File: GCBA - Instructional Staff Contracts/Compensation/Salary Schedules File: GCBA - Instructional Staff Contracts/Compensation/Salary SchedulesAll contracts for employment of teachers, except substitute teachers, shall be in writing and signed by officers of the Board of Education. All contracts shall conform to the requirements of state law relating to teacher contracts. All annual contracts for the teaching staff shall be for a regular school term of 159 days with 140-141 such days to be scheduled teaching day, depending on the building´s needs.
No contracts shall become effective until the teacher has obtained a Colorado certificate and such certificate is registered in the office of the superintendent.
The Board annually shall adopt a salary schedule for its regular teaching personnel and shall place each teacher in the school district on the salary schedule at least commensurate with, but not limited to, his education, prior experience and experience in the district. The schedule adopted by the Board shall remain in effect until changed or modified by the Board in accordance with law. If the Board declares a fiscal emergency during a budget year as allowed by state law, it may reduce salaries for all employees on a proportional basis.
Salary increments shall be conditioned upon evidence of the continued professional growth of the teacher. Within the framework of state statutes, employees who do not comply with the requirements of the Board and state may not be granted salary increases or they may not be retained on the staff.
Placement on the salary schedule shall be in accordance with requirements developed by the administration and approved by the Board.
The district shall comply with statutory provisions regarding salary schedules.
Placement on the Salary Schedule
I. Fully licensed and certified teacher with a Provisional or Professional License shall be placed on the District´s adopted salary schedule, on steps and lances in accordance with this section. It is also recognized that some positions require professional degrees, backgrounds and certifications but not necessarily teacher certification. Qualified persons filling such positions shall be placed on the salary schedule in accordance with this section (regardless of license type).
A. - New Teachers - Teachers new to the District will be placed on Step 2 of the salary schedule if they have no recognized experience. Years of recognized experience, maximum twenty (20) for new employees will qualify them for placement beyond Step 2, up to a maximum of step 20 on the salary schedule. For purposes of placement on the schedule, a teacher new to the District (salary schedule) will have experience determined as follows:
1. Experience gained by a person under contract who teaches full time throughout a regular school term of nine months shall be counted as one year.
2. Experience gained by a person under contract who taught one-half day or more (but less than a full day) will receive salary schedule steps for each year taught. Teachers who teach for less than half time for a full year, will move one vertical step for every two years of such experience.
3. All other experience of less than one full year that could be applied toward the achievement of non-probationary status in this District (had the teacher been employed by this District) shall be counted as experience for placement on the salary schedule.
4. Experience gained of ½ year or more as a full-time permanent substitute teacher in a single classroom will count as one year of service.
B. - Returning Teacher - Teachers who are returning from the previous year to this District shall be placed on the salary schedule as follows:
1. Movement of one vertical step will be granted for the previous year of full-day teaching experience except that teachers who are at the bottom of the salary lane may not gain a year of experience for each year they are returned to the bottom step of their lane.
2. Teachers who teach for less than half time for a full year, will move one vertical step for every two years of such experience. Teachers who teach half-time or more will receive salary schedule steps for each year taught, unless they are returning to a top step on a salary schedule.
3. The vertical advancement is limited to one step when moving horizontally on the salary schedule since January 1, 1984.
4. The step numbers on the salary schedule may not reflect actual years of teaching experience.
5. There are no experience steps where there are no numbers.
6. The longevity pay is based upon the years taught in the East Otero R-1 School District only.
C. - Previously Employed Teacher - Teachers who have taught previously for the school District and who resigned may be returned to the schedule as though they had not resigned if they have not been off the schedule for more than seven years. Teachers who have retired are excluded from this policy and are subject to the terms of their unique contract.
D. - Horizontal Movements - Placement in horizontal columns on the salary schedule shall be determined by the number of hours earned after the most recent degree or district sponsored/approved professional development courses. These credit hours shall be college credit courses. Continuing education classes do not apply. For movement between lanes A, B, & C, undergraduate and/or graduate courses will be accepted. For movement between lanes D through G, only graduate courses will be accepted.
E. - Part-time Teachers - Regular teaching staff who teach less than a full time teaching load will have their salary prorated using the following ratio - (# of classes or hours taught), (# of classes or hours full-time staff teach at that building.)
I. Teachers with a BA or MA who are not qualified for certification in their area of assignment and who have a current Emergency License will be placed initially at either the BA or MA lane of step 1 on the District´s adopted salary schedule. As semester credits are earned which will qualify them for a License, and upon proper evidence of such credit earned, may move horizontally on step 1. Such movement will occur only at the beginning of a contract year. They will not move off of step 1 until such time as they achieve Licensed or professional status and then will be placed on the salary schedule in accordance with section I above.
II. Teachers who do not have at least a BA and who are working toward degree status and initial clarification shall be place on step 1, BA lane and shall remain there until degree status is achieved, at which time they shall be placed on the District´s adopted salary schedule in accordance with either section I or II of this policy as appropriate. Such movement will occur only at the beginning of a contract year.
Adopted October 28, 1985
Revised December 18, 1989
Negotiated; revised February 26, 1991
Negotiated; revised June 9, 1992
Revised June 22, 1993
Revised May 22, 1995
Negotiated; Revised June, 2002
Negotiated; Revised June, 2004
Negotiated; Revised June, 2010
Revised July 10, 2017
Revised March 12, 2018
Revised June 11, 2018
Revised July 13, 2020
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Longevity Placement
For purposes of determining longevity placement, experience of half-time of more for a full year shall count as one year of longevity credit. Credit for less than one-half time or less than a full year shall not apply.
If a person quits and subsequently returns to work on other than an approved leave of absence, the count shall begin anew. However, years of credit toward longevity which have been lost due to a previous resignation may be earned by remaining on the job three years upon re-employment. Credit for service shall not be granted during any period of absence including involuntary leave (lay-off, reduction in force, and nonrenewal).
A person on an approved leave shall neither earn nor lose credit years toward longevity.
Longevity pay shall commence on the beginning of the 15th contracted year.
Adopted April 12, 1988
Negotiated; revised June 9, 1992
Revised June 22, 1993
Revised May 22, 1995
Revised August 12, 2013
LEGAL REFS.: C.R.S. 22-32-110 (5)
C.R.S. 22-44-115.5 (2)
C.R.S. 22-60-107
C.R.S. 22-63-401 through 403
C.R.S. 22-66-101 et seq.
CROSS REFS.: DBH*, Fiscal Emergencies