Shoreline teachers approve 3-year contract

By Marianne Deal Stephens

On Thursday, September 3, 2015, 97% of Shoreline Education Association members voted to ratify a new three-year contract with the Shoreline School District. SEA President David Guthrie said that the teachers are “very excited” about the contract, which opens up a “whole new opportunity to move our district forward.”

The contract includes a 4.2% increase in teacher compensation in year one, or 5.3% of the base contract. (Teacher pay is a combination of base pay from the state and locally bargained TRI—time, responsibility, and incentive—pay, so percentages vary based on which portions of compensation form the basis of calculation.) Teachers will have a new compensation model linked to comparable districts. A new midyear roll up will mean a further adjustment to compensation a few months into the 2015-16 school year. According to David Guthrie, the roll up means that local teachers can expect to see a midyear increase.

The agreement also includes several supports for student learning that were priorities for the SEA, including:

• a full-time counselor in every elementary school
• instructional coaches who will help teachers with instructional techniques and curriculum design
• a mentor program to support new teachers

SEA President Guthrie noted that “Shoreline is a unique community.” While bargaining involved some difficult conversations, there is a strength in the relationship between management and labor here in Shoreline. Guthrie characterized both parties—the school district and the SEA— as having a distinct culture of “how to get to yes.”

Wednesday, September 9 is the first student day of the 2015-16 school year in the Shoreline School District.