The St. Paul school district and its teachers agree they need more money but are split over who should give it up.
The two sides have met twice so far to negotiate a new, two-year teachers contract, each offering numerous proposals. A dispute over how to raise new revenue may present the greatest challenge.
The union wants to go directly to St. Paul property owners with a tax referendum in November 2018.
It also wants the school district to join its campaign to secure voluntary payments from big corporations that get local tax breaks and from nonprofit hospitals and private colleges, which pay no property taxes.
Nick Faber, president of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers, says the city and state can afford to give more money to public schools but have chosen instead to lower the tax burden for corporations and wealthy individuals.
Union advocates researched revenue trends with “a firm belief that there’s abundance in our city and state but somehow it’s not getting to our kids,” Faber said.
“That money’s still here. We’re just making a political choice to send it back to our wealthiest partners,” he said.
School district leaders see an easier path to $9 million in new yearly revenue: Q Comp, the state’s alternative compensation program, in which 105 school districts participate.
“SPPS is the only large district in the state unable to get union support in creating an agreement that could bring in $9 million of extra revenue,” the district said in response to the union.
“The district is unwilling to enter into conversations about seeking revenue through increased taxation, when existing funds are still available.”
State education officials told the district earlier this year that Q Comp could be worth $6.2 million a year in state funds plus a potential $3.3 million from city property owners, if the district chose to levy it.
St. Paul teachers overwhelmingly have opposed the program, which requires districts to pay teachers, in part, based on their performance. While some districts pay substantial performance bonuses, Minneapolis Public Schools won state approval for bonuses that top out at $3 a year per teacher.
Faber said Q Comp hasn’t gotten the results lawmakers hoped for, and the union worries the money could be fleeting. St. Paul also would have to get in line behind 23 other school districts waiting for the Legislature to authorize additional money for the program.
“It’s bad policy if we’re going to continue to fund schools through this type of hoop jumping rather than just acknowledge there’s need out there,” he said.
Revenue is a major concern for the district and union because of declining enrollment and modest increases in state per-pupil funding. School board members in spring had to cut planned spending by $15.7 million on a $521 million budget for the current school year.
Board members are wary of asking property owners for more money to cover salaries while at the same time raising taxes to pay for an ambitious construction schedule.
OTHER PROPOSALS
The school district and union so far have exchanged a total of 18 bargaining proposals, with at least a couple of months before a deal is likely to be struck.
Union proposals include:
- 2.5 percent pay raises this year and next on top of increases based on education and years of service;
- smaller class sizes and more educational assistants;
- more social workers, counselors, nurses and librarians;
- more money for restorative practices;
- and the expansion of a group parent-teacher conference model.
District proposals include:
- higher caps on class sizes;
- more teacher work time directed by the principal or district;
- and a lower bar for placing a teacher on a performance improvement plan.
