Austin teachers rally for pay raise

About 35 teachers spent their lunch purchedin from of Lanier High School, urging the Austin School Board and district residents to raise taxes to support a 3 percent pay increase in the 2010-2011 school year.

That would be in the be in addition to state-financed increases for educators of about $100 to $600 each. The teachers, led by Louis Malfaro, president of labor group Education Austin, donned yellow T-shirts with the slogan, AISD 49ers - thank goodness for Lubbock." I agree with the story that teachers should do whatever they have do to increase the awareness that need some kind of increase in their salaries. I really think that it should be more that just 3 percent. Teachers should be paid on the level of classes they teach.

The slogan refers to the average base salary of Austin teachers ranking 49th out of Texas 50 major urban school districts. The average in Austin-the fifth largest of those districts is $44,987.

"I've commited myself to the district, but the district has commeted (itself) to me," said Ken Zarifis, an eighth grade language arts teacher at Burnett Middle School. He said Austin has become a training ground for new teachers who leave for neighboring districts that pay better. "we're not asking for too much. We're asking for a cost of living increase." If a person is commeted to what they are working for, the same commentment should be shown back to the person. Why should someone that get good training have to go outside the district of even the area to find a position with a higher salary.

However, didtrict administrators say the 49th ranking doesn't reflect the ditricts total compensation, which includes contributions to health insurance and Social Security. Of Texas districts, only Austin and San Antonio contribute to Social Security. Austin teachers also don't have to pay health premiums for themselves. Tht combined benefits are worth about $5,000 on average, officials said.

When total compensation is factored in, Austin ranks seventh among the 10 biggest districts in the state and first in Central Texas, said Michael Houser, the district's chief human capital officer.

"I would love to see us (raise base salaries) about 4 percent to maintain competitiveness. But in this day and age, I don't think its realistic, Houser said.

The proposed $7.1 million 2010-2011 budget includes a projected $7.1 million gap and is short another $64 million needed to jumpstart academic programs associated with the district's strategic plan. A 1 percent salary increase district wide would cost $4.7 million; a 1 percent raise for teachers only would cost $3.23 million.

Lat year, the state mandated 3 percent raises for all teachers; the district matched that amount for all employees.

The 2010-2011 budget plan includes no money for raises, and officials said there is no plans for a November referendum for a tax increase. A public hearing on the preliminary budget is scheduled for April 26; trustees plan to adopt it Aug 2nd.

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