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Ithaca teachers urge board to authorize bargaining for 7.5% annual raises, step‑in‑lane pay grid
Summary
More than a dozen Ithaca City School District teachers told the board they are facing living‑wage shortfalls, documented turnover and ‘‘leapfrogging’’ in pay; the Ithaca Teachers Association asked the board to authorize negotiations that would allow an average 7.5% annual raise and adoption of a step‑in‑lane salary schedule.
A group of Ithaca City School District teachers on March 25 told the board their pay no longer covers basic living costs in Tompkins County and asked the board to authorize bargaining beyond the district’s current proposal.
The remarks were led by Elizabeth Crawford, who identified herself as a teacher of advanced writing at Ithaca High School. “I am here because I stood in line this year at a local food pantry when I couldn't stretch my grocery budget far enough,” Crawford said, adding that she could not afford childcare or keep her home without public assistance.
The testimony laid out data and personal examples intended to press the board to authorize union negotiators to seek larger raises and to adopt a step‑in‑lane salary model. Jennifer Goodmark, speaking for members of the Ithaca Teachers Association, asked the board to allow bargaining for a higher annual increase and said the association’s work over two years supports the 7.5%‑per‑year request.
Other teachers presented turnover figures and comparisons with neighboring districts. Sam Trechter, a 21‑year teacher at Caroline, said ICSD lost “over a 100 teachers last year” and estimated the turnover cost at about $1,570,000 — a figure he noted exceeds the dollar gap between the district’s proposal and the union’s ask. Meg Burke, the librarian at Northeast Elementary School, presented cumulative earnings comparisons showing long‑term losses for teachers who remained in the district.
Speakers repeatedly asked the board to adopt a step‑in‑lane system that would place teachers on a grid tied to years of experience and graduate credits so that pay becomes predictable and corrects “leapfrogging” and salary compression. Katie Morgan and Gina Cacioppo described being leapfrogged by less experienced hires and said a multi‑year phase‑in tied to 7.5% raises would correct inequities.
Board members thanked speakers and said negotiations are underway. Superintendent Doctor Brown and board members repeatedly said that specific bargaining details must be discussed in the negotiation process and that the public comments would be considered in Thursday’s bargaining session. Doctor Brown encouraged the presenters to share underlying data slides and to email materials to the district clerk for distribution to the board.
No formal board action on the teachers’ request occurred during the meeting; board members emphasized that compensation and bargaining positions are handled in collective bargaining sessions.
The teachers’ comments came during the allotted public‑comment period and drew multiple presenters representing the Ithaca Teachers Association, including teachers from Ithaca High School, Caroline Elementary and other district schools.
