
The following is a detailed analysis of the current Brighton
Area Schools union
contract that covers teachers as well as a few other employee groups. The
district employs about 400 teachers and enrolls 6,500 students. Of its $52
million operating budget, about 70
percent goes toward paying employees working under this contract.
Salary Schedule
- Base salaries are determined strictly by
“steps,” which use a matrix of years experience and graduate credit hours and
degrees.
- There are several “steps” on the schedule, resulting
in most teachers getting automatic 4 to 5 percent pay raises for their first 9
or 10 years in the district.
- The final step (11th or 12th, depending on a
teacher’s college degree) on the salary schedule nets teachers an automatic 13
percent pay bump.
- In addition to step increases, the entire salary
schedule increases by 1.125 percent each year.
- 60 percent of teachers have graduate degrees and
78 percent have more than 5 years experience, meaning the vast majority of
teachers’ base salary is between $56,352 and $78,130.
- The Michigan Department of Education reported
the average teacher salary in Brighton in 2008-09 was $66,514.
- Teachers also get two separate longevity
payments:
- “Longevity A:”
- After 16 years, an annual stipend ranging from $377
to $1,657
- “Longevity B:”
- 13-15 years: $250
- 16-20 years: $750
- 21-25 years: $1,250
- 26+ years: $1,750
Fringe Benefits
- The district’s current health insurance plan for
teachers cost $15,415
per teacher.
- Teachers contribute $450 annually to the cost of
this premium, or about 3 percent.
- The average family premium for a health plan in
Michigan cost $13,160
in 2009, with employees contributing 22 percent ($2,500) of those costs.
- This plan
most teachers choose includes no annual deductibles or co-pays and a $10/$20 RX
plan.
- Each teacher who does not enroll in a medical
insurance plan gets $268.91 per month.
- The district also provides at no cost to
teachers dental, vision, life ($50,000) and long-term disability insurance.
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)
- Annual pension based on 30 years experience in Brighton
with base salary of $78,130 (final M.A. step): $35,159 (this amount increases
by 3 percent every year)
Bonus Pay for
Additional Duties or Certification
- School Improvement
Coordinator: $2,000
- Coordinators:
$1,518-$3,343
- Target Goal Facilitators
(3 per building): $1,250
- MME Test Supervisor:
$3,173
- MME Back-up Test Supervisor:
$1,569
- MME Accommodations
Coordinator: $2,597
- Academic Co-Curriculars:
$2,122
- Secondary teacher
instructing 6 classes instead of 5: 1/5 of salary ($13,303, based on
average salary)
- Teaching Saturday school:
$12 per hour
- Subbing for a regular
class: $45 per hour
- Teaching during prep hour:
$45 per hour
- “Imbalanced” class of more
than two students at secondary level: $300 per student per semester
- Teaching a class larger
than maximum allowable size:
- Elementary: $3,000 per
student
- Each specialist teacher:
$200 per student
- Secondary: $1,500 per
class per student
- Secondary: $750
- Traveling within district
from building to building pays IRS mileage rate
- Tuition reimbursement:
- District pays for lodging,
meals and travel expenses for professional conferences.
Work
Schedule/Environment
- Contractual year: 184.5 days
- Work day: 7 hours, 30 minutes
- Total work year: 1,384 hours
o Teacher
hours: 1,101
o Instructional
hours: 1,060
- National average for all occupations: 1,768 hours
- Student contact and instructional time:
o Secondary:
5 hours, 30 minutes
o Elementary:
5 hours, 27 minutes
- Elementary teachers receive two full days of
release time due to a loss of 5 minutes of planning and conference time at the
beginning of the day.
- Staff meetings:
- No more than two per
month
- Middle school meetings:
One may be 30 minutes pass the contractual day and the other 15 minutes.
Teachers get compensatory time for the 15 minute meeting.
- Curriculum meetings:
Maximum of one per month and must end by 3:30 p.m.
- Planning and conference
time:
- Secondary teachers: 60
minutes per day
- Elementary teachers: 90
minutes per day
- Duty free lunch period: 30
minutes
- Time travel between
buildings: 5 minutes.
- Maximum class size: 20-31
students, depending on grade and class type
- Teachers will not be
assigned to cafeteria or playground duty.
- Classroom temperatures
will be kept at 68 degrees (but may be changed anywhere from 61 to 75 degrees).
Leave Time/Sick Days
- Leave days: 12 days
- Used for personal or
family illness and personal business
- Maximum accumulation: 120
days
- Bereavement: 5 days
- Sabbatical: 1 year, maximum
of one-half salary with full benefits
- Union gets 20 days to use
for leave time to conduct union business.
- Unpaid leave:
- Personal illness: 1 year
(with benefits)
- Maternity/child care: 119
work days
- Adoption: 4 semesters
- Exchange teacher: 1 year
- Continuing education: 1
year
- General: 1 year
- Military leave
Extra Curricular
Activities Compensation
These amounts increase
by 2.25 percent each year
|
Position
|
MIN
|
MAX
|
|
Athletic Positions
|
|
|
|
Head
Football
|
$8,189
|
$8,189
|
|
Asst.
Varsity Football
|
$5,500
|
$5,500
|
|
Asst.
JV Football
|
$5,500
|
$5,500
|
|
Asst.
9th grade Football
|
$5,500
|
$5,500
|
|
Asst.
Football
|
$3,374
|
$3,374
|
|
Head
Volleyball
|
$6,744
|
$6,744
|
|
JV
Volleyball
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
9th
grade Volleyball
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
Asst.
Volleyball
|
$2,679
|
$2,679
|
|
MS
Volleyball 7th grade
|
$3,056
|
$3,056
|
|
MS
Volleyball 8th grade
|
$3,056
|
$3,056
|
|
Head
Girls Golf
|
$4,105
|
$4,105
|
|
Asst.
Golf
|
$1,538
|
$1,538
|
|
Head
Boys Soccer
|
$5,604
|
$5,604
|
|
JV
Boys Soccer
|
$3,238
|
$3,238
|
|
9th
grade Boys Soccer
|
$3,238
|
$3,238
|
|
Asst.
Soccer
|
$3,238
|
$3,238
|
|
Head
Boys Cross Country
|
$6,373
|
$6,373
|
|
Head
Girls Cross country
|
$6,373
|
$6,373
|
|
HS
Asst. Cross Country
|
$1,281
|
$1,281
|
|
MMS
Cross Country
|
$2,805
|
$2,805
|
|
SMS
Cross Country
|
$2,805
|
$2,805
|
|
Head
Girls Swim & Dive
|
$6,551
|
$6,551
|
|
Asst.
Girls Swim
|
$3,640
|
$3,640
|
|
Head
Boys Tennis
|
$5,336
|
$5,336
|
|
JV
Tennis
|
$2,732
|
$2,732
|
|
Head
Cheerleading
|
$8,695
|
$8,695
|
|
JV
Cheerleading
|
$5,945
|
$5,945
|
|
9th
grade Cheerleading
|
$5,945
|
$5,945
|
|
MS
Cheerleading 7th grade
|
$1,091
|
$1,091
|
|
MS
Cheerleading 8th grade
|
$1,091
|
$1,091
|
|
Head
Pom-Pon
|
$6,601
|
$6,601
|
|
Asst.
Pom-Pon
|
$3,961
|
$3,961
|
|
Head
Boys Basketball
|
$8,189
|
$8,189
|
|
JV
Boys Basketball
|
$5,280
|
$5,280
|
|
9th
grade Boys Basketball
|
$5,280
|
$5,280
|
|
HS
Asst. Boys Basketball
|
$2,211
|
$2,211
|
|
MS
Boys Basketball
|
$3,603
|
$3,603
|
|
MS
Boys Basketball
|
$3,603
|
$3,603
|
|
Head
Girls Basketball
|
$8,189
|
$8,189
|
|
JV
Girls Basketball
|
$5,280
|
$5,280
|
|
9th
grade Girls Basketball
|
$5,280
|
$5,280
|
|
HS
Asst. Girls Basketball
|
$2,211
|
$2,211
|
|
MS
Girls Basketball 7th grade
|
$3,603
|
$3,603
|
|
MS
Girls Basketball 8th grade
|
$3,603
|
$3,603
|
|
Head
Hockey
|
$5,724
|
$5,724
|
|
Head
Boys Swim & Dive
|
$6,551
|
$6,551
|
|
Asst.
Boys Swim & Dive
|
$3,640
|
$3,640
|
|
Head
Wrestling
|
$6,741
|
$6,741
|
|
Asst.
Wrestling
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
*Asst.
Wrestling
|
$1,624
|
$1,624
|
|
MMS
Wrestling
|
$2,647
|
$2,647
|
|
SMS
Wrestling
|
$2,647
|
$2,647
|
|
Head
Boys/Girls Ski
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
Asst.
Boys/Girls Ski
|
$2,830
|
$2,830
|
|
MMS
Boys/Girls Ski
|
$912
|
$912
|
|
SMS
Boys/Girls Ski
|
$912
|
$912
|
|
MS
Swim & Dive
|
$2,826
|
$2,826
|
|
Head
Baseball
|
$6,741
|
$6,741
|
|
JV
Baseball
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
9th
grade Baseball
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
*Asst.
Baseball
|
$2,679
|
$2,679
|
|
Head
Softball
|
$6,741
|
$6,741
|
|
JV
Softball
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
9th
grade Softball
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
*Asst.
Softball
|
$2,679
|
$2,679
|
|
Head
Girls Track
|
$6,741
|
$6,741
|
|
Asst.
Girls Track
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
Head
Boys Track
|
$6,741
|
$6,741
|
|
Asst.
Boys Track
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
Asst.
Boys/Girls Track
|
$4,368
|
$4,368
|
|
MMS
Boys Track
|
$3,056
|
$3,056
|
|
SMS
Boys Track
|
$3,056
|
$3,056
|
|
MMS
Girls Track
|
$3,056
|
$3,056
|
|
SMS
Track Girls
|
$3,056
|
$3,056
|
|
Head
Boys Golf
|
$4,105
|
$4,105
|
|
Asst.
Golf
|
$1,538
|
$1,538
|
|
Head
Girls Lacrosse
|
$4,601
|
$4,601
|
|
JV
Girls Lacrosse
|
$2,556
|
$2,556
|
|
9th
grade Girls Lacrosse
|
$2,556
|
$2,556
|
|
Head
Girls Tennis
|
$5,336
|
$5,336
|
|
JV
Girls Tennis
|
$2,732
|
$2,732
|
|
Head
Girls Soccer
|
$5,604
|
$5,604
|
|
JV
Girls Soccer
|
$3,238
|
$3,238
|
|
9th
grade Girls Soccer
|
$3,238
|
$3,238
|
|
Asst.
Soccer
|
$3,238
|
$3,238
|
|
Varsity
Club
|
$1,823
|
$1,823
|
|
Specialized Service
|
|
|
|
HS
Class Sponsor
|
$1,187
|
$3,492
|
|
Student
Council
|
$1,084
|
$3,492
|
|
Elementary
Choir
|
$2,073
|
$2,073
|
|
National
Honor Society
|
$1,135
|
$1,135
|
|
Jr.
National Honor Society
|
$621
|
$621
|
|
Drama:
|
|
|
|
Per
approved production
|
$2,067
|
$2,067
|
|
MS
Production
|
$621
|
$621
|
|
Forensics
head coach
|
$2,901
|
$2,901
|
|
Forensics
Asst. Coach
|
$579
|
$579
|
|
Debate
head coach
|
$2,901
|
$2,901
|
|
Debate
Asst. Coach
|
$579
|
$579
|
|
Other:
|
|
|
|
HS
Band
|
$6,802
|
$6,802
|
|
HS
Choir
|
$3,780
|
$3,780
|
|
MS
Band
|
$3,590
|
$3,590
|
|
MS
Choir
|
$2,073
|
$2,073
|
|
HS
Yearbook
|
$2,945
|
$2,945
|
|
HS
Newspaper
|
$2,945
|
$2,945
|
|
DECA
|
$2,066
|
$2,066
|
|
5th
grade Camp
|
$448
|
$448
|
