USEP Bargaining Update – Tuesday, November 15th, 2022

Last night the USEP and District Instructional Bargaining Teams met and reached agreements on two very important issues.

Additional Compensation for Teachers Providing Additional Instruction (also known as a .2)

For the 22-23 school year, compensation for teaching an additional period of instruction (also known as a .2) will be increased to $6,500. This increase will be retroactive to August 3, 2022.  Unless otherwise negotiated, this increase is only for the 2022-23 school year. The rate is scheduled to return to $5,500 for the 2023-24 school year.

Additional Compensation for Teachers Covering Absent Teachers

Starting November 28th and for the remainder of this school year, teachers will be able to earn compensation when they volunteer to provide coverage for an absent teacher.

Below are the specific terms for this agreement.

1. Secondary teachers who voluntarily substitute for an absent teacher during their planning period shall be provided $25 per day for such coverage during the 2022-2023 school year. To allow sufficient time for the creation and implementation of the reporting and payment processes associated with this change, this payment will be available for coverage provided between November 28, 2022, and the end of the 2022-2023 student school year. Teachers will be limited to one such payment per student day.
2. Secondary teachers who volunteer to cover for an absent teacher through the distribution of that teacher’s students shall be provided 30 minutes of compensatory time for each half day, or portion thereof, coverage provided. The Board and Union agree that classes will be distributed only in emergency situations.
   1. Compensatory time should only be utilized during non-student contact time and must be approved in advance by the principal.
   2. Compensatory time must be used within the school year it is earned and cannot be carried forward from one school year to the next. In addition, compensatory time earned under this plan has no terminal value should a teacher’s employment be separated mid-year.
   3. Site-based administration shall be responsible for tracking the accumulation and use of compensatory time through this process.
3. Elementary teachers who volunteer to cover for an absent teacher through the distribution of that teacher’s students shall be provided $25 per each whole day for such coverage during the 2022-2023 school year. To allow sufficient time for the creation and implementation of the reporting and payment processes associated with this change, this payment will be available for coverage provided between November 28, 2022, and the end of the 2022-2023 student school year.

USEP takes very seriously our role of advocating for ALL MEMBERS. Both of these agreements reflect that position. We are proud to announce that, moving forward, positive changes will occur for those who participate in the .2 opportunity as well as those who voluntarily choose to help when other teachers are absent. Thank you to our negotiating team for helping work through these two new agreements.