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Teachers' Union, School Board, Ratify Contract
Prince Frederick, MD - 8/6/2012
By Marty Madden
The Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) voted unanimously Monday, Aug. 6 to approve the one-year contract with the Calvert Education Association (CEA), the labor group that represents the county’s public school teachers.
Negotiators for the CEA and Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) reached a tentative agreement on the pact back in June. While the current three-year contract remains in effect through June 30, 2013, compensation and salary remained negotiable for the final year of the pact. Association members voted on the agreement through the mail during July.
The agreement includes no cost of living adjustment (COLA) or step pay raises for the upcoming school year. It does include:
- Additional compensation for teachers to participate in one extra day of professional development work related to the Common Core state standards and new teacher evaluation system
- A wellness incentive program, which will compensate teachers when they use three or fewer sick days during the year
- Opportunities for online learning, resulting in additional compensation or personal leave.
After the BOE’s vote, board members and CEA officers signed the agreement. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jack Smith and CEA President Debbie Russ both expressed concern about the lack of additional pay for the upcoming school year. Russ noted that a previous pay raise that was given to teachers “was taken away” by an increase in health insurance premiums. In a statement Russ delivered to the BOE during the panel’s July meeting, the CEA president indicated compensation should be the sole focus of the next round of bargaining, which is set to begin this fall.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
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