Take it or leave it.

That seems to be what Huntley School District 158 is saying with its “Last, Best, and Final Offer.”

You can read the school board’s summary of its offer below:

Last, Best, and Final Offer
For Informational Purposes Only
August 18, 2008

Certified Member Work Day

• One of the major goals of the Board of Education (BOE) was to increase the “formal” work day to 8.5 hours (with 30 minutes of those being a duty free lunch). It was always recognized that most of our teachers work in excess of that on a daily basis. After much negotiating and listening to the Huntley Education Association (HEA) leadership, the Board has dropped its proposal for increased time in the work day.

• In the previous contract, the work year was 183 days; the work year now has been reduced to 182 days in the Board’s offer. Both the Board and HEA negotiating team have agreed that this day reflects an economic value of a .55% salary increase.

Compensation

• Since the time of its original proposal, the BOE desired to have an alternative salary schedule with fewer lanes and no formal guaranteed percentage step increases. After listening and negotiating with the HEA leadership, the Board reluctantly is offering to return to the traditional schedule with 9 lanes and 3.5% steps.

• In the Board’s offer, the average increase in compensation in year one is 5.43%. With the value of one less work day, the economic value becomes 5.98%.

• 50% of teachers will see an increase on the salary schedule in year one of at least 5.25%. More than 70% of the teachers will see an increase on the salary schedule of at least 5%.

• The salary schedule in year one is fixed, and in subsequent years it is based on CPI (Consumer Price Index). The schedule will increase by CPI + .65%. All lane changes are in addition to these percentages.

A teacher who has both a step and lane change will see an annual increase ranging from 6.35% to 7.35%. Additionally, a teacher attaining a Masters Degree from B24 to M0 would receive a 9.5% increase. See Exhibit A for the 2009 and 2010 salary schedules (2010 is an example and assumes a 9.5% CPI increase).

• At the middle and high ends of our salary schedule, our salaries are higher than both of our neighboring unit school districts (Districts 200 and 300) even with those districts’ partial TRS payments being accounted for.

For example, a teacher at MA45 + 21 years makes $81,466 in District #158, $75,811 in District #200, and $77,531 in District #300.

• Extra curricular stipends increase by 7% in year one and by CPI in the subsequent years.

• Insurance benefits from the district have increased in each of the four years of the proposal. The Board listened and was responsive to the HEA bargaining team and made the increase most considerable in the family plans.

Over the term of the contract, the Board’s contribution for single coverage increases by over 12% and over 24% for family coverage (10% of which is in the first year). In the event that there is a premium increase over 10%, the Board will assume 50% of that increase, thus sharing the risk with the employees.

• At the recommendation of the administration, the Board has the option of paying up to a $500 honorarium per year, per teacher, for outstanding performance.

Professional Education

• Attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers continues to be a priority of the District.

• The schedule continues to offer nine salary lanes that provide salary increases for teachers who attain further graduate hours and a Masters Degree.

• “National Teacher Certification” was a new item added to this contract proposal. With regards to teachers who attain this certification they will receive a $4,000 stipend per year ($2,000 first year, $3,000 second year, and $4,000 fourth and subsequent years). This is on top of the increases in the salary schedule. For a teacher making $50,000, this is an 8% raise in addition to other salary and benefit increases.

Final Offer

• Much has been said about perceived issues that both sides faced throughout this long negotiating process. In its original proposal, the Board presented a reasonable economic proposal rather than offering a lowball number to the HEA.

Because of this, the Board never had much room to move economically.

In the end, serious negotiating took place but both sides were unable to reach a mutually agreeable settlement.

The Board has modified many of its original proposal items.

One of the primary goals of the Board is to ensure the District can afford this contract without having to cut services to students or go to the taxpayers for an Education Fund Referendum.

In order to meet this goal, the Board could not go any further in adding to this contract.

Consequently, on Monday, August 18, 2008 at 1:30 a.m. the Board offered its Last, Best, and Final Offer.

The HEA informed the Board that it is taking this offer to the full HEA membership for a vote.

The Huntley Education Association will meet at 1 PM at the Huntley High School to vote on the offer.