Corning school district, teachers settle on contract

A tentative two-year contract settlement has been reached between the Corning Union Elementary School District and the Teachers Association.

The agreement calls for a 2.5 percent retroactive salary increase for the current school year, plus an additional 2 percent salary increase for 2013-14, said Penny Timboe, the district's chief business official.

The settlement could be ratified by association membership as early as today. If approved, it will then go before the district's board of trustees for a vote later this month.

These will be the first increases to the certificated salary schedule since 2008, Timboe said.

Teachers had received annual bonuses in lieu of salary increases.

If approved, the retroactive pay will be issued with the April paychecks.

"I am pleased that negotiations were completed in a positive spirit this year and that employees will receive salary increases," said District Superintendent Catherine Reimer.

The board also authorized an early retirement program providing senior teachers with a one-time incentive to retire this year, indicating the program will not be offered again next year.

According to the district, It is anticipated that at least seven teachers will retire.

The settlement includes a stipend for teachers who supervise overnight academic trips for students; grants teachers one additional personal business leave day on a limited basis; and made permanent the current procedure for transferring excess teachers from a school.

Because the settlement is extended through June 30, 2015, there will be no negotiations through the next year, Timboe said.

The parties also agreed upon a teacher work year calendar for 2013 14 similar to the current work year schedule.

Although Proposition 30 passed last November, the District continues to receive 22 percent lower funding from the state than the statutory funding level, said Timboe.

She said the teacher retirements, along with careful budgeting should fund the salary increases while upholding the board's adopted core value of maintaining a prudent budget reserved.

Timboe said increased state funding is included in the Governor's proposed 2013-14 budget and a new state funding model is being discussed in Sacramento.