The Carlsbad Teacher’s Association and the Federation of United Schools Employees agreed to a 9 percent salary increase over the next three years. The tentative agreement will be brought to the board of trustees on June 13 for a final vote.
The agreement calls for a 5 percent raise for the current year, a 3 percent raise in fall 2007 and another 1 percent raise in July 2008.
Teachers initially refused the district’s original 2 percent raise offer, questioning how the district allocated $5.3 million in additional revenue.
Superintendent John Roach came forward in March with a plan to cut 12 teaching jobs, several classified employee positions as well as two administrative staff positions, freeing up $2.5 million for teacher salaries.
Board of Trustees President Kelli Moors said the staff cuts would be noticeable.
“I don’t think that any of these were fluxed positions,” Moors said. “We’ve cut the fat and now there is no more fat to be cut.”
Moors said that the trustees have alerted the teachers that these employee cuts may slow down some administrative services such as paper copying and delivery of school materials.
She said teachers would have to adjust to the changes.
“We’ve already had teachers come forward saying that they don’t think anything should have to change because of their salary increase,” Moors said. “But I just don’t know how to do that.”
— SUSAN GRANT