Anyone getting supplements/bonuses? > Vermont Speech-Language Hearing Association - Forums > Vermont Speech-Language Hearing Association

Unanswered

Active Topics

Forums

Forums > School Based Issues > Salary Supplements

Subject: Anyone getting supplements/bonuses?

Prev Next

You are not authorized to post a reply.

Author

Messages

karifab

Posts:12

06/10/2007 10:04 AM	Alert
Many states and many more districts within states are offering salary supplements to SLPs as a recruitment/retention measure. This is done usually by comparing CCC requirements with the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards(NBPTS) certificaiton requirements to show that CCC-SLPs deserve the same bonuses/salary supplements as teachers who are NBPTS certified. These bonuses can range from a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars, either as a one-time or annual bonus. Vermont districts vary in their recognition of NBPTS certification. I know of one individual in Vermont who is actively pursuing recognition for her CCC in her district to so they will pay for her ASHA dues. If anyone else is involved in this process or wants to know how to pursue it, please respond in this forum. Kari Fabrizio, VSHA President

river rat

Posts:2

06/13/2007 10:13 AM	Alert
I am SO glad to see someone asking this question, but can't believe there hasn't been more of a response. I tried to get a salary supplement during the most recent negotiations for the Brattleboro School district contract. It did not go well. After I put together a packet and presentation for the negotiating team, they were more than happy to add it to the overall package. It started out as a $2500.00 salary supplement, but the school board negotiators soon had it downgraded to a $1200.00 stipend (basically the same thing that coaches get). I really wanted a salary supplement (even a smaller amount would have been fine) because it counts toward retirement. Eventually, as we got close to a strike, it got dropped from the table entirely. I truly believe this needs to be tackled at the state level, not locally. Districts are having to work very hard at cutting costs and keeping spending down. It will be a hard fight (but worht it). VSHA needs to tackle this with the support of ASHA and lobbyists. If we can get legislation, that would be the most ideal solution. I recognize it would take years, but by then we will have a serious shortage on our hands. We have 5 SLPS in the Brattleboro area alone who will likely retire within the next 5 to 10 years. How do you replace seasoned SLPS in that number? We'll need incentives and a salary supplement would be very attractive. Getting reimbursed for CCC's is important, but a salary supplement would do that and a lot more! I didn't get much of a response from VSHA folks, when I first decided to pursue this endeavour. I think that's because no one had really given it much thought. But nows the time! We need to get SLPs thinking, talking and rallying around on this issue.

karifab

Posts:12

06/13/2007 9:47 PM	Alert
I commend your efforts! What a shame after working so hard on this that you didn't get the salary supplement. Sounds like the negotiating team was on your side - do you feel they represented you well? I hear from many people in other states that it can take repeated efforts to succeed. Do Brattleboro teachers with NBPTS certification get a $2500 salary supplement? I agree with you that salary supplements would do a lot for VT schools experiencing recruitment/retention difficulties. VSHA has wanted to do more to pursue salary supplements the last 2-3 years but since we are a small all-volunteer (no paid staff) organization with only around 10 active volunteers, we find ourselves quite busy with our many initiatives, one of which is addressing SLP shortages through a state-wide coalition (new this year - see the home web page for details of this effort). Perhaps the salary supplement issue will evolve within this work. You sound very passionate about this issue and we would welcome your help in this effort. -Kari Fabrizio

river rat

Posts:2

06/14/2007 4:02 PM	Alert
Thanks for your response. I feel that the negotiating team represented SLPs as best as they knew how, but I'm not sure that was good enough. I'll say that the head negotiator is a special educator, and I'm sure that helped. I agree that repeated efforts are usually the case. We only re-negotiate contracts every three to four years so the opportunity to try again would come until 2009. I am planing on re-working the packet and presentation to hopefully be more effective. As far as I know, no one else in the district gets salary supplements for anything. There are many stipends though because they don't cost as much in the long run. I would like to be more involved with this issue if it seems to be getting off the ground. Let me know how I might be able to help.

karifab

Posts:12

06/27/2007 2:10 PM	Alert
You must have had a pretty convincing presentation to have the negotiating team put the supplement in there for you considering your district doesn't apparently already recognize NBPTS teacher certification with supplements/bonuses. There is no current organized effort in moving this issue forward but I would be willing to support you or anyone else who is interested. Keep in mind that a state-wide effort would be difficult due to Vermont's local focus, but perhaps a first step is to identify which districts already offer bonuses/supplements to teachers who are NBPTS certified. There are 60 districts in VT. I have many available contacts through the State Education Advocacy Leader (SEALs) network who have successfully advocated for supplements in other states. Kari

karifab

Posts:12

01/19/2008 5:15 PM	Alert
The Vermont Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Speech-Language Pathology surveyed Special Education Directors this fall to identify SLP vacancy data and incentive programs in VT districts/supervisory unions. Questions regarding salary supplements were included. Close to 80% of Vermont districts do not recognize NBPTS certification for teachers. 41% of districts would like to know more about this. 30% of districts did offer some sort of financial perk to SLPs. Please see the complete survey results by clicking on the link located on VSHA's home page. Kari

You are not authorized to post a reply.

Forums > School Based Issues > Salary Supplements > Anyone getting supplements/bonuses?

ActiveForums 3.6