The following is a detailed analysis of the current Port Huron Area School District that covers teachers as well as a few other employee groups. The district employs about 665 teachers and enrolls 10,300 students. Of its $106 million operating budget, about 70 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 12 "steps" on the schedule, meaning teachers get automatic pay raises of between 3 and 10 percent for their first 12 years in the district.
• In addition to step increases, the entire salary schedule increases by 2 percent each year so every teacher gets a 2 percent raise automatically.
• 58 percent of teachers have graduate degrees and 80 percent have more than 5 years experience, meaning the vast majority of teachers' base salary is between $57,579 and $71,972.
• The Michigan Department of Education reported the average teacher salary in Saline in 2008-09 was $66,604.

Fringe Benefits

• District pays $13,961 annually for teacher health insurance premiums, regardless of whether they enroll in an individual, two-person or family plan.
• Teachers contribute nothing to the cost of the premium, unless they "buy-up" to a higher priced health insurance plan.
• The average family premium plan in Michigan costs $11,300, with employees contributing 22 percent of those costs.
• Health insurance plans:
• MESSA Super Care I ($15,496 annual premium): $10/$20 RX co-pay, no deductible
• MESSA Choices I ($13,961 annual premium): $10/$20 Rx co-pay, no deductible.
• The district also provides at no cost to teachers a $45,000 life insurance policy, long-term disability, dental and vision insurance.

Pension and Retirement Benefits

• 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 Saline Area Schools with base salary of $71,972 (final M.A. step): $32,387.40 (for most retirees, this amount increases by 3 percent every year)

Bonus Pay for Additional Duties or Certifications

• Union president is granted full release time from teaching duties without loss of pay, seniority or benefits.
• Hourly pay of $32.47 for all of the following assignments:
  • School dances
  • Music events
  • Athletic contests
  • Substitute teaching
  • Evening school
  • Summer school
  • Drivers' training
• School improvement chair: $2,135
• 30 cents per mile for all travel as required during work day
• $60 reimbursement for the cost of getting fingerprinted
• Per diem for additional days of work = annual salary/contractual work days ($360 per day based on average teacher salary)

Leave/Sick Time

• Leave days: 13.5 per year (1.5 per month)
• 240 leave days may be accumulated in a personal leave bank
• 13.5 personal leave days per year, approved for the following purposes:
  • Personal illness: 5 days maximum without doctor's note
  • Funeral: 1-5 days, depending on who died
  • Routine medical attention: 1 day
  • Graduation: 1-3 days
  • Required appearance (subpoenas, income tax investigation, etc.): varies
  • Household emergency: 1 day
  • Immediate family illness: 1 day
  • Service on government boards: 6 days
• Personal leave days may be accumulated up to 240 in a personal leave bank
• Short-term professional leaves of absence (do not count against personal leave bank):
  • Conferences
  • Meetings
  • Workshops
  • Seminars
  • Travel expenses paid by district
• Approved long-term leave time:
  • President or vice-president of MEA or NEA: 2 years
  • Maternity: 1 year
  • Adoption: 1 year
  • Personal leave: 1 year, no stipulations
  • Advanced study: 1 year
  • Educational travel time: 1 year
  • Foreign teacher exchange leave: 1 year
  • Extended emergency: remaining school year
  • Military duty: varies
  • Peace Corps: varies
  • Political office: varies
  • Assignment with government agency: varies
• Union gets 85 personal leave days to conduct union business

Work Schedule/Environment

• 185 contractual work days
• The teacher-pupil ratio must be 1/21.56
• Teacher receive compensatory time off for any evening parent-teacher conferences or "open houses"
• Weekly teaching loads:
  • Secondary: 25 teaching periods, 5 preparatory periods
  • Elementary: guaranteed 225 minutes of preparation time
• Maximum class sizes:
  • Elementary: 30
  • Middle school: 31
  • High school: 32

Extra Curricular Activities Compensation

• High school athletics:
  • Athletic director: $5,337
  • Football and basketball:
  • Varsity head coach: $8,066
  • Assistants: $5,337
  • 9th grade head coach and assistants: $4,270
  • Hockey, volleyball and wrestling:
  • Head coach: $6,405
    • Assistants: $4,270
    • 9th grade coach: $3,202
  • Soccer, track, baseball and softball:
  • Head coach: $5,337
    • Assistants: $4,270
    • 9th grade coach: $2,135-$3,202
  • Cross country and competitive cheerleading:
    • Head coach: $3,202
  • Cheerleading (sideline):
    • Varsity: $2,135
    • Junior varsity: $1,601
    • 9th grade: $1,067

• Middle school athletics:
  • Football, basketball, track, softball, volleyball, soccer and cheerleading:
  • Head coach: $3,202
  • Assistants: $1,067
  • Tennis:
    • Head coach: $1,601

• High school extracurricular:
  • Band: $5,337
  • Chorus: $4,270
  • Intramurals: $3,736
  • Drama: $3,202
  • Drill team: $2,668
  • National Honor Society: $2,135
  • Quiz bowl: $2,135
  • Yearbook: $2,135
  • Senior class sponsor: $2,135
  • Student council: $2,135
  • Junior class sponsor: $1,067
  • Sophomore class sponsor: $1,067
  • Freshman class sponsor: $1,067

• Middle school extracurricular:
  • Intramurals: $3,736
  • Yearbook: $2,135
  • Band: $2,135
  • Student council: $2,135
  • Chorus: $1,601
  • Junior National Honor Society: $1,067
  • Quiz bowl: $1,067
  • Drill team: $1,067
  • Drama: $1,067
  • Service squad: $533

• City safety patrol: $1,601
• Audio visual coordinator: $1,601
• Library: $1,067
• Service squad: $800
• Student council: $800
• Township bus patrol: $533
• Music organization: $533