Staff Reports
Chino Valley – The Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) non-teaching employees will receive a three percent raise this year and a two percent raise next year, under a tentative agreement approved by the Union and the District on March 18.
Under this tentative agreement, a three percent raise for the 2013-14 school year will be retroactive to July 1, 2013. The additional two percent increase will become effective for this fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014. As part of this proposal, there will be an increase in the annual cap for District employees’ health benefits by 10 percent. This will increase the amount the district pays for health benefits to $9,422, up from $8,565.
The Classified School Employees Association (CSEA) is expected to vote on this agreement on March 26. Members from CHAMP (a group representing management employees) have also agreed to the tentative contract.
These pay raises for the non-teaching CVUSD employees come on the heels of many California teachers finally beginning to see pay raises, bonuses, and benefits in contract negations, due to the fruits of voter-approved school funding increases. With $6.1 billion in new funds headed for California Schools this year due to Proposition 30 (a temporary income and sales tax hike), many school officials have rescinded layoffs and added days back to the school calendars.
School Districts such as Montebello Unified were able to give teachers a five percent pay increase and about $2,400 more per person for health insurance. Depending on whether the district actually receives all of the funds it expects, part of the salary increase will continue into next year as well.
However, while this issue seems to move forward and many school districts continue to raise teachers’ pay, negotiations between the Teachers Union, Associated Chino Teachers (ACT) and the District have stalled, after an impasse in negations was declared by Todd Hancock, ACT President, on March 5.
