Since I just found the following memo, I wrongly assumed it had been just released. My bad.

I would remind folks that in 2008, Huntley School District 158’s Board released the “final offer” contract language for the taxpayer public to see, plus the union’s last position.

The non-teachers in this 2006 photo of people milling around after a school board meeting might have been interested in the teacher contract details before it was passed.

Summary of the Board of Education’s Proposals — May 20, 2011

The Board of Education’s last proposal to the teachers’ union, with the option of a one or two year contract, is:

• A step freeze for all union members (lane movement would still occur)
• Insurance changes that provide two options:
  1. Teachers may choose an HSA that will save them more on out-of-pocket expenses than the current plan, or
  2. Teachers may continue on the current PPO or HMO plans with higher deductibles and co-pays*
• The pay rate for bus and lunch supervision will be reduced from $32/hour to $9/hour*
• The number of students that trigger overload pay (i.e. extra pay to teachers for extra students in their classroom) would be increased by 2
• Additional cost-saving items including that teachers could advance a lane on the salary schedule only once per year; evaluation handbooks will be available on line instead of printed, and stipends for teachers relating to the school’s website would be discontinued
• Teachers would be given a preference for coaching and extra-pay jobs*
• Teachers would have the same last day of school as the students, instead of being required to report to work the day after students leave*
• Teachers at the middle schools could be assigned up to 190 students, and teachers at the middle and high schools could be assigned up to 315 minutes, or 5 hours and 15 minutes, of student contact time
• The District would have the right to assign teachers who have been with the district for 8 years or less to classrooms based on student enrollment and programmatic needs
• Elementary teachers would receive three early release days for completing report cards and would be given additional time to prepare the report cards*
• Other than the first two days of school, in-service days would no longer be a shortened work day for teachers, but would be the same hours as the regular school day*
• The district would agree to form a “collaborative council” to improve
  communication between teachers, principals and central office administrators.*
  LEAD’s last proposal to the Board stated that they would agree to several of these items including:
• The proposed changes to the insurance plan
• The reduction of the hourly rate for bus and lunch supervision
• The additional cost-savings items mentioned above relating to lane movement on the salary schedule, evaluation handbooks and the website construction stipend
• The preference for extra pay positions
• The early release days and additional time for elementary teachers to complete report cards
• The elimination of the last teacher attendance day

However, LEAD also included proposals that would reduce the concessions listed above:

• A wage freeze for most, but not all, of the teachers; certain teachers would receive a 1.9% wage increase
• An additional lane, and, therefore additional salary costs, would be added to the salary schedule for teachers working towards a doctorate degree
• The number of students who triggered overload pay would be increased by 2, but the class size for elementary schools would be decreased
• Non-certified nurses would receive two additional sick days

In addition, LEAD rejected the necessary language changes that would allow the district flexibility to reorganize schools and assign teachers based on enrollment and student needs. Without those changes, the District is significantly limited in its ability to establish aschedule that provides the best educational outcomes for students.

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*These items are either LEAD proposals or counter-proposal that are incorporated into the Board’s final proposal.