New teacher compensation model approved for E-S

by Beth Kraft

Beginning next year, teachers at the Eleva-Strum schools will follow a new, performance-based compensation model as approved by the E-S School Board at its regular monthly meeting on Monday, Jan. 12. The new model is in line with a growing trend amongst many school districts that are moving to recognize teachers for both years of experience and personal growth.

The step and lane movement system many schools formerly used to determine teacher salaries has been replaced in many districts with a compensation model similar to the one now in place at E-S, which classifies teachers as entry level, developing, and professional educators and finally teacher leaders as they accumulate years of experience and demonstrate performance indicators.

The model approved by the E-S Board does not contain a master’s degree track, but it does provide additional steps on the compensation model for first-year teachers whose positions require a master’s degree.

Performance indicators replaced a points system seen on earlier compensation model drafts for E-S staff. Teachers will be asked to submit a plan of activities each fall to work on district and school building goals as well as professional growth objectives for the year. Teachers classified as developing (license years 3-5), professional and teacher leaders will be evaluated every three years, according to the model.

Other changes from previous compensation models reviewed by the Board included fewer steps for staff to reach teacher leader status and a performance bonus. Teachers in schools that achieve “Exceeds Expectations” or “Significantly Exceeds Expectations” on the annual DPI school report cards will earn a bonus of either $500 or $1,000, respectively.

In other business that night, the Board continued discussions regarding potentially moving to an administrative team structure at E-S in the future. However, in light of the upcoming change at the superintendent’s position with Craig Semingson set to resign in June, the Board opted to wait until a new candidate is selected for superintendent to move forward any further.

Also that night, an audit of the district’s special education department, conducted by CESA #10, was presented to the Board.

The report looked at the number of special ed students, teachers and student needs that demand additional staff time in each of the district’s buildings. The report states that, using the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction model for special ed caseloads, the district’s school buildings were adequately staffed to overstaffed in some areas.

The Strum Primary, Eleva Intermediate and Eleva-Strum Middle School are considered adequately staffed, according to the report. 

Two other programs could be considered overstaffed based on caseload guidelines. There is currently one teacher and one aide on staff through the Early Childhood program to assist the equivalent of 5.1 special ed students while the high school special ed program has 2.4 teachers for nine students over the DPI-recommended caseload of 26 students.

The DPI utilizes a formula for determining student caseload equivalency. For example, a level one learning disabled elementary student counts as 1.7 students while a level 2 cognitively disabled elementary student counts as 2.8 students.

The report recommended restructuring special ed caseloads to balance out the number of students each teacher is responsible for between buildings.

Administrators plan to use the report to make decisions for the 2015-16 school year.

In other business that night, the Board approved the following:

• retirement for pupil services director Diane Knudsen, a 15-year employee with the E-S district, effective in June

• request from staff member Kirsten Wagner for contract reduction from 100 percent to 60 percent FTE

• 2015-16 school calendar

• principals’ contracts for 2015-16; salary negotiations at later date

• 2015-16 CESA #10 contracts