The REA and Ross Board of Education reached a partial agreement in May with a federal mediator. Since then, the bargaining team has met several times to work toward a fair contract with no tentative agreement yet.
Advocates said if the schools do not offer competitive benefits, they will continue to lose good teachers to other districts.
The REA, representing about 150 teachers, has filed an unfair labor complaint alleging the district pressured staff during contract talks.
Advocates say despite the RLSD being a 5-star school district that outperforms state averages and surrounding districts academically, teacher salaries remain among the lowest in the region.
One Ross parent, Karen Burwinkel, said 19 teachers have left the district in the past five years.
“Some of our favorite teachers are no longer in the district. We have three kids, and when our next child comes through that same grade level and that teacher’s not there anymore for them to have. It’s really sad,” Burwinkel said.
Some argue the district can afford it, despite uncertainty with state and local public school funding.
According to RLSD’s current financial forecast, the district’s primary source of revenue is local property and income tax. State funding is expected to remain flat with decreasing enrollment.
Ross is considered a “Guarantee District,” meaning due to state law, funding will not fall below the FY21 funded level.
Burwinkel shared salary comparison data showing Ross consistently ranking at or near the bottom compared to neighboring districts like Madeira.
“It’s not that these teachers are asking for the highest pay, they just don’t want to be at the bottom of the pay scale,” Burwinkel said.
Teacher Amy Brossart, representing the REA, said the proposed salary schedule starts competitively but decreases over time, potentially losing experienced teachers when they reach peak effectiveness.
“The board will say it is a substantial upgrade from where we are, and it absolutely is. What I’m trying to push is that it starts out pretty high, but then it decreases almost immediately,” Brossart said. “Right at the time when teachers are really getting good at their craft, and so we don’t want to lose them. We want to make sure that they stay in our community, that they continue to serve our students.”
Ross Superintendent Dr. Bill Rice said in a statement that the district “will continue to be available to bargain with the REA, working to ensure a fair compensation package for our teachers. While also working to ensure long-term financial security for our school community.”
“The Ross Education Association continues to care about 100% of our members the same as we are asked to care for 100% of our students. We are laser-focused on highly-qualified teacher retention so we may continue to provide the best opportunity for the students in our classrooms,” Brossart said.
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