Kettering Schools paid $19,000 to a professional polling business, Strategic Visioning, Inc., to gather information about Kettering voters’ opinion about Kettering Schools. The introduction to the report says, “This study was commissioned to determine voters’ attitudes toward Kettering City School District’s academic performance, fiscal stewardship, facilities, and leadership, as well as support for upcoming levies.”
The Strategic Visioning poll (download a PDF here) shows a lot of public confidence in Kettering Schools. Evidently, the results of this poll helped encourage the Kettering School Board to put a new school property tax levy of 6.9 mills on the May 4 Primary ballot.
It is impressive that 71% of parents with children in Kettering Schools say evaluate Kettering teachers as “Top quality teachers who really care about students and their futures,” and 57% of voters without children in Kettering Schools agree.
In Kettering Schools, 85% of the budget goes to salaries and wages. Asking Kettering taxpayers to approve new increases in their school property tax generally translates into asking taxpayers to approve giving teachers pay increases.
In this economic climate, what might be a stumbling block to approving the 6.9 mill tax increase for Kettering Schools is how voters evaluate the pay already earned by Kettering teachers — 64% of men feel that Kettering teachers are either paid too much or, about right, and 44% of women agree.
I have made a request to the Treasurer of Kettering Schools, Steve Clark, to be provided copies of any documents provided to the board that explains his forecast that 6.9 mills of additional property tax are needed to keep Kettering Schools solvent. (See my letter to Mr. Clark.) The best guess is that in order to make this 6.9 mills forecast, Mr. Clark included in his forecast pay increases for teachers and administrators — beyond those increases already built into the current contract that come with additional years of experience or additional academic degrees.
The 6.9 mill proposal needs to be studied. Promoting a school levy, however, for the purpose of raising the current levies of teachers’ pay would seem to contradict the finding of this poll that most Kettering males, and a big part of Kettering females feel Kettering teachers are currently paid enough.
It is interesting that this survey, in order to help respondents make an informed judgment, never gives any information about the average pay and compensation of Kettering teachers. It would be interesting to know whether respondents have any idea of how much Kettering teachers are paid.
I’m going to produce some statistical analysis of current Kettering teacher compensation for future posts. First year teachers in Kettering, with a BA degree, earn $34,959. Teachers at retirement, on average, earn over $80,000. The median salary for all teachers looks to be, I’m guessing, about $70,000, or so, and average health and retirement benefits add 25% or more.
Instead of paying for copies, why not just show up at a board meeting and ask to see the board briefing book?
My district sends the meeting notice and agenda by email. It’s handy to be on the distribution list.
The big question is how the treasurer accounts for Governor Strickland’s unfunded mandates. Are Kettering voters being asked to fund his political paybacks to the state’s teachers’ unions?
Eric, I intend on digitizing some of this information, making PDF files, and posting the PDF files on the internet — such as the Strategic Visioning poll I posted as part of this article.
By “Governor Strickland’s unfunded mandates” you mean, I guess, all day Kindergarten. But what are the other unfunded mandates you are referring to?
what are the other unfunded mandates you are referring to
Lower class size for K-3
Building managers
Linkage coordinators
How many staff will this require? Will it take about 2 mills–leaving about 5 for pay increases? When will Ohio hike state taxes to displace the local tax burden for these mandates?
No need to go to a board meeting, except to complain. Read the district five-year forecast and particularly the assumptions to see if you agree with them. The assumptions are the basis/plans for operating that determine the funding required. Look at salaries and benefits because they are the biggest costs. They are revealing.
http://fyf.oecn.k12.oh.us/
ftp://ftp.ode.state.oh.us/geodoc/5-yrForecast/2009%20OCT%20Assumptions/
Kettering is not planning any staff changes so any increase in salaries is due to raises – looks like they’re assuming 4.8% raises per year. While they are changing the healthcare plan, it appears Kettering is planning to continue the 90% employer – 10% employee contribution towards insurance. They are forecasting an initial 10% decrease in premiums, but then increases of 10%, 10%, 7.3%, 7.3%. Seems pretty generous. Verify with the district Treasurer, but changing these assumptions (downward) will dramatically affect when/whether the district needs a levy. Compare to other districts assumptions to see if Kettering is in-line.
RE: ftp://ftp.ode.state.oh.us/geodoc/5-yrForecast/2009%20OCT%20Assumptions/Kettering-044180.pdf
Where are the staff additions for Governor Strickland’s unfunded mandates?
Jim R. — thanks for the references. The reasons that Board President, Jim Trent, gave for voting against the last teachers contract seem even more relevant today. I write about it here. The point of going to a board meeting is to raise public awareness, so, I’m thinking I will attend this evening.
Eric, I see nothing in the five year forecast that specifically addresses the challenge of paying for unfunded mandates.