‘Tentative deal’ reached between CCSD, teachers union

The Clark County School District and its teachers union have reached a tentative agreement to sacrifice longevity pay raises, saving the district about $15 million.

Because the support staff union has reached a similar tentative agreement to avert layoffs, the district now has identified $25 million of the remaining $28 million it needs to close a budget shortfall for the 2010-11 school year. The district faced a budget gap of
$140 million because of state funding cuts and declining property taxes.

"I'm thrilled we're coming to a resolution," said School Board President Terri Janison on Thursday.

Teachers and support staff represent about 95 percent of the district's 38,500 employees.

The administrators union also is close to a deal with district officials, said Stephen Augspurger, executive director of the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees.

The administrators union, which is scheduled to meet Monday with Superintendent Walt Rulffes, is proposing that its members take a 1.5 percent cut in salary and three unpaid furlough days. The administrators union represents about 1,300 employees.

The remaining union, the Police Officers Association of the Clark County School District, is involved in litigation with the district over arbitration rights. The union represents about 160 employees.

The School Board is scheduled to approve a final budget for 2010-11 on May 19.

The district already has decided to increase class sizes in grades 1-3, end year-round schools and eliminate 540 teaching jobs and 110 administrative positions.

Ruben Murillo, president of the Clark County Education Association, recently wrote a union newsletter piece urging teachers not "to give away the kitchen sink." Murillo did not return calls for comment Thursday, but the tentative agreement was announced on the teachers union website, www.ccea-nv.org/.

The website also reported the deal was supported by 3,713 respondents to a union survey, or 80 percent. The other 889 respondents supported a second option, which would have had teachers take a 50 percent cut to their pay increases based on longevity in addition to two unpaid furlough days.

Teachers were warned that the second option could result in "job losses." The 540 teaching positions that already have been eliminated for next year are considered soft cuts because the displaced teachers could find other jobs in the district.

According to its website, the teachers union thinks its tentative agreement will prevent layoffs and preserve pay increases based on a teacher's academic credentials.

Freezing step increases based on longevity means that some teachers could lose $1,400 to $1,700 next year. Step increases based on experience are roughly about 3 percent to 4 percent. They vary according to the classifications in the teacher pay scale.

Salaries in Clark County start at $35,083 for a new teacher out of college and reach a maximum of $70,060 for a teacher with 14 years of experience and a doctorate. According to a survey by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, local teachers are below the national average for teacher pay.

Teachers who have worked in the district for 14 years or more are no longer eligible for pay increases based on experience.

Members of the teachers union will vote online next week on whether to ratify the tentative agreement.

Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal .com or 702-799-2922.