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The Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) has reached agreement with the union representing the public school system’s administrators and supervisors. The three-year agreement between the school board and the Calvert Association of Supervisors and Administrators (CASA) was formally ratified during the BOE’s May 10 meeting. The pact is retroactive to July 1, 2011 and runs through June 30, 2014.

According to a joint press release, “the contract includes no cost of living adjustment or step increases for fiscal year 2012. However, articles for salary and compensation will be reopened for fiscal years 2013 and 2014.”

It was also stated in the press release that the new agreement includes opportunities for additional compensation for “professional development work related to ‘Common Core State Standards and Curriculum,’ ‘Educator Effectiveness Academies’ and ‘State Teacher and Principal Evaluation Guidelines;’ process language for possible future reductions in force of administrators, an incentive program for sick leave use and wellness activities, a process for limited telecommuting, annual leave cash-out changes and the establishment of a study committee for ‘pay for performance’ based on the new administrator evaluation model required by the state.”

Prior to the BOE’s vote to ratify the CASA contract, Calvert Education Association (CEA) President Debbie Russ spoke during the open forum segment of the meeting. Russ expressed frustration that CEA officials did not have an agreement to sign.

“Our teachers should receive something comparable in their contract to the administrators,” said Russ. “The next time I come to a board meeting it should be to sign a contract.”

Russ noted that the BOE’s negotiations team involved in the CEA contract talks has dropped plans for a 2 percent pay decrease. “We are now at the ‘zero/zero option,’ ” Russ stated. “This is a start, but as we near the end of the school year, we need a contract for our teachers. Teacher salary increases should be included in the superintendent’s proposed budget next year. This is a way to show support for teachers. Other counties in our area included designated salary lines in their budgets. Why is Calvert the exception?”

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com