School Information from Brad Hall

In order for those concerned to be better informed, I would like to direct you go to www.covington.k12.oh.us you will find a link titled “Financial Reports”. The five year forecast is the best tool to determine the financial health of the district. See the link to the updated forecast. Line 7.020 and 10.010 are the ones I focus on most. There are also some links to supporting documents to help understand the forecast and the assumptions that go into the forecast.

80% of the budget is salaries and benefits. Income comes from income tax, and real estate taxes, which both tend to grow with inflation. So, it is important to keep expenses in-line with inflation in order to balance the budget.

Also important for balancing the budget, but not well understood by the public, are the labor contracts. If you navigate to the “Administration” link on the home page, you will find a link to the teacher’s contract. Addendum A-1 and A-2 (pg 28 & 29) contains a table that defines the pay schedule. Raises are based on increases to a base salary, plus step raises based on years of experience. The step raises happen automatically (regardless of performance) even if there is no increase to the base. If you are under the impression that all teachers have had their pay frozen for two years; that is not true for teachers who are on a step. For example: a teacher with a Bachelors + 150 hours with 7 years experience going into their 8th year will move from index 1.379 ($39,322) to index 1.426 ($40,662). This is an increase of 3.41%. If a base salary increase of 1% is negotiated, then that teacher will receive a raise of 4.41%. A base increase of 2% results in a 5.41% raise. A base of 3% results in 6.41%, etc… It is true that some teacher’s wages were frozen, but only in the case when the base raise is 0% in combination with a teacher who is not on a step. Note: there are 17 steps.

Another important piece of the district expense is benefits. Details of the existing benefit package for certified staff (teachers) is public record and can be obtained by calling the Board office and requesting a copy. I think you will find it to be a “rich” plan. The Administrators and the classified staff are on a “core” plan, which is a lower benefit level. Double digit inflation of health insurance multiple years in a row has been devastating to our finances.

With regard to Administrator’s pay; when the district experienced deficit spending back in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006, our Administrators were the first to agree to a base pay freeze for two years, while the teachers had 3.75% and 3.5% base raises plus step raises in those same respective years. The flier handed out during the open house is deceptive in that it indicates some Administrators were awarded a 5.2% raise but doesn’t explain that it was 5.2% total over a three year period.

Also, in 2007 the Board re-structured pay for Administrators, where we took away step pay (automatic pay increases that represents only the passage of time) and replaced it with performance- based incentives that are awarded, but only if their building’s state scores are ranked effective or excellent. The intent was to promote a philosophy of creating an environment conducive for self motivation, and at the same time link taxpayer dollars to performance.

I can only speak for myself; I can not speak for the rest of the Board. I take pride in our schools. I remain dedicated to creating an environment conducive to achieving academic excellence, while fulfilling an obligation to balance the budget. I can tell you that I personally am not willing to agree to a contract which results in deficit spending, or a negative balance on the five year forecast.

For those concerned with suppressed teachers salaries and benefits, I invite you to show your support by actively participating in future operating levy campaigns so that resources are adequate to provide base raises, step raises, insurance, and respect our teachers demand, while at the same time balancing the budget.

I also encourage those interested to google a gentleman named Saul Alinsky, who wrote a document called Rules for Radicals. The tactics for influencing human behavior through community agitation (rubbing raw the sores of discontent) as described in Saul’s Rules for Radicals are being promoted by the NEA and OEA, and are enthusiastically being practiced by the leadership of our local teachers union.

Sincerely,
Brad Hall

First off, I consider myself a person who whole heartily supports most everything the teachers of this district have and will do. I have blindly supported every levy campaign, whether that was good or bad. But things have reached a point where I must begin to question the teachers’ position on their recent negotiations. The major sticking point seems to be health insurance and the amount the teachers will be required to pay. The way I understand it, the majority of the teachers are on a 90/10 plan. In this plan, the school is responsible for 90% of the insurance cost and the teachers are personally required to pay 10%. This is almost unheard of in the current employment environment.

The health insurance environment over the last few years has not been good. Many companies have struggled with ways to balance large increases passed down by healthcare insurers, without placing an unrealistic burden on employees, but still trying to remain profitable. Increases from insurers to companies have regularly been in the double digits. Many of us who live in this district and pay the teachers’ salaries have been forced to move to at least 80/20 plans, and faced things like increased co-pays for prescriptions and increased deductibles. It is not pretty but it is a way of life. Changes at my employer have cost me over $50 a month for each of the last two years to insure my family. I have had to go from $500 to $1000 deductibles and pay over $40 a prescription for name brand drugs. And so have many, many members of this community. So I must ask, why should the teachers be immune to these changes? The district is asking them to go from 90/10 to 85/15. So if on average it cost $1000 a month to insure a family, right now the district pays $900 and the employee pays $100. So in this scenario, they are asking the employees to move up $50 a month. I do not have all the facts, but I understand that the teachers may also be being asked to increase deductibles and co-pays. It is not pretty and it is a shock when it happens, but this has probably already happened to almost every other member of this community who is employed. They may have had to do something even more drastic, such as moving to a health savings plan or something else. It has caused a decrease in the take home pay of all of us. Many of us have had raises that are immediately watered down by healthcare insurance increases.

For the teachers, I just ask that they consider these facts. I do not always agree with the administration of this school, but I do not feel that this is a time where they are in the wrong. Increasing healthcare is an unfortunate fact of life. Yes the teachers have negotiated a raise, which will immediately be decreased by health insurance increases. So I ask the teachers, for the sake of our children and our community (which has now been drug through all forms of regional media) please consider the information above. The teachers need do what is in their heart, and not what is the advice of outside influence (labor negotiation professionals).

I just wanted to say that I am very disappointed that a school board member posted this message. I am a teacher in Troy and couldn't believe that he wrote this message. He obviously does not have any respect for the teachers in the Covington School District. He also must not respect his teachers when he went through school. He should be appreciative to all teachers as they are the ones that make a difference in everyone's life. If I lived in Covington, I would want Mr. Brad Hall off of the school board. I also wish the teachers in Covington good luck as they stand up for what they believe.

Thank you!

Dear School Teacher from Troy,
I have a daughter, son and two granddaughters that went to school in the Troy School System. I lived in Troy for many wonderful years and I have family and friends that live there. I, and I am sure the Covington residents like and respect Troy and those that live there.
As a Covington resident, I am very proud of the way our Teachers and Board of Education are working to come up with a solution that is best for the Community, our students and the lives of our teachers and their families.
It’s so easy to get involved in individual character assassination. This is non productive and only generate hard feelings. I am friends with several members of the Board of Education, including Brad Hall, Vice President of the Covington Board of Education. We are lucky to have a distinguished, Board of Education of this quality. They are hard working and well respected within our community. I am related to at least one of the school teachers and a friend of many more. Also, we are lucky to have the high quality and dedicated teaching staff that we have. Quality and respect is not the issue in this negotiation process.
I quote Brad Hall, “I take pride in our school”. We have continuously ranked well in the scholastic and extracurricular agendas. We have a beautiful community (see pictures on this site) and we welcome you to live in one of our “small town community” homes. I hope that you have a chance to learn to know some of these people. Once you know the people you referred to in your comments you will see that this difficult period of negotiations will make Covington Schools better and stronger. GO BUCCS!

Dear Mr. Wackler,


I am sorry if I offended you. I have dear friends from Covington, and have visited your town frequently. I was at a dinner function when I was told about the posting of Brad Hall’s article. As a teacher, I was very offended by his comments, especially the last paragraph.

I have read the newspaper, watched the news, and discussed the issue with several members of your community (not just teachers). I have also discussed the issue with my fellow teachers in Troy. We all agree that Mr. Hall should have never posted his message, especially during a difficult negotiation time.

You say that Mr. Hall does respect teachers. I disagree. If Mr. Hall respected teachers, he would have never posted the message in the first place. As far as I know, all school systems in Ohio have the “step program.” Brad Hall claims that teachers should get paid based on student performance. I would like to challenge Mr. Hall and have him teach in a classroom for a day where you have a variety of learners. Not only am I a teacher, but I am a parent as well. My child was born mentally handicapped, and most likely will never achieve well in school. I love my child with all of my heart, but the fact is that he will never perform well on the Ohio Test. So, for him to say that teachers should get paid based on student performance is a joke.

Also, the administrators should not get paid based on that either. Last time I checked, the teachers were the ones in the classroom teaching, not the administrators. I know Mr. Hall said that the administrators don’t have the step program anymore, but they still get raises for incentives. I think I read the paper correctly when I saw that the administrators got raises for supervising student behavior at athletic events. Last time I checked, that was part of their job.

Again, Mr. Wackler, I am sorry if I offended you. I love your small community. But I do have to disagree with you that Brad Hall as the best intentions in mind when it comes to school. If he did, he would have never posted the message he did. If I did live in the community of Covington, I would think long and hard next time Mr. Hall was up for re-election for the Board of Education.

I give my full support to the Covington School System, and hope your issues are settled soon. As a teacher, I know that the teachers in your community want to get back to what is most important…teaching wonderful children. After all, they are our future.

Thank you!

Dear “Anonymous,” let me point out what I believe are a few flaws in your reasoning: First, if you chose to “blindly support” any and all other levies, you must make good money, and are willing to arbitrarily give it away. But if you have decided to take control of your tax dollars, please consider all sides. Whether you are a professional or not, I think that we could agree that professionals tend to earn more do to factors including education level, demand, potential, etc.

Okay now-reality check-one of the most “underpaid” professional careers is teaching, and therefore, as we all say, no one goes into it “for the money.” Yes, I would say that most teachers enter the field because of their desire to prepare/teach their students. The incentive in this field is generally NOT pay. Anyone related to an education student knows that they graduate and consider jobs completely unrelated to education in order to pay off loans and such, until they can “afford to teach.” Incentives tend to be insurance, planned vacation, and retirement. If a district wants to recruit good teachers, they build a reputation for respecting their long-term teachers and offering slightly better starting money (base pay) than other districts along with a good insurance plan. Face it, there is still a shortage of teachers and they can easily go elsewhere for the same or better salary and benefits. Part of me says you simply sound jealous comparing professional job incentives to non-professional ones. A community like Covington would have a hard enough time finding professionals, don’t make it any harder. Also, this is funded by taxpayers, and we all know other government jobs that make out much better than teachers. They are not robbing you blind, in fact many are working second jobs-are you?

As far as the theory of paying teachers based on student testing- ignorance. No one wants their child to have that teacher because they spend all day teaching the test, no time is spent really learning. Also, now all of your good teachers leave for the smart kids in rich districts. That really smarts for a district like Covington.

It’s hard to comprehend why the teachers union won’t give in for another three years. Do they not support the children? These are the very children they are fighting for-Covington will only better prepare your children with good teachers they can retain and recruit with better incentives. Going on strike for a couple days may be what it takes, but the teachers still show that they are there for the children, not against them. You have to make the good teachers WANT to teach for you! They don’t come to/come back to Covington simply because they like the “small and beautiful community.”

Look at other companies-nonprofessional-that offer less and the union must settle. They try to decrease the debt with the lowered wages and then LEAVE TOWN! Covington BOE will eventually want new schools (or a new consolidated school) and we all know that this is what they are preparing the community for. Less of the budget’s expenses on teachers will certainly help fund this. This is every district-but the teachers deserve adequate pay like every other worker. New schools don’t make better students, good teachers do.
I will admit that I think teachers have too much stress and not enough benefit. I would never spend a day in a hot classroom full of kids that all need your help at the same time. But they love what they do and deserve the right to unionize and support their families like everyone else. Just because you like your career doesn’t mean that you need to accept lower and lower pay. Supply and demand has given them at least a taste of what they deserve. Support your students and teachers!

The BOE will realize what the rest of the community sees and Covington Schools will come out for the better. It may take more time and media exposure than anyone wants-but someone obviously voted them in and let their pay go sky-high. Good luck to the community as most of them seem to want to rip the BOE a new one with good reason.

I have not left my email but will look for replies and answer as needed.

I may flub this up but there is one point I would like to add to all of this. I truely believe teachers earn their pay and would never attack any of it but one thing still remains that is not mentioned and that is many of people right now are jobless, struggling to round up enough to just get the basics due to job loss right alone all the extra's called benefits. We all know "Uncle Sam" is waiting patiently to lower the boom on us for the overwhelmingly hudge deficit. Most people that have jobs should be proud to have survived this long and to ask for more under these conditions is something to really search your heart over for. My thoughts smarts are great for technical issues but common scense goes a long way.

Sincerly,
Mr. Kessler

I support teachers because I am one.

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