Benicia Unified School District

Contract Negotiation News

Category(s): Latest News

Posted On: December 15, 2016

The District is currently in contract negotiations with both certificated and classified bargaining units.  The following provides a brief history of compensation increases over that last four years and answers to questions regarding BUSD’s response to the National Teacher shortage.

History of Raises:

·       12/13 = 3.1% total compensation, increased four steps on the teacher salary schedule

·       13/14 = 2.5% total compensation, added steps to classified and management salary schedule

·       14/15 = 3.5% total compensation

·       15/16 = 5.5% compensation increase (plus, by the end of 15/16, everyone benefited from an increase to benefits)

Total Raises Over Last Four Years:  

14.6% = Over $4 million dollars of ongoing commitments.

Response to National Teacher Shortage in BUSD:  

·        BUSD has a high teacher retention rate, with our average teacher longevity at 12 years.  Twenty-five percent of our teachers have been teaching for BUSD for 20+ years, and fifty-three percent of our teachers have been teaching in BUSD for 10+ years.

·        We have one teacher with a State issued temporary permit.  (This is in response to an unexpected vacancy that needed to be filled immediately.  Fortunately, this teacher was already teaching one section.)

·        We have one teacher completing one remaining phase of the required credential.

·        We have two fully credentialed teachers teaching outside of their content areas, each teaching one period of Rosetta Stone.  This is the result of the Spanish teacher resigning at the start of the year, and our need to maintain our Spanish program.  Rosetta Stone is a widely used, U.C. approved world language program and the feedback to date have been positive.

·        We have 15 teachers teaching 6/5ths to fill vacancies in hard to fill areas.  This is higher than usual and the result of two unexpected vacancies at the start of the school year.  Typically, there is an average of 5 teachers who teach 6/5th each year for a variety of reasons. Teachers choose to apply for these extra sections.