Detailed Analysis of Cadillac's Teacher Contract

The following is a detailed analysis of the current Cadillac Area Public Schools union contract that covers teachers as well as a few other employee groups. The district employs about 180 teachers and enrolls 3,200 students. Of its $28 million operating budget, about 65 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 11 "steps" on the schedule, meaning teachers get automatic 2 to 5 percent pay raises for their first 10 years in the district.
• The 11th step amounts to an automatic 12 percent raise.
• In addition to step increases, the entire salary schedule increases by 2 percent each year.
• 54 percent of teachers have graduate degrees and 75 percent have more than 5 years experience, meaning the vast majority of teachers' base salary is between $41,412 and $65,173.
• The Michigan Department of Education reported the average teacher salary in Cadillac in 2008-09 was $55,617.
• Longevity Payment:
  • 16^th year: $1,000-$1,150.
  • 21^st year: $1,225-$1,375.
  • 26^th year: $1,450-$1,600.

Fringe Benefits

• The district's current health insurance plan for teachers cost $18,229 per teacher for a family plan.
• Teachers contribute nothing per month to the cost of this premium.
• The average family premium for a health plan in Michigan cost 39 percent less ($13,160) in 2009, with employees contributing 21 percent ($2,800) of those costs.
• This plan includes no annual deductibles, $5 office visit co-pay and a $10/$20 RX plan.
• Each teacher who does not enroll in a medical insurance plan gets $220 per month (up from $200 in 2008-2009).
• The district also provides at no cost to teachers dental, vision, life ($50,000) and long-term disability ($4,500) insurance. These cost the district another $1,734 per family plan.

• If the insurance premium increases by less than 7 percent teachers will receive an additional $7-$280 dollars per year (the lower the increase the higher the payout to teachers).

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 Cadillac with base salary of $65,173 (final M.A. step): $29,328 (for most retirees, this amount increases by 3 percent every year)
• Redemption of sick days at retirement: $110 each (into a 403b)
• As an early retirement incentive, the district also purchases 3 "service credits" for up to two teachers who have at least 27 years logged in the pension system.

Bonus Pay for Additional Duties or Certification

• Teaching a class in lieu of having a prep hour: 20-25 percent increase in salary ($11,123-$13,904, based on average salary)
• Subbing for a regular teacher: $20/hr. (can also be turned into "comp time")
• Inservice time outside contractual work day: $16/hr.
• Volunteering to work special assignments outside contractual day: $24/hr.
• Teaching independent study: $600 per student per semester
• Home visits to 75 percent of students: $200
• Elementary teachers get $20/hr. if their students miss a "special" class (P.E., art, etc.)
• Lunch duty: $9.75 per 30-minute period
• Teaching a class that exceeds maximum class size: $1,250 per class
• Attendance incentive:
  • Teachers with maximum number of sick days accumulated are paid 20-30 percent (depending on the number of sick days used) of their daily pay per year into a tax sheltered annuity ($742-$1,112 based on average salary).
  • Unused personal days result in 3 comp hours or the financial equivalent.
• Graduate credit reimbursement: $300 per credit hour (maximum of $20,000 per year)
• Teaching summer school: $24/hr.

Work Schedule/Environment

• Contractual year: 185 days
• Work day: 7 hours, 30 minutes (6 hours, 45 minutes of "contractual obligation")
• Duty free lunch:
  • Elementary: 35 minutes.
  • Middle and high school: 30 minutes.
• Teachers may not be required to travel during their duty-free lunch period.

• Union work during school time will be paid.
  • Cost of substitute to be paid by district.
• Daily teaching load may not exceed 5 hours and 25 minutes.
  • It may deviate by 3 minutes either way without contractual violation.
• Preparation time per day: 50 minutes
• Parent teacher preparation time:
  • Elementary: 90 minutes.
• On days immediately preceding holidays, teachers may leave once students have boarded their buses.
• Building/Committee meetings: Limit of 3 per month (max of one hour in length)
• Maximum class size: 23-30, depending on grade and type
• Summer school class size: 5-15 students

Leave Time/Sick Days

• Sick days: 10 days
  • Maximum accumulation: 100 days
• Personal business days: 2-3 days
• Bereavement:
  • Immediate family: 5 days
  • Non-immediate family: 1 day
• Unpaid leave:
  • Study related to field (one year)
  • Child care (one year)
  • Personal illness (two years)
  • Care of immediate family member (one year)
  • Personal business (5 days, with benefits)
  • Other district-approved purpose

Extra Curricular Activities Compensation (depending on experience):