County Salary Comparisons

As published by the Kent County Education Association, Kentwood's salary comparisons for 2008/2009 are shown below. 21 districts are compared, listed in order from greatest to least. Our ranking is listed in our place from the top pay. Example: 11th means there are 10 other districts ranked above us in pay for that step and degree.

Kentwood's Rankings
BA Step 1 - 17 th
BA Step 5 - 13th
BA Step 10 - listed at 13th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and the ranking should be 17th
BA Step 15 - 12th
BA Step 20 - 18th
BA Step 25 - 19th
BA Max - 20th

BA Plus Step 1 - 16th
BA Plus Step 5 - 14th
BA Plus Step 10 - listed as 13th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and ranking should be 19th
BA Plus Step 15 - listed as 15th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and the ranking should be 14th
BA Plus Step 20 - listed as 15th but due to step freeze the amount should be less; ranking remains the same
BA Plus Step 25 - listed as 15th but due to step freeze the amount should be less; ranking remains the same
BA Plus Step Max - 19th

MA Step 1 - 15th
MA Step 5 - 13th
MA Step 10 - listed as 13th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and the ranking should be 17th
MA Step 15 - listed as 12th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and the ranking should be 13th
MA Step 20 - listed as 12th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and the ranking should be 15th
MA Step 25 - listed as 15th but due to step freeze the amound should be less; ranking remains the same
MA Max - 17th

MA +30 Step 1 - 15th
MA +30 Step 5 - 17th
MA +30 Step 10 - listed as 16th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and the ranking should be 19th
MA +30 Step 15 - listed as 16th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and the ranking should be 17th
MA +30 Step 20 - listed as 14th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and the ranking should be 16th
MA +30 Step 25 - listed as 12th but due to step freeze the amount should be less and the 14th
MA +30 Step Max - 17th

Composite "Lifetime" Earnings

To the left is a chart depicting the "lifetime" earnings of teachers in area districts. Please note a few things on this chart. First, lifetime earnings were figured based on the 2007-2008 salary schedules of the districts listed. Second, the numbers were calculated based on 4 years at BA, 4 years at BA+ and 22 years at MA. Finally, please remember that due to a step freeze, the "lifetime" earnings for many Kentwood educators will be lower than listed in the chart.

Note: The chart was prepared by Gezelle Oliver, Uniserv Director with the assistance of Michelle Woznicki, Field Assistant, for the Kent County Education.

Lansing Legislative Update

There are several pieces of legislation that are coming up for a vote shortly. Please let your legislators know you are there!!!! See their names to the left? Click, write, and send!

The first is the HB 4285 and SB 0255. These bills would change the calculations for retirees to .0 2 % from the .015 % that it is currently. Now this may sound like a new proposal, but there is a precedent, as they did this before in 2002. The legislators need to hear from you about this proposal. Only 60 % of the people who could retire, did so at the last raising of the calculator. This could mean hundreds of positions opening up for many new teachers. They would not have to go out of state to acquire a job that Michigan trained them for. We have states coming to MI to recruit our young people, why not keep them here and have them buy homes, cars, and send their kids to schools in MI. Help spur our economy.

Secondly: Brian Calley, has proposed legislation to change the Merit Curriculum as it was passed. He wants them to ease up the requirements so that more students will be able to graduate. New figures from Lansing are stating that over 35 to 40 % of the state's seniors in 2011 will not graduate as the Merit Curriculum stands now. He is not trying to "dummy down" the curriculum, just to adjust it so that more students can actually graduate rather than obtain a certificate of attendance. He also feels that many programs that would benefit students are being eliminated in order to meet the new requirements, that were passed in haste.

Let your legislators know how you feel, let them know you care about some of these topics.

Thanks,
J. Hewitt, KEA Political Action Chair

Contacting Your State Government

Take a look at the links on the left.

Contacting your legislator is as easy as a click away!

Find your district, click the link and take part in your government by expressing your opinions!
We do remind you to be concise, polite, and express your views to your government official by giving them information that will help educate them about the issues that affect your job.

They do like to hear from us, so click and type today! But please, your voice is more effective coming from home, so send your thoughts from there.

VRI: Voluntary Resignation Incentive Plan

Dear KEA Members,
At the Kentwood School Board meeting Monday night March 9, Kentwood Public Schools and the Board of Education adopted a Voluntary Resignation Incentive Plan (formerly known as an Early Retirement Incentive) with the approval of the Kentwood Education Association. Prior to approval, KEA's Bargaining Team met and discussed the proposal. The Team brought up many important points and valuable questions. With the help of Mike Zoerhoff, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, those points were heard and questions answered. After meeting with Mike and having discussed the proposal with our Team, Dan Magennis and I offered approval of the Voluntary Resignation Incentive Plan.

If you would like more information on the package, please check your Groupwise email for the specifics in an attachment that was sent to you, and we will let you know when we will have a question and answer meeting.

Michelle Thomas, KEA Bargaining Chair

Kent County Contract Settlements for 2009-2010

As bargaining "season" begins, many are wondering about the contract settlements for other districts in Kent County. There are several districts that have their 2009-2010 contract determined already. Below is a listing of area districts and their wage settlements. Please keep in mind that these percentages are not always completely on the pay schedule. Sometimes percentages are a combination of pay and other benefits. For example, it is generally considered that a day taken off the calendar year roughly equals .5%. So a district may have a settlement of 2%, but only 1.5% was added to the pay schedule and the other .5% was a day taken off the calendar year. With that in mind, here are the districts and their percentage increases for the 09-10 calendar year:

Byron Center EA 2.0%
Byron Center ESP 2.0%
Cedar Springs EA 1.95%
Comstock Park EA 2.5%
Comstock Park ESP 2.5%
East Grand Rapids EA 2.0%
East Grand Rapids ESP 1.75%
Forest Hills EA 2.0%
Forest Hills ESP 1.75%
Godfrey-Lee EA 1.75%
Godfrey-Lee ESP 2.5%
Grandville EA 2.5%
Grandville ESP 2.5%
Kelloggsville EA 2.5%
Kelloggsville ESP 2.5%
KISD EA 2.5%
KISD ESP 2.5%
Lowell EA 2.0%
Lowell ESP 2.37%
Sparta EA 2.0%
Sparta ESP 2.0%
Wyoming EA 2.5%
Wyoming ESP 2.5%

Posted by Michelle Thomas, Chief Negotiator