COMPARISON OF PRESENT AND PROPOSED AVERAGE SALARIES AND PERCENTAGE INCREASES BY SALARY CLASS FOR DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TEACHERS AND SCHOOL OFFICERS 1 Proposed new salary level for position of vice superintendent. Source: Government of the District of Columbia, Personnel Office, Aug. 4, 1972. H.R. 15965-DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TEACHERS' PAY INCREASE (CLASS 15-CLASSROOM TEACHERS) The following tax proposals provide the funding provisions for paying the teacher a 7-percent pay increase as follows: (3) Increases sales and use tax on nonprescription drugs, laundry and drycleaning from 2 to 5 1.4 STARTING TEACHERS' SALARIES, WITH BACHELOR'S DEGREE, WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA, SCHOOL YEARS 1971-72 AND 1972-73 NUMBER OF TEACHERS AND TOTAL ENROLLMENT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOL, PAST 3 YEARS Note: The number of teachers listed above, in each instance includes also counselors, attendance officers, librarians, etc., all personnel in salary class 15. The great majority, however, in this category are teachers. STATEMENT OF HON. WALTER WASHINGTON, D.C. COMMISSIONER, ACCOMPANIED BY GRAHAM WATT, ASSISTANT TO THE COMMISSIONER; STAN EHRLICH, D.C. PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT; KENNETH BACK, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND REVENUE; AND RONSELLEAR F. SHORTER, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO MANAGEMENT SERVICES, BOARD OF EDUCATION Commissioner WASHINGTON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have on my left, Mr. Kenneth Back, the Director of the Department of Finance and Revenue, who will be our backup; and, of course, Deputy Mayor Graham Watt on my right: and Mr. Stan Ehrlich of the Personnel Department will be here for backup purposes. Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, Delegate Fauntrov: It is a privilege to appear before you this morning to testify basically in support of H.R. 15965, a bill to increase the salaries of the District teachers and school administrators, and make certain other changes in the Teachers' Salary Act of 1955. I think the close proximity of that bill and the bill that Congressman Fauntroy has introduced in a number of elements-we have, we believe, a comprehensive treatment of this matter; if I might, Mr. Chairman, I will read you my statement and ask Mr. Watt to furnish the particulars, the technical detail, and we will then be available for questions. I view this issue with a sense of urgency. The classified and wage board employees of the District Government received salary increases in 1970, 1971, and 1972. This Committee recently reported, and the House passed, H.R. 15580, a bill to grant a salary increase to District Police and Firemen. The Senate has now also acted on this proposal. District of Columbia school personnel, however, have not had a salary increase since June of 1970. The proposal which we are recommending for the teachers and other school officers is a reasonable one which the District of Columbia can finance, although tax increases will be required to do so. TITLE I-SALARIES Title I of the bill would provide a salary increase of approximately seven percent, effective in September, with an additional increase scheduled to become effective in September, 1973, based on whatever increase occurs in the cost-of-living price index in the period between August 1972 and August 1973. PROVISIONS OF BILL I think, Mr. Chairman, this is important, the number of people who have not understood the bill. In fact, it is a bill providing, as did Congressman Fauntroy's bill, a two-step increase. In other words, the staging of the first seven percent, which actually amounts to $7 million this year, with an additional increase scheduled to become effective in September, 1973, which is the second increment, based on whatever increase occurs in the cost-of-living price index between the period of August 1972 and August 1973. The new beginning salary for teachers will be $8350, compared to the present $7800. This proposal is based on a thoughtful analysis of the recommendation received from the Board of Education taken together with a realistic appraisal of the City's financial situation, which must be taken into account on all increases. The end result which you see before you in H.R. 15965 is not all that the Union or even the Board had hoped for, but it does contain significant salary increases and is one which we feel can be financed. The two step increase proposal has been reviewed, and we think this is important, that going over the pieces of legislation that we have, we feel, complied with the Federal Pay Board's request, and this is pursuant to the Economic Stabilization Act of 1970. The bill has been cleared by the Office of Management and Budget. Therefore, our bill contains the support of the Administration. The considerations that went into the develop:nent of this proposal and information regarding our relative position as compared to other cities is found in some detail in the Deputy Mayor's statement. In the interests of time, I will touch briefly on two main points. NEED FOR LEGISLATION First, the District's school system presents a challenge that demands the very best teaching talent this country has to offer. We must be able to compete with other large cities, as well as with our immediate neighbors, for good teachers. Second, the salaries established by the last pay bill, Public Law 91297, in 1970, set salaries which allowed us to compete but this competitive advantage has been eroded by inflation. The legislation you are being asked to consider today would, I feel, re-establish our competitive position. These points are conveyed visually by the charts which you see in front of you. Chart 1 (see p. 46) compares District salaries with those of teachers in the immediate area for the 1971-1972 school year just past. It shows the District maintaining a competitive position for starting salaries, but dropping off somewhat at top levels. SOURCE: AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS (AFL-CIO) SURVEY OF TEACHERS' SALARIES, 1971-72 PREPARED BY: PAY SYSTEMS & LABOR RELATIONS DIVISION JUNE 1972 Mrs. FLORETTA MCKINZIE (Special Assistant for Instruction), acting for Superintendent Scott. The Washington minimum salary level is $7800. It is first place. The maximum salary is fourth place, and the MA maximum salary of $13,900. Mr. CABELL. Would you please talk a little louder? Mrs. McKINZIE. Our present minimum salary for teachers is $7800. It ranks us in first place for the school year 1971-1972. However, our Bachelor's Degree maximum ranks us in fourth place. The Master's Degree salary, however, was not quite as good. The $8580 salary ranked the District in the fourth place. In the maximum $13,900, that places us in the seventh or last place locally. This was for the school year 1971-1972. Commissioner WASHINGTON. Chart No. 2 shows how the District's position in comparison with the surrounding area will drop for the 1972-1973 school year unless some action is taken. Mrs. McKINZIE. Chart No. 2 graphically illustrates what Mayor Washington has just illustrated. Our present $7800 at the Bachelor level is $7800, and that places us in fourth place, and in fifth place at the maximum level. The Master's salary range, minimum $8580, would drop to fifth place, and our $13,900 would still place us in last place locally. SOURCE: UNPUBLISHED SURVEY DATA FROM SURVEY CONDUCTED BY D. C. PERSONNEL OFFICE, PAY 1 THE INCREASES ARE PROPOSED TO BE EFFECTIVE DURING THE 1972-73 SCHOOL YEAR. IN ADDITION, THOSE PROPOSALS FOOTNOTED HAVE AUTOMATIC INCREASES FOR THE 1973-74 SCHOOL YEAR. PREPARED BY: PAY SYSTEMS & LABOR RELATIONS DIVISION JUNE 1972 Commissioner WASHINGTON. Chart No. 3 compares the District's salaries with those paid nationally, showing that District teachers ranked seventh for 1971-1972 among cities over 500,000 in population. Mr. CABELL. And how many cities fall into this category? Mrs. MCKENZIE. How many? We show 24-cities over 500,000 population. As Mayor Washington just stated, our entrance salary is $7800, and that ranks us in seventh place in these cities. The median place salary places us in 12th place for the maximum and the Master salary $8580 places the District in eighth place, and the $13,900 puts us in ninth place nationally. |