Detailed Analysis of Plymouth-Canton's Teacher Contract

The following is a detailed analysis of the current Plymouth-Canton Community Schools union contract that covers teachers as well as a few other employee groups. The district employs about 1,080 teachers and enrolls 18,900 students. Of its $147 million operating budget, about 67 percent goes toward paying employees working under this contract.

Salary Schedule

• Base salaries are determined strictly by “steps,” which use a matrix of years experience and graduate credit hours and degrees.
• There of 11 “steps” on the schedule, meaning teachers get automatic 5 to 9 percent pay raises for their first 10 years in the district.
• 80 percent of teachers have graduate degrees and 70 percent have more than 5 years experience, meaning the vast majority of teachers’ base salary is between $60,607 and $79,473.
• The Michigan Department of Education reported the average teacher salary in Plymouth-Canton in 2008-09 was $66,644.
• Teachers also get “longevity” payments as follows:

o   16th – 20th year: $300 annually.

o   21st – 25th year: $550 annually.

o   26th – 30rd year: $800 annually.

o   31st year and more: $1,000 annually.

Fringe Benefits

• The district pays 100 percent of the health insurance costs of teachers.        .
• In the private sector in Michigan in 2009, employees paid 21 percent ($2,800) of the costs of a family health insurance plan on average.
• The district’s plan includes no in-network annual deductibles, $15-$30 co-pays and a $10/$20 RX plan.
• Out of network co-pay annually is $100/$200.
• The district also provides at no cost to teachers dental, vision, life ($40,000) and long-term disability ($4,500) 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
• 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 Plymouth-Canton with base salary of $79,473 (final M.A. step): $35,763 (for most retirees, this amount increases by 3 percent every year)
• Retirement Allowance: $100 per year of service.
  • Must have at least 10 years with the district.

• Voluntary retirement compensation: $7,500.
  • Must have at least 10 years with the district.

Bonus Pay for Additional Duties or Certification

• Union president is fully released from all teaching duties without loss of compensation.
• Special activities (based on average salary):
  • Dance/Mixer chaperone:
    • $86.46 per high school event
    • $61.24 per evening middle school event

    • $50.43 per afternoon middle school event

  • Summer camp director: $1,441
  • Summer camp assistant: $958
  • Bus duty: $39.63 per hour
  • Noon duty: $32.42 per hour
  • Driver education:
    • In class: $50.43 per hour
    • In car: $46.83 per hour
• Substitute teaching: $25.67 per hour
• Payment of credit hours: $30 per semester credit hour
• The board agrees to pay for degrees above an M.A.

Work Schedule/Environment

• Maximum work day:
  • High school and elementary: 455 minutes
  • Middle school: 435 minutes
• Maximum weekly instructional time:
  • High School: 25 periods
  • Middle School: 25 periods
• Duty free lunch:
  • High school: 40 minutes
  • Middle School: 40 minutes
  • Elementary: 50 minutes
• Teacher arrival/dismissal times:
  • High school: 15 minutes before class and 20 minutes after class
  • Middle school: 10 minutes before class and 10 minutes after class
  • Elementary: 5 minutes before class and 27 minutes after class
• Preparation time:
  • High School: 1 period per day
  • Middle School: 1 period per day
  • Elementary: 227 minutes per week
• Elementary Recess duty: 5 times per week maximum
• Faculty meetings: 4 per month maximum
  • Duration: 45 minutes maximum
• Non-teaching duties that teachers may not be assigned to:
  • Supervise playgrounds before or after school
  • Supervise unloading/loading of buses
  • Collect money for non-educational purposes
  • Prepare form letters to parents or other clerical functions
  • Distribute and inventory books and supplies (besides those in their own classroom)
  • Perform custodial or maintenance duties
• Staff development commitment: 6 hours for full time teachers.
  • Sessions length: 1 hour minimum and 2 hours maximum.
• Teachers are not required to substitute for regular classes.
• Maximum class size:
  • K-3: 25 students
  • 4-6: 28 students
  • 6-12: 30 students
  • Remedial classes: 20 students
• Classes with more than 32 students will receive classroom aides as follows or the equivalent of $9 per aide hour for use on school supplies:
  • 32 students: 2 hours per day
  • 33 students: 2.5 hours per day
  • 34 students: 3.0 hours per day

Leave Time/Sick Days

• Leave days: 10-15, depending on years on the job
  • May be used for personal illness or illness in immediate family, bereavement, religious holiday and undeclared personal leave
  • Maximum accumulation: 180 days
  • Personal leave maximum: 4 days
• Sabbatical leave: Half-pay plus full benefits for one year
• Unpaid leave:
  • International teaching (two years)
  • Professional growth (two years)
  • Study (two years)
  • Military service
  • Health (one year)
  • Maternity (two years)
  • Disability (six weeks)
  • Adoption (six weeks)

Extra Curricular Activities Compensation (depending on years on the job):