Teachers Jeer Bonuses Decided by Seniority

Teacher Scott Haddad is about to get a check from the state for $3,300--and he’s none too pleased about it.

The way Haddad sees it, he should be getting $5,000, part of the hefty rewards finally heading to low-performing schools in California with huge test-score gains.

But because the Los Angeles teachers union refused to negotiate the amounts of the big bonuses, as set out in state law, the matter has defaulted to a formula that essentially doles out the money by seniority.

And that means newer teachers such as Haddad are getting less than their veteran colleagues, causing an uproar in the ranks.

As a matter of policy, United Teachers-Los Angeles does not bargain on any pay tied to test scores, insisting that bonuses sow dissension among teachers. But the policy has created what the union had hoped to avoid: discontented teachers.

“I’m grateful for the money, but they’re creating a situation that’s inherently unfair,” said Haddad, who will get about half as much reward money as some teachers at his school, Crescent Heights Elementary in Mid-City.

“We all deserve more, but you don’t deserve it at the expense of somebody else’s sweat,” Haddad said.

The Los Angles Unified School District on Thursday notified principals of its 20 qualifying schools about the award formula, and word is just now trickling out at most schools. Principal Ronald Jones of Mountain View Elementary in Tujunga, for example, is calling an emergency meeting Wednesday to inform his staff.

“There are going to be some unhappy people at my campus,” said Jones, whose teachers are all expecting $10,000 awards. “I’m going to encourage people not to be upset with their colleagues because they are receiving more money.”

The bonuses are one of three award programs in Gov. Gray Davis’ testing and accountability initiative. More than 12,000 teachers, principals, librarians and others at 304 schools are set to share $100 million for gains on the Stanford 9 achievement test in 2000. L.A. Unified’s share is $6.1 million.

The big-money rewards program was intended to offer incentives to attract and retain teachers at the state’s most challenged schools. Teachers have been waiting nearly a year for their bonus checks.

Statewide, 1,000 staff members at schools with the greatest improvement are expecting $25,000 each. An additional 3,750 employees are anticipating $10,000 apiece. And 7,500 others are waiting for $5,000 each.

The state leaves it up to local districts and teachers unions to decide how much money staffers should get at each school. If local unions and districts can’t agree, the law calls for awards to be distributed according to teachers’ base salaries. In effect, teachers with more years get larger bonuses.

Most Districts, Unions Negotiated Plan

Although unions statewide have complained about the bonus program, most appear to have honored its intent. Union representatives in some of the state’s largest districts, from Long Beach to San Jose, said they negotiated with districts because they found the state’s seniority formula unpalatable.

“I don’t [believe in merit pay], but, when the law is passed and there’s money for the teachers, we said we’ll follow what the law says,” said Cliff Kusaba, president of the Teachers Assn. of Long Beach, which represents 5,000 teachers.

Teachers and other staffers at five schools in Long Beach qualified for bonuses of $10,000 or $5,000 each.

In Orange and Ventura counties, most district and union officials appear to have agreed on an even split of the money.

“We thought it was most fair for every single teacher to get the same amount rather than differentiate between those with more experience,” said Melinda Dannenberg, president of the Hueneme Education Assn. in Ventura County. “It was pretty much consensus--no one really agrees with these awards at all.”

The California Teachers Assn. opposes merit pay but has advised its affiliates to negotiate the bonus money as a way to ensure optimal outcomes for teachers. Though many affiliates have done just that, the one significant holdout has been United Teachers-Los Angeles.

Leaders of the Los Angeles union, which represents 39,000 teachers, said Monday that they would not budge from their position.

“The whole system is unfair,” said union President Day Higuchi. “Whenever it’s been tried, it’s been counterproductive. You’re saying you get a magic number on a test and money rains on you. To me, that can’t be fair. That’s a lottery. It’s divisive.”

It was not intended to be divisive. The point of involving unions was to ensure collaboration and give local officials flexibility for dealing with special situations such as part-time staff.

After hearing of dissension in Los Angeles, however, one top state education official suggested that lawmakers could pursue legislation to make it more equitable.

“This was not intended to create consternation among the staff,” said Doug Stone, a spokesman for Delaine Eastin, the state’s superintendent of public instruction.

At Crescent Heights Elementary, teachers are blaming not only the state but their own union for not taking an active role in spreading the money evenly.

“It really comes across to me as a slap in the face,” said William Lamb, who expects to receive $3,800, well below the awards of others at his school. “I’m questioning whether I want to stay in teaching. I enjoy the kids, but who wants to work when you’re insulted like this?”

Lamb said he was especially angry about the awards because his and other second-grade teachers’ students showed some of the school’s largest gains. Because Lamb was only a fourth-year teacher at the time of testing, his $36,000 salary was on the low end.

Principal Warned Teachers of Bonuses

Aware of the sensitivity involving the awards, Principal Sharon Curry called her teachers together Friday to explain the distribution plan. Curry handed each qualifying staff member a sealed envelope containing a reward amount written on a piece of paper. In an interview, she said she too thinks the system is unfair.

“I feel bad,” she said. “I want my teachers to feel productive and good. That’s been diminished a bit.”

One veteran Crescent Heights teacher slated to get a large award said she understands the frustration of her less experienced colleagues.

“This is a onetime shot,” said Charlotte Haines , who has taught full time in L.A. Unified for 12 years and expects to receive about $5,500. “I think it should have been divided between all the teachers. It’s an issue of fairness. We’re all teaching.”

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Times staff writer Jenifer Ragland in Ventura contributed to this story.