In the tennis match that is Lawrence public schools' teacher salary negotiations, the ball bounced back into the district's court Wednesday as the Lawrence Education Assn. proposed a plan to pump $2.9 million more into teachers' salaries.
District officials said they need time to review the proposal. They'll give a counter offer at the next meeting, slated for 4:30 p.m., Sept. 7.
Mary Rodriguez, the district's lead negotiator, could not say how close both sides are to an agreement.
In the meantime, Lawrence teachers are continuing with the new school year under their existing contracts.
The LEA's latest proposal calls for throwing out the old salary matrix, which determines how much teachers make based on education and experience.
The new matrix is a 15-step plan, reduced from the current 25-step plan. The $2.9 million price tag does not include the price for fringe benefits or other costs.
It raises starting teachers' salaries from the current $26,825 to $30,174.
The LEA's plan has a master teacher's salary as its basis. That salary, considered the pay for a professional master teacher, is $47,000.
All teachers would receive at least a $2,600 minimum pay increase.
Some may receive more, said Kelly Barker, a teacher and LEA member. Barker said some teachers may receive a raise of $5,000 or possibly even $6,000.
He said the plan rewards both new and existing teachers and would help make the district more competitive with other districts.
Rodriguez said the district needs to research the proposal and answer questions, such as how much the plan would cost the district in the future.
In an earlier meeting, the district offered a salary plan that would give each teacher a $2,600 flat increase and allow for raises for additional education. That plan would cost the district $2.6 million, including fringe benefits and other costs.
On one point, both sides are in agreement, Rodriguez said. They feel that the current salary plan has problems and needs to be fixed or replaced.
"The question is how quickly can we move to a new schedule that is more equitable?" Rodriguez said.
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