Tentative Agreement Between the Board of Education of Springfield Public Schools

District 186 and Springfield Education Association for 2019-2021

District 186 and the Springfield Education Association (SEA) concluded negotiations with an
agreement that met the needs of the membership by increasing salaries and honoring those with
years of service, while maintaining a balanced budget and improving our Illinois State Board of
Education School District Financial Profile, which calls for a strong fund balance to revenue ratio.

Financial Terms

The financial terms for Certified Staff and Occupational Therapists/Physical Therapists for
Year 1 - 2019-2020 are as follows:

All certified SEA members and Occupational Therapists/Physical Therapists will receive step
movement plus longevity where applicable. There will be a 3% increase on all salary schedule cells.
Step 1 of the teacher salary schedule will be dropped. Step movement and longevity honor years of
service.

The cost, including benefits, of this increase to the district is​ ​approximately $3.4 million.

The financial terms for Non-Certified Staff for Year 1 - 2019-2020 are as follows:

Teaching Assistants, Civilian Security, Braillists, Educational Interpreters, Technology Facilitators,

Occupational Therapy Assistants and Physical Therapy Assistants will receive step movement
where applicable and a 4.25% increase to the salary schedule.. The TA steps will be banded 1-4,
5-9,10-14 and 15+. An additional step will be added for Teaching Assistants, Braillists, Educational
Interpreters, Technology Facilitators and Security. In addition, the district agrees to add three
additional security guards.

The total Education Support Personnel (ESP) increase, including benefits, is approximately
$505,000.

The total cost, including benefits, for both groups combined is an increase of approximately $3.9
million.

The financial terms for Certified Staff and Occupational Therapists/Physical Therapists for
Year 2 - 2020-2021 are as follows:

All certified SEA members will receive step movement plus longevity where applicable. There will
be a 3% increase on all salary schedule cells and Step 2 of the teacher salary schedule will be
dropped.

The cost, including benefits, of this increase to the district is approximately $3.75 million.
The financial terms for Non-Certified Staff for Year 2 - 2020-2021 are as follows:

Teaching Assistants, Civilian Security, Braillists, Educational Interpreters, Technology Facilitators,

Occupational Therapy Assistants and Physical Therapy Assistants will receive step movement
where applicable and a 4.25% increase to the salary schedule. In addition, the district agrees to
add two additional security guards.

The cost of this increase, including benefits, to the district is approximately $305,000.

The total cost for both groups combined is an increase of approximately $4.1 million.

1278 employees are included under this agreement.

 Contract Language Changes

Contract language changes with financial implications are as follows:

6.6 A Medical Insurance 7: ​Effective date 7-1-2020, adds the benefit for an Education Support
Personnel credited with 30 years of service and being 55 years of age, will upon retirement receive
a medical insurance policy until the time s/he will be permitted by law to enroll in the Medicare
Program.

There is no financial impact for the 19-20 school year.

11.28 REGISTERED NURSES Add F:​ Professional Educator License School Nurse Stipend PELCSN
shall be eligible for an annual stipend of 10% of step 1/column 1 for having earned the NCSN
certification awarded through the National Board of Certified School Nurses. PELCSN must provide
proof of recertification every 5 years.

The 19-20 cost for the addition is approximately $7,200.

11.30 PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS D. Psychologist’s Stipend: Adds the ability to
be eligible for an annual stipend of 10% of step 1/column 1 for having earned the LCPC.
Psychologist’s have already been compensated for holding their NCSP. The district will
compensate for either one but not both.

The 19-20 cost for the addition is approximately $8,600

11.30 PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS Add E:​ Social Workers Stipend Social workers
shall be eligible for an annual stipend of 10% of step 1/column 1 for having earned the LCSW
certification. Social workers must provide new verification every three years in order to maintain
the stipend.

The 19-20 cost for the addition is $64,000.

11.31 High School and Middle School Department Chairs/ Team Leaders Stipends: Increases
annual stipend to ​ $1600 per school year and more clearly defines department chair duties.

The 19-20 cost for the addition is $38,000.

New Language: EAP Program ​The District in coordination with the expansion of Memorial Choice
is in the process of development of an Employee and Crisis Support Program that will include
behavioral health evaluations and counseling sessions with our Memorial Counseling Associates
and Memorial Behavioral Health Staff and on-site assistance in the event of a tragedy.

The 19-20 cost for the addition is approximately $11,500.

Other contract language changes without financial implications are as follows:

5.6 Teachers Working on Less than a Full-Time Basis: ​Clarifies that a certified staff member
must work 29 hours a week in order to receive district health insurance.

6.25 E Personal Leave: ​Removes a personal day for ESP’s to use during summer school and
clarifies ESP’s rights to use personal leave during the school year.

6.29 ESPs: Procedures for Reporting Absences: ​Requests that ESP’s enter their absences ahead
of time on the online absence manager whenever possible. Establishes a 48 hours window that
absences must be entered after returning to work.

7.2 Teaching Experience and Placement on the Salary Schedule: ​After eight years of experience,
a teacher will be granted one year credit for every two years of teaching service up to a maximum of
placement on step 13.

7.5 Payment of Salaries C. Tax Sheltering:​ Defines the board paid THIS contribution as
established by TRS.

7.12 Injuries on the Job: ​ Removes the reference to the paper reporting system and directs all
employees to use the on-line system.

7.5 MEDICAL INSURANCE: ​ Moves the health insurance language concerning certified staff from a
MOU into the body of the contract. Moves the ESP health insurance language to the appropriate
section of the contract.

8.1 General Provisions D. Limitation for Hours Earned: ​ Establishes the maximum of 20
incremental credit hours that a teacher can move each fiscal year.

11.2.1 School Day and 11.23 Subject Area Specialists: ​Removes the reference to elementary
librarians.

11.3 H Elementary Teachers: ​Communicates district expectations for teachers to follow

curriculum but acknowledges the teachers’ need for autonomy and differentiation in certain
instances.

11.4 Class Size: ​Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, no class in grades K-2 will exceed 26
and no class in grades 3-5 will exceed 29. No class in grades 6-12 shall exceed 31 except in special
education, physical education, driver education, music, team teaching, individualized instruction,
and similar programs. High school and middle school teachers shall have a student load maximum
of 165 students (advisory not included). All alternative education sites shall have a class size limit
of 14. Exceptions to the class size may occur if there is no space or teacher available.
12.16 Teachers: Procedures for Reporting Absences G.​ : Requests that teacher communicate
their absence to their supervisor and/or enter their absences ahead of time on the online absence
manager whenever possible. Establishes a 48 hours window that absences must be entered after
returning to work.

13.1 EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND BOARD ASSISTANCE, C. Discipline of Student:​ Explains the
discipline procedure dealing with students and establishes a re-entry plan to be held with the staff
and student.

13.3 TEACHERS RIGHT TO EXCLUDE STUDENT FROM CLASS: ​Explains the district’s continued
effort to add restorative rooms and behavior supports. These rooms will not be assigned more than
14 students.

17.2 C Procedures: ​ Allows open teaching positions to be posted for new candidates while
following the regulations of the voluntary transfer process.

22.1 Pre-K Work Day: ​Clarifies the length of lunch time and preparation time for teachers and
length of lunch for teaching assistants. Explains the requirement for teaching assistants to be
present at parent teacher conferences in order to be eligible for 5 early dismissals.

22.2 Pre-K (Teaching Experience and Placement on the Salary Schedule:​ Removes this section
from the contract as the placement is covered in 7.2

22.3 Pre-K Beginning of the Year Visits/Home Visits/Parent Conferences: ​Acknowledges

non-instructional time at the start of the year for beginning of the year visits/home visits and
establishes second round of parent conferences will be during the second trimester.

22.5 Pre-K (Programs Not Covered):​ Allows one release day per trimester for teachers to work
on student portfolios.

Appendix B Collaboration Hour: ​Adds language which allows time every other week to be used
for personal preparation, parent meetings, and disciplinary conferences; until such a time that
other teacher work time is made available.

National Board Certified Teachers ​shall be awarded their stipend the semester following the
District receiving confirmation of their successful completion of the program (based on a two
semester model).

New Language: ​Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, Early Start will be referred to as
Pre-Kindergarten.
New Language:​ Beginning in the summer of 2020, employees shall have access to available
student rosters and records appropriate to the employees’ classification no later than the
employee’s first day of work with the understanding that the rosters may change.

New Language: ​ Establishes a committee to analyze Professional Development Training.

New Language: Insurance:​ Establishes an Insurance Committee Proposal work group to weigh the
benefits of exploring the creation of a dedicated reserve of funds.

New Language: Recruitment of Psychologist and School Nurses: ​A committee will be formed
with the Director of Student Support Services, the Lead Psychologist, and The Coordinator of
Nursing with Union Representation in those categories to meet and discuss needs for additional
staff, timing for staff postings, and recruitment strategies. This discussion will include the
conversation of caseloads as it relates to school psychologists.

New Language: ILT monitoring: ​A committee will be formed to study the Instructional Leadership
Team model across the district.


Change of assignment:​ Elementary K-5 - Tentative Class (grade -level) assignment for the
following year will be communicated before the voluntary transfer process. A collaborative process
will be used to discuss any vacancy to determine whether there are any volunteers for the principal
to consider. Middle and High School - The Department Chairs will survey department members for
interest in teaching assignments for the following year, which shall be communicated to the
principal. The principal will collaboratively meet with each department chair to discuss the
development of the schedule.

Memorandum of Understanding:​ Establishes a Pest Control joint committee which will

investigate solutions and communication models.

Memorandum of Understanding: ​Establishes a Grow Your Own Committee. The union and
district will initialize a collaborative work group centered around the recruitment and retention of
certified personnel with specific emphasis on minority certified personnel.

Memorandum of Understanding:​ Establishes a Collaborative committee to work on District

challenges such as student retention, alternative education, student transfers and analysis of
student demographics.

Memorandum of Understanding: ​Establishes a committee to research available trainings on

conducting home visits and best practices.

Memorandum of Understanding: ​The district proposes a summer Restorative Justice/Equity

Conference to train school teams and individuals to address disproportionality in discipline and
professional development for restorative practices and resiliency training.