Teacher, Administrator Salaries to Be Posted on District 304 Website After Oct. 1

In a previous Patch article on teacher salaries in School District 304, readers had some questions about how "base salary" was determined.

That's explained in a memo from Assistant Superintendent Craig Collins that's shared in the agenda packet for tonight's (Monday, Sept. 24) School Board meeting. 

"Base salary" includes total compensation, including payment for extracurricular responsibilities, payments for summer school teaching, supervising and/or working at athletic and non-athletic events.

The memo precedes the Oct. 1 deadline set by the Illinois General Assembly for each district to publish the salary information on the school district's website. Previously, the information was required only on the Illinois State Board of Education website.

For the past two years, school districts in Illinois have been required to file the Administrator and Teacher Salary and Benefits Report to the Illinois State Board of Education by June 30 of each year.

According to the memo by Collins, the Illinois State Board of Education has issued a new set of guidelines as to what is to be included in the Administrator and Teacher Salary and Benefits Report.

Here is the information that must be published, as well as an explanation of each:

Name – First, Last, and Middle

Initial Position – District Superintendent, Other Administrator, or Teacher

Base Salary – It is the dollar amount an administrator and/or teacher has been paid for all duties performed as a school district employee during the 2011/2012 school year. Base salary includes, for example, teaching salary, compensation for extracurricular responsibilities, payments for summer school teaching, and remuneration for supervising and/or working at athletic and non-athletic events.

FTE – The full-time equivalency (FTE) for each administrator and teacher in the District.

Vacation Days – The number of vacation days allocated to each administrator in the district.

Sick Days – The number of sick days allocated to each administrator and teacher in the district.

Bonuses – Any compensation in the form of bonuses.

Annuities – Any compensation in the form of annuities.

Retirement Enhancements – Any additional compensation over and above the regular teaching or administrative salary in the final fours years of service in the District.

Other Benefits – The annual dollar value of health insurance, dental insurance, and life insurance paid by the board for each administrator and teacher in the District. Included in this category is any reimbursement, up to $500 each calendar year, for those eligible administrators and teachers who decline insurance coverage, reimbursement for eligible teachers enrolled in the PPO 750 health insurance plan who exceed certain deductible limits each year, and reimbursement for graduate school tuition.

SOURCE: School District 304