GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Public Schools have released a new contract and proposal for its teachers.
With the boards new proposal, GRPS stated in a letter to GREA staff, that their teachers will no longer be the lowest paid in Kent County.
Key highlights of the Board’s proposal include:
– 3 year agreement.
– Newly structured pay schedule with all GREA members receiving between a 2% to 4.3% raise effective April 1, 2013. This would move GRPS teachers up from the lowest paid in the county about 4 to 5 spots and make GRPS more competitive to retain and attract talent.
– Lane changes provided.
– No step increases for 2012-13 or 2013-14. But an opportunity to re-negotiate salary and insurance in July 2014.
– District would cover all dental, vision, life, and AD&D costs from point of ratification. GREA members currently paying 11% of these costs.
– Maintains current hard cap.
– Extends agency shop clause per the GREA request for the duration of the contract.
Key highlights of District Budget:
– The Board and Superintendent responded to information shared by the GREA president at the February 18th Board meeting suggesting the district only spends 39% of total revenue on instruction. This by no means is a complete and accurate portrayal of the district’s finances. The district spent 65.31% of unrestricted revenue on direct instruction.
– The GREA president also suggested the district’s revenue has actually increased. Again, this claim paints a misleading picture.
– Unrestricted revenue has decreased by $20 million and since 2009-2010, GRPS has endured one time cut in state foundation allowance of $154/pupil plus a permanent cut of $470/pupil.
