[1. Meeting Opening] [00:00:07] STARTED. IT IS 5:0 7 PM. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. SPEE02 I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. TONIGHT WE ARE HOLDING PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE POST OF AGENDA ITEM WHICH IS DISCUSSING THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. BEFORE WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION , WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING PART OF THE EVENING. SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN SPEAKING, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. MAKE SURE THAT AS YOU ARE SPEAKING, AS I SAID, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR COMMENTS ARE GET TO THE BOARD AND NO ONE AT THE INDIVIDUAL. THOSE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING, PLEASE STEP INTO THE MICROPHONE. SAYING THAT THERE ARE NO TAKERS, 12 ITEM 3.01. [3. Information Items] PUBLIC HEARING BETWEEN AGENCY CONCERNING KATIE AND ABBEY TAYLOR. AND DR. KEGLEY. >> GOOD EVENING. WELCOME, MS. TAYLOR. I WANT TO THINK ABOUT MARKETING TEAMS FOR THE WORK THEY PUT IN PARTICULARLY OVER THE TWO LONG DAYS THEY HAD. IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION AND I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK ABBY AND HER TEAM. IT CONSISTED OF BREANNE, CAROLYN, DEBBIE AND CHRIS. AND THE TEAM THAT REPRESENTED THE MINISTRATION. MYSELF, JIMMY LAKE AND TAYLOR, STEPHANIE MADISON AND KATIE. WE ALSO HAD SLAYTON AND JASON CLACK. I WANT TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE'S EFFORTS. JUST TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS, WHAT YOU WILL BE CONSIDERING NEXT WEEK IS A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT BETWEEN AGENCY AND MINISTRATION AND HSCA. BARGAINING WAS DONE THROUGH AN INTEREST-BASED MARKETING METHOD. IT WAS A VERY COLLABORATIVE CONVERSATION . WE HAD TWO FULL DAYS OF BARGAINING TO REACH AN AGREEMENT. THE MAJORITY OF THE THIRD DAY WAS BASICALLY LEADERSHIP FOR THOSE TWO GROUPS. CLEANING UP LANGUAGE, WORKING WITH REPRESENTATIVES FOR BOTH PARTIES TO REACH A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT. THAT WAS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE. 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF TONIGHT. SO THAT WAS MONDAY EVENING AT 5:00. HSC HAS SINCE HELD MEETINGS WITH TEACHERS AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF RATIFICATION. WHICH BRINGS US TO TONIGHT . OUR PUBLIC HEARING. AND ON NOVEMBER 8TH, NEXT WEDNESDAY, WILL HAVE AN ACTION ITEM FOR THE BOARD RATIFICATION OF THIS TENTATIVE AGREEMENT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT AS WE TALK TO THE PROCESS AND SURFACE ENTRANCE GETTING TO THE CONTRACT, WE REALLY LOOK AT THREE TESTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT GETS INTO THE CONTRACT. IS IT FEASIBLE, IS IT SUSTAINABLE, AND IS IT MODIFIABLE. THOSE ARE OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR WE GET TO THE END OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO HIT THE POINTS OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WE WILL BE CONSIDERING FOR RATIFICATION NEXT WEEK. FIRST IS SALARY. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MAINTAINING A COMPETITIVE SALARY WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS A PRIME IMPORTANT DETAIL. NOT ONLY TO OUR TEACHERS, BUT TEACHERS WANT TO ATTRACT TO OUR DISTRICT. SO IN AN EFFORT TO DO THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SURFACED WAS AN IMPORTANT NEED TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION FOR AND GET NICE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE TEACHERS IN THE DISTRICT HAVE. [00:05:06] WE DO THAT BY MOVING FROM A ONE COLUMN SYSTEM FOR COMPENSATION 22 COLUMN SYSTEM THAT WOULD INCORPORATE A BACHELOR'S +36 AND HIGHER COLUMN, WHICH PREVIOUSLY WASN'T SEPARATED. IF WE HAD SOMEBODY IN OUR DISTRICT WHO HAD SINCE EARNED A MASTERS DEGREE , THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR. SINCE THE LAW CHANGE WHEN IT USED TO BE THE CASE, WHERE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH PEOPLE UP IN THAT REGARD, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THIS CONTRACT. WHILE ALSO RAISING OUR STARTING TEACHER SALARY TO 48,500, WHICH I BELIEVE MIGHT BE THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTY. WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWING THAT THESE SALARIES ARE SUPER COMPETITIVE WITH OUR COMPETITION IN THE DISTRICT AND WE HOPE IT CONTINUES TO LEAD TO FOLKS WANTING TO COME JOIN HSC. HAVE YOU GOT ANYTHING TO ADD IN? ANOTHER AREA WAS ADJUSTMENTS IN SICK AND PERSONAL DAYS. WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PAID TIME OFF, AS IT IS OFTEN REFERRED TO IN OTHER JOB MARKETS. WE ARE TEACHERS IN THE PRESENT WHO HAVE FOUR PERSONAL DAYS AND 10 SICK DAYS. WITH THE NEW CONTRACT, WE PUT IN SEVEN PERSONAL DAYS AND REDUCE THE SIX DAYS TO SEVEN. WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TO PROVIDING EXTRA FLEXIBILITY TO THE STAFF TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE NEEDS THAT ARISE THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED. UNDER OUR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY SCHEDULE OR APPENDIX, WE JUST REALLY FOCUS ON A FEW THINGS . A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF ITEMS OVERALL. WE INCREASED OUR SUPPLIER BY $10. WE WERE AT 390 AND IT GOES UP TO 400. WE ADDRESSED A DISPARITY THAT SURFACE THAT WE HAD WITH FOOTBALL AND CHEERLEADING COACHES. WE INCREASED THE MULTIPLIER TO 14 DUE TO THE DISPARITY. THAT WAS REALLY THE ONLY AREA WHERE WE LOOKED AT SALARY CONSIDERATIONS RELATIVE TO ECA BECAUSE OF THE DISPARITY. MOVING THE QUARTER POSITIONS , I WILL TALK ABOUT A REVIEW AND JUST A SECOND. WHEN WE ADDRESS CLASS COVERAGE, WE HAD SOME REAL INCONSISTENCIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN SURFACED WITH US AND WE NEEDED TO EQUALIZE AND JUSTIFY THAT ACROSS THE GREAT LEVEL SO WE HAVE CONSISTENCY K-12. AS WE STRUGGLE THROUGH MAKING SURE WE HAD ENOUGH SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS WHERE WE WOULD OFTEN TIMES LOOK AT THE LOWER GRADES, WE HAVE TO SPLIT CLASSES AND GIVE THOSE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM OR MAYBE EVEN IN SOME CASES AN ENTIRE CLASS WENT WITH ANOTHER TEACHER. SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE COMPENSATING THOSE FOLKS APPROPRIATELY COMPARED TO THE SECONDARY PEERS. ALSO IN ALIGNMENT TO WHAT IT MIGHT BE IF WE HAD A SUBSTITUTE IN THE CLASSROOM. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO MAKE SURE I POINT OUT IS ONE OF THE FOCAL POINTS THAT KIND OF MADE IT INTO OUR PARKING LOT IS THE DESIRE TO DO A FULL REVIEW OF OUR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY SCHEDULE. THAT IS NOT A PART OF THE CONTRACT , BUT IT IS ON OUR TO DO LIST. AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. AND THAT WOULD BE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS THAT WILL BE LOOKING AT THE MULTIPLIERS , UNDERSTANDING AND JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND WHAT IS NEEDED OR NOT NEEDED ON THAT SCHEDULE AND WHAT ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE MADE OR NOT MADE. AND BRINGING ALL THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT TO THE TABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. >> I TOLD HIM AT A FINANCE MEETING, BECAUSE WAS ASKING ABOUT ECA , WE TALKED ABOUT HOW LITTLE PEOPLE CAN DO THAT. WE ALSO HAVE VERY LITTLE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE A PART OF THE ECA COMMITTEE. SO I WILL PUT A SELFISH PLUG OUT THERE FOR ALL THE TEACHERS PAYING ATTENTION. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THIS, WE ARE LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO LIKE TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE. >> PLEASE REACH OUT TO ABBEY TAYLOR. NEXT, WE LOOKED AT, INCLUDING AND DID INCLUDE -- SO [00:10:07] PRIOR TO -- IN THE LAST -- I AM GOING TO GET THIS RIGHT. THE LAST CONTRACT OF THE ONE WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER, ONCE IT WAS SETTLED, WE CREATED A MOU TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION FOR THE CTA TEACHERS. WE TOOK OVER THE PROGRAMS OF THE DISTRICT. WE TOOK THE MOU AND PUT IN AS PART OF THE CONTRACT SO WE HAVE , IN THE CONTRACT, GUIDANCE GOING FORWARD IF WE WERE TO EXPAND THOSE PROGRAMS OR TEACHERS WOULD LEAD AND WE NEED TO REPLACE THEM. WE HAVE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO COUNT YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. OFTEN TIME THE WORKPLACE SPECIALIST SITUATIONS, THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE TRADITIONAL TEACHING LICENSE OR GONE THROUGH TRADITIONAL EDUCATION. BUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE FROM THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE IN THE FIELD. SO WE KNOW HOW THIS AS PART OF THE CONTRACT. 10 TEACHER SICK DAYS? THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY OUR ATTEMPT FOR A TEACHER WHO SERVES A TEMPORARY POSITION. THEY ARE A LOT THE SAME NUMBER OF SICK DAYS ARE PERMANENT FOR OUR PERMANENT TEACHERS. BUT AT THE END OF THE TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT, THOSE GO AWAY IF THEY HAVE NOT USED THEM. AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THIS PIECE IS JUST ON HER THAT IF THEY ARE EMPLOYED BY THE START OF THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR, THERE WILL BE ABLE TO CARRYOVER THOSE DAYS INTO A PERMANENT ASSIGNMENT. WE HAD A VARIOUS GROUP OF LEADS THAT WE ADDRESSED TO THE CONTRACT AS WELL. MOST OF IT WAS CLEANUP OR MINOR CHANGES IN LANGUAGE RELATED TO SICK LEAVE OR BANK. WE COMBINED ALL OF OUR EMERGENCY LEAVES INSTEAD OF BEING ALMOST THE SAME INFORMATION REPEATED MULTIPLE TIMES. CHILDCARE, SPOUSAL AND PARENT LEAVES, WE GROUPED UNDER ONE. ASSOCIATION OFFICER LEAVES PROVIDE SOME DISCUSSION FOR INTERNS THAT WERE INSIDE WITH. THIS IS HOW IT IS ALLOCATED. AND THEN WE MERGED ALL OF OUR RETURN LEAVE DATES TO MAY NUMBER ONE TO MARCH 1. OUR BUILDINGS CAN UNDERSTAND WHO MIGHT BE RETURNING FROM LEAVE AND WILL BE BACK IN POSITION AND WHO MIGHT BE DECIDING TO EITHER EXTENDED THE LEAVE OR MAYBE , IN SOME CASES, WE HAVE FOLKS WHO MIGHT RESIGN THEIR POSITION. BUT WE KNOW THAT EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER SO WE CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY. AND THEN THE LAST CHANGE SLIDE. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL AREAS WORRY AT SOME CONTRACT DAYS. THE FIRST ONE IS CLARIFICATION FOR THE LONGEST TIME INTHIS DISTRICT WE WOULD HAVE A TEACHER PROGRAM AT ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND THEY WERE EXTRA DAYS ASSIGNED TO THAT PROGRAM AND TO THE PERSON. NOW WE HAVE TEACHERS IN BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS. THIS CLARIFIED THE DAYS CAN BE USED AT EACH HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEN WE ADDED 10 EXTRA DAYS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS SPECIALIST. THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND DO A LOT OF WORK OUTSIDE OF THE 185 DAY CONTRACT TIME. AND WENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND MAKE SURE THEY WERE COMPENSATED ACCORDINGLY. SO WE ADDED 10 DAYS OF THE CONTRACT. AND FOR ALL OF OUR OTHER RESOURCE AND PROGRAM TEACHERS, WE ADDED THREE DAYS THAT WILL ALLOW FOR MUCH NEEDED -- ALLOW FOR COMPENSATION FOR TIMES WHEN THERE IS MUCH NEEDED TRAINING THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS. OR THEY MIGHT BE MOVING CASE CONFERENCES THAT TAKE PLACE THAT HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS. IT'LL BE COMPENSATED FOR THINGS LIKE THAT. IT WILL BE WORKING WITH THE A MINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE WE FIGURE OUT HOW THOSE DAYS ARTIST REPEATED. THAT IS THE END . I FLEW THROUGH THAT. THANKS. QUESTIONS? >>> I HAVE ONE TO START. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE DATES FOR THIS? A ONE YEAR AGREEMENT? YOU TALK LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT ACTUALLY WORKING IN THE REAR AND GOING FORWARD. SO IF THIS WERE TO PASS NEXT MEETING , WHAT [00:15:05] DATE RANGES AFFECT AND WHEN ARE THE SELLERS GOING UP? WHEN DOES THIS ALL TOOK EFFECT AND ONE OF THE TEACHERS COMPENSATED? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS? >> WE WILL BRING THE START DATE OF THIS CONTRACT BACK TO PRIOR TO JULY 1 OF THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTING. THEN IT'LL BE GOOD FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR. AND THEN WE GET TO DO THIS PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN NEXT FALL. HOPEFULLY A LITTLE SOONER. BUT YEAH, IT IS EFFECTIVE AND TEACHERS WILL BE COMPENSATED AND PROVIDED BACKPAY AND ADJUSTMENT WITH THE CONTRACT. COMPARED TO WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW UNDER LAST YEAR'S CONTRACT. >>> PERFECT. WITH THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT ECA, THANK YOU FOR THAT, ABBY. I KEEP TELLING PEOPLE IT IS THE MOST EXCITING COMMITTEE. YOU SHOULD TRY TO MAKE IT. AS YOU GO ON AND HAVE THE DISCUSSION AROUND ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS AND WHAT WE WANT TO COMPENSATE HORIZONTALLY ACROSS THE DISTRICT, IT IS THE INTENTION TO TRY TO WORK THAT OUT SO THAT OVER THE SUMMER PEOPLE CAN FINISH AS THEY ARE NOW. SO IS EFFECTIVE FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR. BUT THEN OF THE SUMMERTIME THE KIND OF COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE ARE NOT PUTTING PEOPLE IN PLACE IF IT IS NOT WHAT YOU END UP WITH THE NEXT CONTRACT. I THINK -- I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN YOU NEGOTIATED THESE THINGS AFTER PEOPLE ALREADY STARTED WORKING. IT IS VERY STRANGE. I TOLD HER TO TALK TO LEGISLATOR ABOUT THAT. TO TALK AND TAKE CARE OF THAT. IS THAT KIND OF THE IDEA WE WANTED? TO THAT IN PRINCIPLE SO THAT WE GO TO THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR CLEAN AND WITH WHATEVER IS GOING TO AFFECTED GOES ON IN THE NEXT CONTRACT? >> YES, THAT IS CORRECT. IF WE GET THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS, WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT ECAS THAT WE DECIDED WE MIGHT NOT NEED ANYMORE. IF WE DECIDE THEY'RE NOT SERVING US ANYMORE, THEN WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE IN THOSE POSITIONS TO START THAT WORK AND HAVE TO PUT AN END TO IT AT SOME POINT. SO WE HAVE OPTIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE A STOP DATE SO WE DON'T START THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. >> ONE MORE QUESTION, I AM SORRY. THE EXTRA DAYS, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AS FAR AS THE EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS RESOURCE , TEACHERS AND THERE WAS ANOTHER CATEGORY. PROGRAM. THEY HAVE EXTRA DAYS. 10 AND THREE DAYS. HOW DOES IT ACTUALLY WORK OUT IF YOU ARE ON SALARY? IS IT DIVIDED OUT BY 185 DAYS? AND THE DAILY RATE IS GIVEN FOR EACH ADDITIONAL DAY? >> YES. IT IS SPECIFIC TO THE INDIVIDUAL PERSON TOO, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT SALARY BRACKET. >> WHEN YOU DIVIDE THEIR INDIVIDUAL RATE, THAT'S WHAT YOU GET? GREAT, THANK YOU. >> JUST A COUPLE OF MORE QUESTIONS TO CLARIFY. IN THIS AGREEMENT ON THE LINE ITEMS, WE ARE SIGNING -- SIGNING OFF OR HAVING THIS DISCUSSION THAT -- I BELIEVE YOU STATED IT PREVIOUSLY BUT I WOULD CLARIFY THE PUBLIC. IF IT IS AT SOME POINT A HEADCOUNT OR POSITION THAT WE FEEL IS NOT SERVING BEST FOR THE STUDENTS IN OUR GOALS, WE CAN RE-EVALUATE THAT. AND THEN ALSO TO CLARIFY, THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR STEPHANIE. AS OF RIGHT NOW, REGARDLESS OF THE REFERENDUM, WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THE SALARY INCREASE IS CURRENTLY? >> CORRECT. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> ALL OF THE ECA POSITIONS HAVE TO GO TO THE BARGAINING PROCESS. IF WE ARE WANTING TO ADD OR SUBTRACT ANY, WE HAVE TO BARGAIN. IT IS JUST PART OF THE RULES. WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON THAT. THE ECA COMMUNITY -- COMMITTEE IS IN OUR CONTRACT. SO THAT IS IN THERE. SO THAT WE HOLD AND A BITE TO IT. >> ONE LAST THING. WE DISCUSSED THIS IN PREVIOUS GOAL MEETINGS. ABOUT HAVING A LIAISON. I UNDERSTAND SO I CANNOT FIT INTO PROTECT PRIVACY. THE CHECKPOINTS, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THE RESPONSIBILITY IS ON THE BOARD. WE ARE BEHIND IN MAKING SURE THERE IS ON THE TRANSPARENCY. WE CAN SAY ON THE RECORD THAT WE WILL BE BETTER AT DISCUSSING THE ON BOTH SIDES. [00:20:03] WORK. I THINK THIS WAS VERY POSITIVE. VERY PLEASED TO SEE ALL OF THE STUFF ON THE CONTRACT. I HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. FOR MY TIME ON THE BOARD, PAYING OUR TEACHERS THE BEST. HEARING THAT YOU MADE THE DOUBLE COLUMN WAS REALLY FOCUSING ON TEACHERS WHO HAVE THEIR MASTERS AND TEACHERS COMING IN, I COMMEND YOU GUYS ON THAT WORK. FIRST OF ALL, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT. IT IS VERY PROMISING. THE SAME WITH THE MULTIPLIER ECA. I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO WANT TO GET BACK TO SCHOOL AND FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID ANYTHING TO DO IT. I WANT TO SEE THE NUMBER. WHETHER IT IS BAND OR CLUB ACTIVITY, SUPPORTING THE DISTRICT OUR TEACHERS ARE AWARDED. GOOD WORK ON THAT SO FAR. QUESTION. TWO QUESTIONS. ONE OF THEM IS NO TO THE PROCESS, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT HOW THIS WORKS. BUT I KNOW ASIDE FROM YOUR CONTRACTS, YOU GUYS ALSO HAVE PART OF THIS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE. IS ANY OF THAT CHANGING? SORRY. OR WILL THERE BE ANY INCREASE OR WILL THAT STAY THE SAME? >> IF A TEACHER IS RATED INEFFECTIVE OR NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, THEY WILL NOT SEE THIS RAISE. THAT IS WHAT THE LAW SAYS. IF ANY OF THOSE TEACHERS HAVE THAT , THEY WILL NOT MOVE OR SEE A RAISE. THAT ALSO MEANS IF ANYBODY BEFORE HAD IT, THEY ARE ON A DIFFERENT PAY SCALE AS WELL. SO ANY TEACHER INEFFECTIVE OR NEEDS IMPROVEMENT WILL BE ON A DIFFERENT SCALE THAN THIS. THAT IS NOT VERY MANY, JUST SO YOU KNOW. IT IS VERY FEW. LIKE A HANDFUL. >> SO NOT EVERYBODY AUTOMATICALLY IS GETTING THIS NEW PAY STRUCTURE? >> CORRECT. STATE LAW REQUIRES HE USED THE EFFECTIVENESS RATING IN ORDER TO PUT THE TEACHER ON THE PAY SCALE. >> HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN DONE? SO YOU GUYS HOW THAT ? OKAY, EXCELLENT. >> WE KEEP THEM INFORMED ALONG THE WAY SO THEY ARE NOT SURPRISE AT THE END. >> OKAY. LET'S JUST SAY SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE IT. BUT THEY ARE GETTING WHAT THEY HAVE? THERE IS NO DEMOTION OR ANYTHING? >> THEY STAY WHERE THEY ARE AT. SAME AMOUNT. >> THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR ABBY ABOUT THE PROCESS. BEFORE YOU EVEN GOT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WHEN YOU STARTED THAT, WHAT HAPPENS FOR TEACHER BASE? WHETHER THEY ARE PART OF THE UNION ARE NOT PART OF THE UNION? I KNOW THE UNION REPRESENTS ALL OF OUR TEACHERS. BUT THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE NOT OFFICIALLY A PART OF THE UNION, IF YOU WILL. WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR REACHING OUT TO ALL THE TEACHERS TO SAY GUYS, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS COMING UP NEXT MONTH OR WHATEVER. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU LIKE TO SEE? WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS? HOW DOES THAT WORK THAT PEOPLE OR TEACHERS ASIDE FROM THIS EXECUTIVE BOARD GIVES INPUT TO YOU? >> SO OUR BARGAINING TEAM MEETS TOGETHER AND CREATES A SURVEY. ONCE WE HAVE A SURVEY, I TAKE IT TO MY EXECUTIVE BOARD TO SAY DO YOU SEE ANY BIG, GLARING FLAWS? THEN AFTER THAT IT IS SENT OUT TO THE ALL CERTIFIED TEACHERS LIST AND EVERY TEACHER IS ABLE TO TAKE THAT SURVEY. SO THEN WE TAKE ALL TEACHERS ' SURVEY AMOUNTS. OR DATA, AND WE GO FROM THERE. >> OKAY. I WAS REITERATING AND CONFIRMING HOW ALL OF OUR TEACHERS HAVE A VOICE. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF THEY HAVE TO USE IT IF THEY WANT TO GIVE THEIR VOICE. CORRECT? >> CORRECT. AND ANY TEACHER CAN DRAW THE ECA COMMITTEE. >> THEN YOU GO. >> I HAVE TO SORT OUT THERE. IT IS A REAL THING. >> THAT IS ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. >> THAT IS NEW AS OF THIS YEAR? COMMITTEE AS WELL. THE CONTRACT. THEY HAVE BEEN CHANGES IN DISTRICT I HAVE MADE THAT A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO PUT TOGETHER. MATT WAS IN CHARGE OF IT. THEN HE GOT SUPERINTENDENT -- NO. KIM WAS IN CHARGE OF IT, SORRY. KIM WAS IN CHARGE, THEN MATT WAS IN CHARGE FOR A WHILE. I MEAN, IT HAS COME UP AND BOUNCED AROUND AND HONESTLY, I HAVE ALSO BEEN DOING WITH THE REFERENDUM AND MAKING SURE WE ARE GETTING OUT FOR THAT. SO THINGS TOOK PRIORITY OVER IT, THE ECA THING. THAT IS HOW IT HAD TO GO AT THIS TIME. BUT WILL MAKE SURE IT IS DONE THIS YEAR. ON BOTH OF OUR BIG RADARS. >> AND ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO [00:25:03] JOIN. >> THEY WILL NEED ADMINISTRATORS ON THIS COMMITTEE TOO. IN KEGLEY. >> DR. KEGLEY, YOU ANSWERED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE RAISES BEING IN THE BUDGET WHETHER OR NOT THE REFERENDUM PASSES. BUT I REALLY WANT YOU TO JUST ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY WE PRIORITIZE THAT AND HOW THAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE REFERENDUM AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE PILES OF MONEY JUST LAYING AROUND. >> NO, NO. GOSH. LIVE ONLY WISH? -- DON'T WE WISH? THERE IS MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE IN ANTICIPATION FOR RAISING. SO IT IS NOT REFERENDUM DEPENDENT BECAUSE THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IF WE HAVE TO MAKE BUDGET CUTS RELATED TO IF THE REFERENDUM WOULD PASS , THEN THOSE ARE LIKELY -- THOSE COULD MEAN STAFFING LOSSES AND NOT NECESSARILY WAGE REDUCTIONS. SO WE ARE STILL GOING TO NEED TEACHERS TO TEACH OUR KIDS ARE HERE. SO THAT IS WHY THAT MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN SET ASIDE TO DEAL WITH RAISES. AND IT IS NOT AT ALL REFERENDUM DEPENDENT. >> AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE RAISES, THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE? >> IT IS NOT. THE REALITY IS THERE'S PROBABLY NOT ANYTHING -- YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DO LESS WITH LESS OTHER THINGS, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOMS TO TEACH OUR KIDS. YOU KNOW, WE ALL HOPE WE ARE SUCCESSFUL NEXT WEEK. AND THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO CONTINUE IN OUR GOALS IN THE DISTRICT. FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAVE TO RAISE THE CLASS SIZES, WE ALSO THINK FOLKS WILL BE HERE TO ALSO BE COMPENSATED BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKELY TAKING ON ADDITIONAL WORK AS WELL. >> THANK YOU. >> WE TALKED ABOUT IT DURING THE LOT ABOUT THE INTEREST PART OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DO. WE KNEW THAT RETAINING AND ATTRACTING TEACHERS WAS PART OF THE REFERENDUM AND SO HOW CAN WE DO THAT WITH OR WITHOUT? BUT WHAT ARE SOME THINGS WE NEED TO HAVE TO KEEP AND RETAIN TEACHERS WAS HUGE. IT WAS OUR MAIN, MAIN INTEREST. >> YEAH. THAT IS A PART OF OUR GOAL MOVING FORWARD, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE UPCOMING REFERENDUM. IT WAS ALSO THE MAIN GOAL WITH THE REFERENDUM WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME FOR US TO SHOW THAT INACTION. >> I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH AGAIN FOR THE PROCESS. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME GOING THROUGH THIS. WE DON'T HAVE A HUGE ROLE IN THE DATABASE. BUT AS WE HAVE QUESTIONS AND ASK ABOUT THE PROCESS, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GREAT GETTING BACK TO IT. AND COMMUNICATING AND TELLING US HOW THINGS WORK AND WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO. IT SEEMS THAT THIS INTEREST-BASED IDEA REALLY MADE A SMOOTH PROCESS. I, FOR ONE, WAS NERVOUS ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. I DON'T HOW YOU GUYS HEAR HORROR STORIES AMONG OTHER THINGS AND PLACES. I THINK YOU BOTH. GREAT WORK AND I APPRECIATE IT. >> JASON WAS THERE. AND HE WAS WATCHING BARNES AND THORNBURG, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW. THE ATTORNEY WAS IN THERE AND AT FIRST HE WAS LIKE THIS CANNOT BE REAL, THIS CANNOT BE REAL. THEN WE BROKE AT THE END OF THE FIRST DAY AND HE SAID I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS, BUT THIS IS REALLY COOL. LIKE, SO IT WAS REAFFIRMING TO US TOO , THAT WE ARE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY. LIKE, THIS IS THE BEST WAY. >> THE PROCESS, WHEN PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT IT, IT COULD LEAD THEM TO THINK YOU ARE NOT PROTECTING INTERESTS AND YOU'RE NOT MAKING SURE YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. BUT THE REALITY IS YOU CAN DO ALL THOSE THINGS AND STILL DO IT IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY AND BE PROFESSIONAL WITH EACH OTHER. I THINK WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS. >> AND TEACHERS ARE HAPPY WITH IT. YESTERDAY WE HAD FOUR . I DON'T KNOW, GUYS, IT STARTED AT SEVEN AND ENDED AT SEVEN. SO, LIKE, IT WAS A LONG DAY. DURING THOSE -- EACH TIME , TWO PEOPLE ALL CLAPPED IN THE ROOM FOR GOOD CONTRACT. AND ANOTHER TIME LOTS OF PEOPLE CAME UP TO US JUST TO TELL US HOW APPRECIATIVE THEY WERE. WE HAVE BEEN GETTING EMAILS SAYING HOW AWESOME THIS CONTRACT IS AND WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU [00:30:01] ALLOW DR. KEGLEY TO DO INTEREST -BASED BARGAINING AGAIN. BECAUSE THAT IS A HUGE ONE. IT BUILDS A SENSE OF TRUST WITH BOTH OF US. AND I THINK IT BUILT IT WITH BARNES AND THORNBURG TOO. WITH HIM BEING IN THERE AND SEEING HOW THE PROCESS CAN WORK AND HE SAID, IF YOU TRY THIS IN OTHER PLACES. SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ALLOW US TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO INTERSPACE. WHEN YOU CAME, IT WAS SOMETHING I WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. >> I AM GLAD YOU GUYS GOT TO DO THAT TOO. I WAS GOOD TO ASK YOU, BUT YOU JUST SAID IT. YOUR SUPPORT AFTER IT HAS BEEN DONE, YOU GOT A LOT OF POSITIVE YESTERDAY. >> ONCE EVERYONE FIGURED OUT WHERE THEY WERE GOING ON THE PAY SCALE, IT WAS REALLY GOOD. YOU KNOW. APPLES TO ORANGES ON THE PAY SCALE, AND MAKES EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, INTERPRET IT DIFFERENTLY. BUT WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SIT DOWN AND WORK THOSE OUT TOGETHER. COLLABORATIVELY. AND THAT WAS THE MORNING MEETING. BY THE END WERE LIKE THIS IS AMAZING. LOOK. WE HAVE LITTLE THINGS WE NEED TO WORK OUT. >> MAYBE AS IT -- MAYBE I SHOULDN'T ASSUME. IF YOU GUYS MADE OUT YOUR LITTLE LIST OF HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT NEXT YEAR, HOW WAS IT? >> ECA COMMITTEE. YOU CAN JOIN IT. >> I DO KNOW THAT FOR US, WE ARE JUST THE OVERSIGHT TO IT. FOR ME, PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO DO BETTER FOR NEXT YEAR. MAYBE ALL THE THINGS WE ARE DOING WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CALENDAR OF KNOWING WHAT IS COMING UP. SO WHEN THINGS ARE DECISION , I LOVE TO SUPPORT SO MANY MORE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING. ESPECIALLY KNOWING WE HAVE THE INFORMATION AND TIME TO REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING. I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH GETTING THE MOST OF INFORMATION AND HEARING HOW IT IS GOING IN THE PROCESS OF HOW IT IS GOING. JUST GOING FORWARD FOR NEXT YEAR ON ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER AT SCHEDULING. SO THAT WE ARE NOT ALWAYS ON TOP OR COMING FROM BEHIND. >> I THINK THE HARDEST PART YOU TALKED ABOUT , DO BETTER, BUT WE HAVE ONE OF THE STRUCTURE OR PROCESS. HAS -- AS SOON AS YOU IN THE PROCESS, YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE. THERE IS ONLY SO MANY THINGS YOU CAN GET ACCOMPLISHED IN A GIVEN YEAR. AND FORTUNATELY, I GUESS FOR US, WE DO THIS TWO YEARS IN A ROW APPOINTMENT HAVE A CHANCE TO DO TWO YEAR CONTRACTS. BUT NO, GOOD THINGS. >> IT IS ALSO HARD . WE CANNOT TECHNICALLY BARGAIN ANYTHING UNLESS IT IS WITHIN THE STATE GUIDELINE TIME. EVENING CONVERSATIONS AND INSURANCE AND ECAS, THOSE ARE SUGGESTIONS THAT GETS TO BE MOVED FORWARD TO THE BARGAINING TABLE. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS WITH INSURANCE. WE STILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE BARGAINED IT. SO IT IS -- THERE'S A FINE LINE OF WHAT INFORMATION IS REALLY SOLIDIFIED. BECAUSE NOTHING IS SOLIDIFIED BEFORE WE GO TO THE BARGAINING TABLE. THANK YOU. >> WHAT DOES THE PR MARKETING LIKE AFTER LET'S SAY EVERYTHING HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH SALARIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE? IS THERE FOR THAT? DO WE HAVE ONE? ARE THE THOUGHTS ABOUT IT OR CAN WE DO IT? >> IS NOT ATYPICAL TO HAVE PRESS RELEASES THAT WE SEND OUT TO FOLKS . WE HIGHLIGHT NOT JUST THE PROCESS, BUT OUT OF THE PROCESS. I WANT PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES OF SCHOOLS TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO SALARY. WE WANT TO GET THE WORD OUT. >> WE GET THIS INFORMATION OUT THROUGH OUR VP OF INDICATION . ALSO FOR OUR MARKETING CHAIR, HE IS REALLY AMAZING AND MIXTURE ALL OF OUR TEACHERS GET THAT INFORMATION. >> TEACHERS IN THE AUDIENCE, AS EVERYONE EXCITED? DOES ANYONE WANT TO GIVE A HIGH FIVE OR A CLAPPER ANYTHING? ARE YOU EXCITED? * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.