Detailed Analysis of Farmington's Teacher Contract [Mackinac Center]

The following is a detailed analysis of the current Farmington Public Schools union contract that covers teachers as well as a few other employee groups. The district employs about 890 teachers and enrolls 11,900 students. Of its $158 million operating budget (outlined in this 321-page document), 67 percent goes toward paying employees working under this contract.

Table of Contents:
Salary Schedule
Fringe Benefits
Pension and Retirement Benefits
Bonus Pay for Additional Duties or Certification
Leave/Sick Time
Work Schedule/Environment
Extra Curricular Activities Compensation

Salary Schedule

Base salaries are determined strictly by "steps," which use a matrix of years experience and graduate credit hours and degrees.
There are 11 "steps" on the schedule, meaning teachers get automatic pay raises for their first 11 years in the district.
Most of these pay raises are between 4 and 6 percent, except the last "step" which is worth an automatic 23 percent pay hike.
In addition to step increases, the entire salary schedule increases by 1 percent each year.
Teachers also receive annual longevity payments: $500 for each year between 15 and 19, $750 for 20 through 24, and $1000 for more than 25 years.
74 percent of teachers have graduate degrees and 73 percent have more than 5 years experience, meaning the vast majority of teachers' base salary is between $56,799 and $88,303.
TheMichigan Department of Educationreported the average teacher salary in Farmington in 2007-08 was $71,264.

Fringe Benefits

In 2008, Farmington spent $13.8 million on health insurance for instructional employees, or about $1,162 per pupil.
The district uses a self-funded insurance plan and teacher have 4 options:
- Farmington Health Plan 1: $250/$500 deductible, $5/$30 RX, $25/$50/$75 monthly employee premium (depending on plan type)
- Farmington Health Plan 2: $100/$200 deductible, $5/$20 RX, district pays $250/$500 of co-pay maximums (50%)
- HMO: $5/$10 RX, $10 office copay, $50 emergency room
- Opt out of medical insurance: $500 annually payment with $5/$20 RX coverage
All fulltime teachers also receive long-term disability, dental, vision and life insurance ($50,000).

Pension and Retirement Benefits

As a severance package, teachers receive either $4,000 or $175 per year of public school employee, whichever is greater.
Teachers also get an additional $250 or $500 for announcing their retirement by a certain date.
Every teacher participates in the state-run Michigan Public School Employee Retirement System, a defined-benefit lifetime pension system.
Pension calculation: highest 3-year average compensation X 1.5 percent X years of service
Retirement eligibility: 30 years of service at age 46 or 15 years of service at age 55
Teacher contribution: 5.4 percent of salary
After 55, subsidized medical, dental and vision insurance for life (employees never contribute more than 18 percent of premiums)
Annual pension based on 30 years experience in Farmington Public Schools with base salary of $88,303 (final M.A. step): $39,736.35

Bonus Pay for Additional Duties or Certification

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification: $1,500 annually
Hourly pay rate = salary/work days/7.25 hours (or 7.5 in elementary)
- Example: For a teacher making the average salary ($71,264), this equates to $52.86/hr
- Any work in the school building beyond normal school hours receives hourly salary rate as does any work done in the summer.
$0.35 per mile all required driving of personal automobiles
Summer school: $28.26/hr
Drivers education: $28.26/hr
Teachers acting as temporary substitutes: $28.26/hr
Cafeteria supervision: $28.26/hr
Sporting event ticket taker: $30.05/hr
Sporting even official: $30.05/hr
Saturday testing program: $24.58/hr
After school and Saturday detention: $24.58/hr
Outdoor education: $118.58/hr
Other extra duties at $24.30/hr:
- School dance supervision
- Grade or class parties
- Athletic events or programs
- Dramatic productions
- Student fairs
- Club meetings and field trips
- Commencement exercises
- Bus supervision
- Emergencies
Department Chairpersons: (47 different positions): Chairs: $200-$2,607 (depends on size of department)
Travel between schools during lunch/conference periods: 1/24th of salary ($2,969 annually based on average teacher salary)
Conferences and conventions allotment: $80 (pooled fund from which teachers can draw a per capita amount)
Other special assignments: $470-$900 (based on experience)
- Special education assignments
- Reading specialists
- Art consultants
- Music consultants
Vocationally certified teachers: $100 stipend, $2 per student enrolled in course

Leave/Sick Time

Local union president: Year-long leave from all classroom duties with full pay and benefits (unlimited number of extensions)
Sabbatical: 1 year, 50 percent pay and full benefits
12 sick leave days per year may be used for the following:
- Personal illness
- Immediate family illness
- Maternity disability
- Religious holidays
- Funerals
3 personal business leave days per year
MEA/NEA officer: No maximum leave time, may be compensated by district (seniority accrues)
1 year leaves without pay or benefits (but seniority accrues):
- Maternity
- Child rearing
- Adoption/Guardian
- Elective public office
- Peace Corps and Vista
- Voluntary layoff
Health: If physician recommended, 4 year maximum (seniority accrues for 3 of those years)

Work Schedule/Environment

186 contractual work days per year
Regular working day: 7 hours, 15 minutes (elementary: 7 hours, 30 minutes)
Total annual work hours: 1,349 (elementary: 1,395)
U.S. average hours per work year: 1,792
Pay for excessive class size in elementary:: $1,485-$1,543 per student over limit annually
Duty-free lunch period: 1 hour (elementary), 30 minutes (middle/high school)
Preparation/conference time per week: minimum of 200 minutes per week
- Teachers may have time deferred and rolled over from year to year
Each school must be equipped with a staff lunchroom, lounge, restrooms, private telephone facilities and vending machines.
Teachers may not drive school buses.
Pay for excessive class size in secondary: $100 per student over limit
Pay for excessive student contacts per day (averaging more than 30 per period): $100 per student contact

Extra Curricular Activities Compensation

High school athletic coordinators: $6,016-$11,071
Coaching (based on experience)
- All coaches receive a 10 percent "loyalty stipend" after accumulated 15 years experience
- Head football, boys basketball and hockey coaches: $4,252-$7,824
  - Assistants: $2,727-$6,421
- Head girls basketball: $4,211-$7,750
  - Assistants: $3,169-$6,274
- Head wrestling: $4,051-$7,455
  - Assistants: $3,241-$5,956
- Head track: $3,891-$7,159
  - Assistants: $3,113-$5,727
- Head gymnastics: $3,810-$7,012
  - Assistants: $3,048-$5,610
- Head swimming: $3,730-$6,864
- Head volleyball: $3,650-$6,717
  - Assistants: $2,928-$5,388
- Head baseball and softball: $3,570-$6,569
  - Assistants: $2,848-$5,388
- Head lacrosse and soccer: $3,489-$6,421
  - Assistants: $2,768-$5,388
- Head tennis, cross country and competitive cheerleading: $3,088-$5,683
  - Assistants: $2,366-$4,502
- Head golf: $3,008-$5,536
  - Assistants: $2,447-$4,502
- Head sideline cheerleading: $2,527-$4,650
  - Assistants: $2,126-$3,912
- M.S. basketball: $2,687-$4,945
  - Assistants: $2,510-$3,956
- M.S. cross country: $1,885-$3,469
  - Assistants: $1,508-$2,775
- M.S. football and track: $2,366-$4,355
  - Assistants: $1,893-$3,484
- M.S. volleyball and wrestling: $2,206-$4,059
  - Assistants: $1,765-$3,247
- Special Olympics head coach: $3,008-$5,536
  - Assistants: $1,504-$2,768

Music and Fine Arts
- Auditorium: $8,202-$14,762
- H.S. musical: $7,220-$13,285
- H.S. instrumental music: $4,011-$7,381
- H.S. dance: $3,730-$6,864
- H.S. drama (per play): $3,730-$6,864
- H.S. musical auxiliary support: $3,610-$6,643
- H.S. marching band: $3,489-$6,421
- H.S. vocal music: $3,209-$5,905
- M.S. musical: $3,209-$5,905
- H.S. marching band assistant: $2,607-$4,798
- M.S. band: $2,539-$4,672
- M.S. orchestra: $2,539-$4,672
- M.S. drama (per play): $2,246-$4,178
- M.S. vocal: $2,138-$3,934
- Elem. Instrumental music: $2,005-$3,690
- Elem. Vocal music: $1,067-$1,963
- M.S. musical auxiliary support: $802-$1,476

Miscellaneous
- Forensics: $3,072-$5,654
- RAGE: $2,940-$5,410
- Student council: $2,671-$4,916
- Poms: $2,539-$4,672
- Debate: $2,246-$4,178
- FUPE: $2,246-$4,178
- M.S. student council: $2,138-$3,934
- M.S. yearbook: $2,138-$3,934
- DECA: $2,005-$3,690
- Yearbook: $1,604-$2,952
- Peer mediation coach: $1,604-$2,952
- Intramurals: $1,468-$2,701
- Quiz Bowl: $1,468-$2,701
- National Honor Society: $1,324-$2,436
- Model U.N.: $1,203-$2,214
- SADD: $1,203-$2,214
- Senior class advisor: $1,203-$2,214
- Interact: $1,203-$2,214
- M.S. intramurals: $1,083-$1,993
- Paper: $1,067-$1,963
- Publication: $1,067-$1,963
- M.S. forensics: $1,067-$1,963
- Junior National Honor Society: $1,067-$1,963
- Service squad: $802-$1,476
- Safety patrol: $802-$1,476
- Elem. Student council: $802-$1,476
- Clubs (teachers may hold multiple positions): $521-$960
- Community service coordinator: $521-$960
- Science Olympics: $521-$960
- Freshman class advisor: $521-$960
- Sophomore class advisor: $521-$960
- Junior class advisor: $521-$960