UNDERSTANDING THE BTU CONTRACT
The Proof Is in the Numbers
THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF JOINT MESSAGES FROM:
Opportunities for Salary and Professional Growth in the BTU Contract
Brief Overview of the Contract
“ Baltimore is now one of a handful of cities that is leading the nation in innovative contracts and making teachers real partners in reform.” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
Two years ago, the Baltimore Teachers Union (BTU) approved a landmark contract that gives BTU professionals new opportunities to advance in their profession. The contract is designed to elevate the teaching profession by creating opportunities for professional and financial advancement through a system of career pathways and pay increases that align with and support increased student achievement. Under the contract, City Schools is making an unprecedented investment in compensation. As of the end of the 2011-12 school year, City Schools has invested $27 million in salary increases plus additional salary increases for Achievement Units (AUs) earned in 2012 evaluations. In the past, the only way to reach the highest salary levels was to put in the time and earn degrees. Now teachers can advance at their own pace. Before the contract, City Schools teachers had not had a salary increase in two years and were in the lowest quartile
of teacher compensation in Maryland. Under the old contract, the average salary for a teacher with 21 years of experience and a Masters or Masters Equivalent was $74,213. Under the new contract, a BTU Model Teacher’s salary range is $86,817 to $92,707 and is achievable in the early years of his or her teaching career. At the highest interval of the Lead Pathway, a teacher can now make more than $99,000. As a result, City Schools has moved into the top quartile of teacher compensation in Maryland. The contract serves not only as a model for the state but also for the nation, in how it aligns salary increases and career advancement to demonstrated effectiveness. The contract is not only helping the school system attract and retain effective teachers; it’s also providing opportunities for all teachers to become effective. Teachers are now given the opportunity to shape their own career paths, their own earnings and their own professional growth. And now, more than ever, teachers have a greater say in the key operations of their schools.
$92,707
Under the old contract, the average salary for a teacher with 21 years of experience and a Masters or Masters Equivalent was $74,213.
21 years
$86,817 $74,213
Under the new contract, a BTU Model Teacher’s salary range is $86,817 to $92,707 and is achievable in the early years of his or her teaching career.
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Pathways to Professional and Financial Growth
BTU professionals have earned about 90,000 AUs for evaluation, professional development, college coursework, CPDs and CEUs.
Career Pathways for BTU Professionals
Achievement Units Awarded
Under Baltimore City’s new contract, a system of career pathways and salary intervals encourages BTU professionals to take control of their professional careers and seeks ways to improve their effectiveness. In this way, City Schools is able to raise the academic achievement of every one of its students. BTU professionals also have a more meaningful role in decision making for themselves and for their schools. BTU professionals can grow within four career pathways, and can advance from one to the next. Advancement from one pathway to another (for example, from Professional Teacher to Model Teacher) is determined by peer reviews that weigh instruction, leadership, continual learning and student growth. X Put BTU professionals at the heart of decision-making X Reward BTU professionals based on student achievement and progress X Engage rigorous standards-based peer review X Allow optional, self-initiated participation X Elevate successful candidates
Standard Pathway
Focus on instruction; professional development
Focus on classroom success; active in school-based roles
$59,311 to $84,011 Model* Pathway
Serve as model of excellence; play a leadership role; create professional development opportunities
$86,617 to $92,707 Lead Pathway
School-Based Options In March 2012, principals and building representatives were invited to attend an information session on the school-based option process. X 30 schools completed the proposal process to alter the schedule for 2012-13 professional development days X 21 schools’ proposals were accepted—validating the school-based option process and opportunity
School-Based Option Schools The 21 schools that were approved as school-based options schools for 2012-13 required a super-majority vote of at least 80 percent of staff. THESE INCLUDE: AFYA Public Charter Middle Baltimore Montesorri Public Charter
$47,475 to $53,433 Professional Pathway
So far, BTU professionals collectively have earned about 90,000 Achievement Units since contract implementation began in February 2011. On average, BTU professionals have each earned 16 Achievement Units between February 2011 and June 2012. BTU professionals also received, on average, a $4,500 increase in salary from June 30, 2011, to June 30, 2012.
A S A R E S U LT:
T H E PAT H WAY S :
Callaway Elementary
$94,310 to $100,806 *Those on the Model Pathways, such as Department Heads, Calendar Year Associates, etc., earn a differential, making their salaries more than $105,000.
As of July 30, 2012, 634 BTU professionals have been placed on the Model Pathway, including 100 who successfully completed the first cohort of the peer review process.
Holabird Elementary/Middle Liberty Elementary MD Academy of Technology & Health Sciences Middle/High
Digital Harbor High
Morrell Park Elementary/Middle
Empowerment Academy Elementary/Middle
Patapsco Elementary/Middle
Graceland Park/O’Donnell Heights Elementary/Middle
The Mount Washington School Tunbridge Elementary
The Green School of Baltimore Hamilton Elementary/Middle Hampden Elementary/Middle
Serve as lead academic teacher at a school; collaborate with the principal to improve academic performance
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Hampstead Hill Academy Elementary/Middle
Violetville Elementary/Middle Walter P. Carter Elementary/ Middle Waverly Elementary/Middle Wolfe Street Academy Elementary
Role of the Contract in Teacher Evaluation What To Expect This School Year As the City Schools teacher contract continues to roll out in the 201213 school year, some lessons from the first two years are informing the road ahead. A key lesson is the need for more deliberate and ongoing communications that guide the life of the contract. City Schools and BTU are committed to more collaborative and frequent communications. Teachers can expect to see a variety of communications about the contract this year. These will help update all stakeholders on the progress of the contract and will include a quarterly update on the process of earning Achievement Units; on advancing within and across the pathways; on securing salary increases; and on the benefits that teachers are bringing to students and schools. Similarly, union and district leaders have agreed to collectively revisit policy decisions and are working to ensure interests are represented fairly. Both union and district leaders agree that successful implementation of the contract depends on:
City Schools is developing a new teacher evaluation system, slated for full implementation in 2013-14. This new evaluation system recognizes and rewards teachers’ effectiveness in helping students achieve, and is part of the district’s overall effort to create clear effectiveness standards, supports and measures for teachers, school leaders and schools. The contract has played an important role in ensuring that the teacher evaluation process—current and future—is good for teachers, and that teachers are at the table throughout development of the new evaluation.
In the first year of the contract, 2010-11: X All teacher evaluation results were shared with BTU leadership. X Evaluations resulting in a shift from 2009-10 to 2010-11 were audited to ensure the rating’s validity. X Audit findings were shared with BTU leadership.
X Commitment to ongoing, transparent communication
In the second year of the contract, summer 2011 through 2011-12:
X Commitment to work through interpretations of contract language
X Principals, executive directors and teachers received ongoing training on the Instructional Framework.
X Commitment to significant time investment X Commitment to consensus-based decision making
Implementation Timeline for 2012-13
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UÊ The Instructional Framework was used by principals to help inform observations of, and feedback for, teachers. X City Schools conducted a pilot of the new teacher evaluation in 2011-12. UÊ More than 300 teachers from eight schools experienced different components of the new evaluation, laying the groundwork for this year’s field test, noted below.
Develop criteria and process for Lead Teacher and rollout: Second semester, 2012-13 school year Revise Model Teacher rubric of Cohort 4: January 2013 Negotiation for next contract: Beginning January 2013 Continue to improve on current policies and procedures: Ongoing
The district is continually updating the BTU contract page of City Schools Inside with new information pertaining to contract implementation. Check www.baltimorecityschools.org/domain/5151 for update on JOC decisions and policies, processes and FAQs!
X The district repeated the process started in 2010-11 of sharing evaluation results and audits.
What teachers will see this school year, 2012-13: X City Schools will field test the new teacher evaluation so that all teachers are able to experience—and provide feedback on—elements of the new teacher evaluation before it is implemented with stakes in 2013-14. X An advisory group comprised of teachers and principals jointly assigned by BTU and City Schools will provide ongoing input on the development of the new teacher evaluation. X The district will repeat the process started in 2010-11 of sharing evaluation results and audits.
UNDERSTANDING THE BTU CONTRACT
The Proof Is in the Numbers
THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF JOINT MESSAGES FROM:
Opportunities for Salary and Professional Growth in the BTU Contract
