The teacher’s contract with the Bradford Area School District
shows an approximate average increase of 3.5 percent in each of the
three years of the contract.

The contract was approved by both the district and the Bradford
Area Education Association and its members in August.

For the 2005-06 school year, the teachers received a 3.59
percent increase. The amount above their previous salary was paid
to them when the contract was finalized after 17 months of
negotiations.

The contract expired in June 2005, but negotiations started in
January of the same year.

The teachers will receive an average 3.5 percent increase for
the current school year; 3.53 percent for the 2007-08 school year;
and 3.49 percent for the 2008-09 school year, explained Sam
Johnson, director of Human Resources for the district. Johnson was
using numbers developed by Bob Gifford, the man who wrote the
fact-finder’s report.

The teachers receive salary increases based on several factors,
including years of teaching, number of college credits and college
degrees held.

The contract breaks the teachers down by college degrees held
from a bachelor’s to doctorate degrees. Within those degree
achievements, teachers are then labeled by “step” levels from one
to 20, with one being a starting teacher and 20 being the maximum
level, even if the teacher has more than 20 years of experience
teaching.

A teacher starting in the current year with a bachelor’s degree
will receive $34,648; in the second year (step 2) a teacher will
see their salary increase to $35,998; that same teacher in the
third step will receive $37,398 for the school year 2008-09.

Those with bachelor’s degrees in step 20 for this year are
receiving $59,442; will receive $60,642 in 2007-08; and in 2008-09,
$61,842.

Teachers with a master’s degree at step one are receiving
$35,648 this school year; will receive $37,023 in the year 2007-08;
and $38,448 in 2008-09.

A teacher holding a master’s degree at step 20 is making $61,819
this year; $63,019 in 2007-08; and in 2008-09, $64,219.

Those holding a master’s degree plus 12 graduate credits in step
one are receiving $36,848 this school year; will receive $38,248 in
2007-08; and $39,698 in 2008-09.

Teachers with a master’s degree plus 12 graduate credits at step
20 are receiving $63,019 this year; $64,244 in 2007-08; and in
2008-09, $65,469.

A teacher holding a master’s degree plus 24 graduate credits at
step one is making $38,048 this school year; will receive $39,473
for the 2007-08 school year; and in 2008-09, $40,948 annually.

Those holding a master’s degree plus 24 graduate credits at step
20 are receiving $64,219 this year; will receive $65,469 in
2007-08; and in 2008-09, $66,719.

Teachers holding a master’s degree plus 36 graduate credits are
making a salary of $39,248 at step one this school year; will make
$40,698 in the year 2007-08; and in 2008-09 will receive
$42,198.

A teacher with a master’s degree plus 36 graduate credits at
step 20 are receiving $65,419 this school year; in 2007-08,
$66,694; and in 2008-09, $67,969.

Those holding a doctorate degree at step one are making $40,448
this year; $41,923 for year 2007-08; and $43,448 in 2008-09.

Teachers holding a doctorate degree at step 20 are making
$66,619 this school year, will receive $67,919 in 2007-08; and
$69,219 in 2008-09.

In the retirement portion of the plan, it states that teachers
with 25 or more years but less than 30 years of service in the
Public School Employees Retirement System will be eligible to
receive a credit of $22,000; those with more than 30 years, but not
more than 32 years of credited school service are entitled to
receive a credit of $20,000; teachers wishing to retire with more
than 32 years, but less than 35 years of credited school service
are entitled to receive a credit of $18,000.

For health care, the contract said an individual would pay $15
per month for 2005-06; family coverage costs the teacher $20 per
month.

This year, teachers paying for individual health care pay 10
percent of the actual cost up to a maximum of $300; for family plan
coverage, 10 percent up to a maximum of $360 per year.

Moving to the 2007-08 year for individual coverage, a teacher
will pay 10 percent of the actual cost up to a maximum of $350 per
year and for family coverage, 10 percent up to $410 per year.

In year 2008-09, individual coverage would cost the teacher 10
percent of the actual cost up to a maximum of $400 per year and for
family coverage, 10 percent of the actual cost up to $460 per
year.

Of the 2006-07 total budget expenditures of $33,872,379, teacher
salaries equal $11,557,486.32, or 34 percent. Teacher benefits
total $3,989,644.28, or nearly 12 percent.

Grants that supplement teacher salaries equal $1,676,631.14, or
almost 5 percent; grants for teacher benefits total $578,773.07, or
nearly 2 percent.

Total expenditures for teachers salaries with grant funds
included amounts to 39.24 percent.