Placentia-Yorba Linda school district trustees vote one percent wage increase for teachers for 2017-18

Tentative agreement has been reached on a new three-year contract for teachers at the 34 campuses of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District that grants the educators an across-the-board one percent salary increase for the current school year, the first pay hike since 2015-16.

The tentative contract, signed by representatives of the district and the teachers union, is expected to be ratified at an upcoming meeting of the district's five elected trustees. Also included in the pact is an agreement to reopen the clause on wages for 2018-19 and 2019-20.

The increase will total $496 for a credentialed first-year teacher and range upwards to $1,028 for a 30-year teacher with specified advanced education credits, under a new salary schedule that will begin at $50,145 for a beginning teacher and end at $103,802 for the 30-year veteran.

The seven elected trustees at the nine-campus Brea-Olinda Unified School District recently approved a one percent salary increase for their teachers. The new salary scale ranges from $51,503 for a credentialed first-year teacher to $105,111 for a 26-year teacher with advanced credits.

And the current salary scale for teachers at eight campuses in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District ranges from $55,585 for a credentialed first-year teacher to $112,679 for a 23-year teacher with advanced credits.

Teachers are paid for 185 work-days in the Brea-Olinda and Placentia-Yorba Linda districts, while the Fullerton district pays for 186 work days.

One key feature in the new Placentia-Yorba Linda contract is a provision that will compress the current 30th-year step to a 28-year top beginning in the 2018-19 school year. According to contract language, the new 28th-year pay step will increase by $5,000.

Of course, teachers can earn extra pay for additional assignments, such as academic and athletic coaching, various adviser roles, curriculum and committee work and other specific duties.

In the Placentia-Yorba Linda district so far this year, 23 middle school and 41 high school teachers earn extra pay for teaching an additional period each day for annual pay ranging from $7,164 to $17,300, depending on each teacher's placement on the salary schedule.

One interesting add to the new contract: “Unit members shall not be required to change diapers.”

On another matter, Placentia-Yorba Linda trustee Karin Freeman reports the Orange County Committee on School District Organization, of which she is a member, approved the district's recently adopted plan to elect trustees from five voting areas on a 9-0 vote.

She said: “Of note were the compliments made by committee members about our...overall process and the criteria used to create the map options.” (Three options were presented.)

Next step is approval from the state Board of Education, expected next month, before signups begin in July for the two trustee areas scheduled for the November ballot.