Teachers, District May Be Near Agreement

If both sides approve a contract reached tentatively this week, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District may be able to halt the exodus of teachers that has plagued it in recent years, a union official said Thursday.

Teachers will vote on the contract Sept. 4, and school board trustees will consider it at their meeting the following Tuesday.

Its main points call for teacher raises every year and an adjustment to compensate teachers for degrees they earn while working, said Linda Mook, president of the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers.

When the previous contract took effect in the mid-1980s, it called for raises every three years, as opposed to every year as is standard in neighboring districts. Newport-Mesa never kept pace, and soon had some of the worst-paid teachers in the county, Mook said.

That led to teachers resigning or accepting retirement incentives from the district and taking jobs elsewhere.

“A teacher could make a five- or six-mile drive and could earn $10,000 more from a neighboring district,” Mook said. “This will stem the tide and prevent a brain drain.”

The district just hired 140 teachers, and Supt. Robert Barbot said he hopes the new salary schedule will keep them at Newport-Mesa long-term.

“We want this to be one of the best districts in the state, and we feel this is a step in that direction,” Barbot said. “We believe, honestly, it’s a good agreement. It’s financially responsible and will help us attract and maintain the excellent teachers we have. It’s a win-win.”

Details of the pay raises are confidential until the contract is approved, Barbot said.