UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Today, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Interim CEO Dr. Monica Goldson announced a salary step restoration proposal to compensate dedicated employees. Teachers, principals and support staff whose raises were frozen during the economic downturn yet remained with PGCPS consistently for the last 10 years will receive a restorative salary increase over the next three years. All eligible employees will receive a 3 percent salary increase in addition to any current negotiated compensation enhancements. In total, nearly 8,300 employees are eligible for the salary restoration proposal. The plan will be funded through a combination of state Kirwan funding and nearly $20 million in cuts from across the school system, none impacting resources in the classroom.
“For the last decade our community and employees have been slowly recovering from one of the worst economic recessions in the nation’s history. Along with teachers, our bus drivers, school nurses and custodians bore the brunt of lost wages and have seen the least increase in their paychecks over the last 10 years,” said Dr. Goldson. “Through it all, these employees were committed to serving our students and building the next generation. Taking this step forward demonstrates our commitment to retaining employees and recruiting the best to join us in the years to come.”
During the economic downturn, numerous cost-savings strategies were used to limit the impact on students and schools, including a “freeze” on employee salary increases from 2009 to 2012. Based on draft estimates from a PGCPS compensation study, the $46 million commitment to restore the lost salary steps will impact close to 8,300 employees, including nearly 3,500 teachers and over 3,650 support staff. The proposal provides one step increase annually for the next three fiscal years. This will cost just under $16 million annually for the next two years and approximately $15 million for the third year.
PGCPS will continue working with its four union partners – ACE-American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2250, Association of Supervisory and Administrative School Personnel (ASASP), Prince George’s County Educators’ Association (PGCEA) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 400 – to formally negotiate compensation items.
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