Nampa teachers’ union representatives sat down this morning to negotiate with a district hired attorney. They were expecting to talk about furlough days and other ways to climb out of the district's budget hole. The district took the offensive with a contract offer that includes 14 furlough days in the 2013 /2014 school year. The offer does not allow raises that would have come from increased experience.
The offer also includes a 5 percent reduction in all supplemental salaries. That covers additional money teachers get for after-school activities such as coaching a sport, leading a band or advising a yearbook staff. It also gives two possible options for cuts in health insurance and other benefits. The Nampa Education Association will make a counter offer next week.
Last August the district announced accounting errors had led to a $5 million dollar deficit. After a year that has seen steep budget cuts and a supplemental levy the district announced earlier this week it still needed to cut about $3.5 million to balance next year’s budget. That adds up to about $4,000 for each teacher in the district.
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