- Class sizes have increased. The allocation of teachers to schools was reduced in 07-08. Additionally, administration did not fill about 15 teacher positions that could have reduced our class sizes.
- Certificated salaries have fallen in relation to nearby districts. Our TRI pay, the part of our pay that Northshore pays from local levy funds—the part of our pay that is not State-determined—is at rock bottom; below Everett, Marysville, Mukilteo, Bellevue, Snohomish, Monroe, Seattle, Mercer Island, Edmonds, Lake Washington, Issaquah, and Shoreline. Our total pay has fallen from 3rd highest in 2005 to a mediocre 5th place in 2008.
- Teachers are required to implement initiatives without sufficient curriculum materials further eroding a precious resource–time.
- The administration has proposed further cuts to libraries, LASERS (reading specialists), and theme readers. Their continued refusal to commit to maintaining current practices such as time for K-2 assessments and para educator staffing levels in Elementary Severe and Profound Special Ed classes takes away needed resources.
- Less time to prepare. Administration insists that teachers fill in for absent colleagues during two prep periods without pay—making it impossible at times to adequately prepare for classes.
- NESPA members need a living wage. Para-educators have too few hours of work (few work over 6.5 hours), but administration wants to cut hours to less than 4 hours a day and eliminate annual step increases. NESPA salaries are already low, but admin won’t agree to any increase above the COLA.
- Nearly ¼ of NESPA members are used as temps year after year. They’re considered “School Year Only Employees”—and have no job or hour security. The process of transferring to a new position needs clarity and fairness. NESPA members need access to more professional hours for planning with teachers, training, and other work.
The Board has the funds to resolve these contracts. The ending fund balance for each of the last 9 months has been an average of $4.4 million over last year’s ending fund balance. At least $3.5 million is available to resolve these negotiations.
