Detailed Analysis of Farmington's Teacher Contract

The following is a detailed analysis of the current Farmington Public Schools union contract that covers teachers as well as a few other employee groups. The district employs about 890 teachers and enrolls 11,900 students. Of its $158 million operating budget (outlined in this 321-page document), 67 percent goes toward paying employees working under this contract.

Table of Contents:
Salary Schedule
Fringe Benefits
Pension and Retirement Benefits
Bonus Pay for Additional Duties or Certification
Leave/Sick Time
Work Schedule/Environment
Extra Curricular Activities Compensation

Salary Schedule

• Base salaries are determined strictly by "steps," which use a matrix of years experience and graduate credit hours and degrees.
• There are 11 "steps" on the schedule, meaning teachers get automatic pay raises for their first 11 years in the district.
• Most of these pay raises are between 4 and 6 percent, except the last "step" which is worth an automatic 23 percent pay hike.
• In addition to step increases, the entire salary schedule increases by 1 percent each year.
• Teachers also receive annual longevity payments: $500 for each year between 15 and 19, $750 for 20 through 24, and $1000 for more than 25 years.
• 74 percent of teachers have graduate degrees and 73 percent have more than 5 years experience, meaning the vast majority of teachers' base salary is between $56,799 and $88,303.
• TheMichigan Department of Educationreported the average teacher salary in Farmington in 2007-08 was $71,264.

Fringe Benefits

• In 2008, Farmington spent $13.8 million on health insurance for instructional employees, or about $1,162 per pupil.
• The district uses a self-funded insurance plan and teacher have 4 options:
  • Farmington Health Plan 1: $250/$500 deductible, $5/$30 RX, $25/$50/$75 monthly employee premium (depending on plan type)
  • Farmington Health Plan 2: $100/$200 deductible, $5/$20 RX, district pays $250/$500 of co-pay maximums (50%)
  • HMO: $5/$10 RX, $10 office copay, $50 emergency room
  • Opt out of medical insurance: $500 annually payment with $5/$20 RX coverage
• All fulltime teachers also receive long-term disability, dental, vision and life insurance ($50,000).

Pension and Retirement Benefits

• As a severance package, teachers receive either $4,000 or $175 per year of public school employee, whichever is greater.
• Teachers also get an additional $250 or $500 for announcing their retirement by a certain date.
• 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
• Retirement eligibility: 30 years of service at age 46 or 15 years of service at age 55
• Teacher contribution: 5.4 percent of salary
• 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 Farmington Public Schools with base salary of $88,303 (final M.A. step): $39,736.35

Bonus Pay for Additional Duties or Certification

• National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification: $1,500 annually
• Hourly pay rate = salary/work days/7.25 hours (or 7.5 in elementary)
  • Example: For a teacher making the average salary ($71,264), this equates to $52.86/hr
  • Any work in the school building beyond normal school hours receives hourly salary rate as does any work done in the summer.
• $0.35 per mile all required driving of personal automobiles
• Summer school: $28.26/hr
• Drivers education: $28.26/hr
• Teachers acting as temporary substitutes: $28.26/hr
• Cafeteria supervision: $28.26/hr
• Sporting event ticket taker: $30.05/hr
• Sporting even official: $30.05/hr
• Saturday testing program: $24.58/hr
• After school and Saturday detention: $24.58/hr
• Outdoor education: $118.58/hr
• Other extra duties at $24.30/hr:
  • School dance supervision
  • Grade or class parties
  • Athletic events or programs
  • Dramatic productions
  • Student fairs
  • Club meetings and field trips
  • Commencement exercises
  • Bus supervision
  • Emergencies
• Department Chairpersons: (47 different positions): Chairs: $200-$2,607 (depends on size of department)
• Travel between schools during lunch/conference periods: 1/24th of salary ($2,969 annually based on average teacher salary)
• Conferences and conventions allotment: $80 (pooled fund from which teachers can draw a per capita amount)
• Other special assignments: $470-$900 (based on experience)
  • Special education assignments
  • Reading specialists
  • Art consultants
  • Music consultants
• Vocationally certified teachers: $100 stipend, $2 per student enrolled in course

Leave/Sick Time

• Local union president: Year-long leave from all classroom duties with full pay and benefits (unlimited number of extensions)
• Sabbatical: 1 year, 50 percent pay and full benefits
• 12 sick leave days per year may be used for the following:
  • Personal illness
  • Immediate family illness
  • Maternity disability
  • Religious holidays
  • Funerals
• 3 personal business leave days per year
• MEA/NEA officer: No maximum leave time, may be compensated by district (seniority accrues)
• 1 year leaves without pay or benefits (but seniority accrues):
  • Maternity
  • Child rearing
  • Adoption/Guardian
  • Elective public office
  • Peace Corps and Vista
  • Voluntary layoff
• Health: If physician recommended, 4 year maximum (seniority accrues for 3 of those years)

Work Schedule/Environment

• 186 contractual work days per year
• Regular working day: 7 hours, 15 minutes (elementary: 7 hours, 30 minutes)
• Total annual work hours: 1,349 (elementary: 1,395)
• U.S. average hours per work year: 1,792
• Pay for excessive class size in elementary:: $1,485-$1,543 per student over limit annually
• Duty-free lunch period: 1 hour (elementary), 30 minutes (middle/high school)
• Preparation/conference time per week: minimum of 200 minutes per week
  • Teachers may have time deferred and rolled over from year to year
• Each school must be equipped with a staff lunchroom, lounge, restrooms, private telephone facilities and vending machines.
• Teachers may not drive school buses.
• Pay for excessive class size in secondary: $100 per student over limit
• Pay for excessive student contacts per day (averaging more than 30 per period): $100 per student contact

Extra Curricular Activities Compensation

• High school athletic coordinators: $6,016-$11,071
• Coaching (based on experience)
  • All coaches receive a 10 percent "loyalty stipend" after accumulated 15 years experience
  • Head football, boys basketball and hockey coaches: $4,252-$7,824
    • Assistants: $2,727-$6,421
  • Head girls basketball: $4,211-$7,750
    • Assistants: $3,169-$6,274
  • Head wrestling: $4,051-$7,455
    • Assistants: $3,241-$5,956
  • Head track: $3,891-$7,159
    • Assistants: $3,113-$5,727
  • Head gymnastics: $3,810-$7,012
    • Assistants: $3,048-$5,610
  • Head swimming: $3,730-$6,864
  • Head volleyball: $3,650-$6,717
    • Assistants: $2,928-$5,388
  • Head baseball and softball: $3,570-$6,569
    • Assistants: $2,848-$5,388
  • Head lacrosse and soccer: $3,489-$6,421
    • Assistants: $2,768-$5,388
  • Head tennis, cross country and competitive cheerleading: $3,088-$5,683
    • Assistants: $2,366-$4,502
  • Head golf: $3,008-$5,536
    • Assistants: $2,447-$4,502
  • Head sideline cheerleading: $2,527-$4,650
    • Assistants: $2,126-$3,912
  • M.S. basketball: $2,687-$4,945
    • Assistants: $2,510-$3,956
  • M.S. cross country: $1,885-$3,469
    • Assistants: $1,508-$2,775
  • M.S. football and track: $2,366-$4,355
    • Assistants: $1,893-$3,484
  • M.S. volleyball and wrestling: $2,206-$4,059
    • Assistants: $1,765-$3,247
  • Special Olympics head coach: $3,008-$5,536
    • Assistants: $1,504-$2,768

• Music and Fine Arts
  • Auditorium: $8,202-$14,762
  • H.S. musical: $7,220-$13,285
  • H.S. instrumental music: $4,011-$7,381
  • H.S. dance: $3,730-$6,864
  • H.S. drama (per play): $3,730-$6,864
  • H.S. musical auxiliary support: $3,610-$6,643
  • H.S. marching band: $3,489-$6,421
  • H.S. vocal music: $3,209-$5,905
  • M.S. musical: $3,209-$5,905
  • H.S. marching band assistant: $2,607-$4,798
  • M.S. band: $2,539-$4,672
  • M.S. orchestra: $2,539-$4,672
  • M.S. drama (per play): $2,246-$4,178
  • M.S. vocal: $2,138-$3,934
  • Elem. Instrumental music: $2,005-$3,690
  • Elem. Vocal music: $1,067-$1,963
  • M.S. musical auxiliary support: $802-$1,476

• Miscellaneous
  • Forensics: $3,072-$5,654
  • RAGE: $2,940-$5,410
  • Student council: $2,671-$4,916
  • Poms: $2,539-$4,672
  • Debate: $2,246-$4,178
  • FUPE: $2,246-$4,178
  • M.S. student council: $2,138-$3,934
  • M.S. yearbook: $2,138-$3,934
  • DECA: $2,005-$3,690
  • Yearbook: $1,604-$2,952
  • Peer mediation coach: $1,604-$2,952
  • Intramurals: $1,468-$2,701
  • Quiz Bowl: $1,468-$2,701
  • National Honor Society: $1,324-$2,436
  • Model U.N.: $1,203-$2,214
  • SADD: $1,203-$2,214
  • Senior class advisor: $1,203-$2,214
  • Interact: $1,203-$2,214
  • M.S. intramurals: $1,083-$1,993
  • Paper: $1,067-$1,963
  • Publication: $1,067-$1,963
  • M.S. forensics: $1,067-$1,963
  • Junior National Honor Society: $1,067-$1,963
  • Service squad: $802-$1,476
  • Safety patrol: $802-$1,476
  • Elem. Student council: $802-$1,476
  • Clubs (teachers may hold multiple positions): $521-$960
  • Community service coordinator: $521-$960
  • Science Olympics: $521-$960
  • Freshman class advisor: $521-$960
  • Sophomore class advisor: $521-$960
  • Junior class advisor: $521-$960