Teachers propose 40-step, 11-lane salary schedule; ask for 7% annual investment for 4 years
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Summary
The Ithaca Teachers Association proposed converting ICSD27s pay system to a 40-step, 11-lane step-and-lane salary schedule, with immediate lane adjustments and retroactive pay changes. The ITA presented multiple funding scenarios — including 7% per year for four years — and shared staff-level grids and district-specific data showing teacher-exit,
The Ithaca Teachers Association on Thursday proposed shifting the Ithaca City School District to a 40-step, 11-lane salary schedule and asked the district to invest to bring all teachers onto the grid.
The proposal, presented by Brian, would place teachers on steps aligned with years of service and lanes aligned with accumulated graduate and professional credits; lane adjustments would be applied immediately when approved and made retroactive to Sept. 1 or Feb. 1 application dates. The ITA said it has prepared detailed salary grids and spreadsheets to show the effects of different investment levels.
The union framed the change as a retention strategy. "The number one priority for our members is slowing teacher turnover by implementing a step and lane schedule that's comparable with regional school districts," Brian said. The ITA provided ICSD head-counts: 573 full-time teachers, with 41% in years 110 of service, 36% in years 1120, 21% in years 2130 and 4% with more than 30 years.
To reach parity with neighboring districts, the ITA proposed three investment scenarios: 7% per year for four years, 6% per year for six years, or 5% per year for 12 years. The ITA said it prefers the 7% for four years plan as the fastest way to align salaries.
District leaders asked about the salary-stratification methodology and requested a replicable algorithm for human resources and payroll. The ITA responded that the district27s payroll system (WinCap) supports a step-and-lane grid function and that the grid can be uploaded and produce automatic annual step movements.
District officials also raised concerns about relying on comparisons with neighboring districts, noting that those districts may receive higher state funding and therefore can offer higher salaries without the same local-tax impacts. The district cautioned that tying ICSD27s schedule to competitors could shift bargaining leverage and complicate successor-contract negotiations.
Both sides agreed to continue working. The district said it would produce counterproposals and financial projections to present to the board and the public at its next scheduled board meeting and pledged to return with numbers at the parties' next bargaining session.
Discussion points: the ITA emphasized the retention rationale and provided exit-interview data indicating roughly 40% of departing teachers take jobs in neighboring districts; the district pressed for an explicable, replicable formula and warned about local funding limits and leverage in future bargaining.
The parties set a follow-up bargaining session for next Thursday to review district counters and budget projections.
