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Raises with 20 by 2020 Funds Incoming teachers who were not in a classroom the year before were

Continued from page 16 given a 5 percent raise.
Heusman said Alhambra has more than 12,000 students in pre-
school through 8th grade, 93 percent are eligible for free or reduced
He posed several questions: “How did your district or charter use cost lunches and 87 percent are Hispanic
additional funding? Did you give it only to instructional teachers’ Because Alhambra teachers make $9,990 more than the average
salaries? Maybe you gave it to other certified staff, such as coaches. teacher and the raises had to be based on the average salary of
What about support staff? Even though the intention is for teachers’ Arizona teachers, the district could not give them a raise of 10 percent.
salaries, the law doesn’t preclude us from giving raises to others. Heusman explained that Alhambra gave its classroom teachers a 5.5
Administrative salaries are taboo, but maybe you gave them raises percent raise from the 20 by 2020 dollars, but the teachers received a
from another source. Maybe you used some of it to offset a budget total of 8 percent when years of experience and professional growth
deficit.” were factored into the district’s salary schedule.
Ponder said Crane, located in Yuma, is pre-school through 8th Other certified and classified staff, including coaches, bus drivers,
grade, has 6,300 students, 78 percent qualify for free or reduced price custodians and nurses got 4 percent, plus steps and levels that boosted
lunches and 81 percent are Hispanic. the increase up to 6 percent, Heusman said. Administrators got no
Crane has a different definition of teachers, following an opinion of raises.
the Attorney General, which states that a teacher must spend at least Recommendations for the pay raises came from a special committee
50 percent of the time in a classroom and have a teaching certificate. led by the superintendent and consisting of instructional teachers and
If they have a teaching certificate but work as a counselor, they do not other certified staff. Heusman said Alhambra has not committed to
qualify as a teacher, Ponder explained. any additional raises until the Legislature actually allocates the money.
Crane provided an 11 percent increase to current teachers who Calles said Tolleson Union High School District has six high
met that definition, helping in the district’s retention and recruitment schools, is adding a seventh, and has more than 12,000 students. The
efforts, and 9 percent for incoming teachers who were in a classroom
– public, charter or private – for 2017-18 school year, Ponder said. Continued on page 20

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18 THE EDGE | SPRING 2019