Salary and Financial Package

Effective November 1, 2011: 1%

Effective November 1, 2012: 2%

Effective November 1, 2013: 3%

Effective November 1, 2014: 3%

Effective November 1, 2015: 3%

Career Awards

Make sure you check your career award. If your career award is not correct, file a PSO-3 form with HR. You can obtain a PSO-3 at your school or by downloading here. Seek the correct Career Award retroactive (for three years) to the first date you should have earned your award. (The 24, 34, and 44 CA's began 9/03.)  It is suggested that you hand-deliver all important documents (such as this) to Court St., 3rd floor, Human Resources. Bring in two copies of each document, and ask the clerk to date-stamp both. Retain one copy for your records.)

Salary Step Placement for Provisional Teachers

Teachers *are entitled to receive salary credit for up to three years of teaching experience outside the Boston system. The service must have been under contract, full-time (not substitute), and for 160 days or more in the given school year(s) you must have taught under a Massachusetts Teaching Certificate or equivalent.

("Teachers" in this document is a generic term for all provisionals. Nurses, and others, too, are eligible for salary credit, but the criteria for creditable service varies. Please call the Union office for information.)

You must apply for salary credit by providing documentation of the above on official stationery with letterhead from the school district. Your documentation MUST be accompanied by a "PSO-3" form requesting the new salary step. Do not wait to file these forms, as credit is retroactive under only certain conditions. (Do NOT assume that the recruitment office or anyone else who may have your credentials on file has forwarded any of your credentials to the proper authority for processing. You have to follow up on this yourself.) As always, feel free to call one of us for a full explanation.

All credentials and applications must be filed with the Office of Human Resources directly, preferably in person. Do not rely on your building administrator to do this for you. For all important personnel submissions to Court St., the following is STRONGLY advised: Do not mail, either by interdepartmental mail or by U.S. mail.

Instead, hand-deliver two copies of each document to the Office of Human Resources, which is on the 3rd floor. Have all copies date-stamped, and retain one of each copy.

Teachers are additionally eligible for up to three years' credit for service inside the Boston system. Eligible service includes substitute service (as long as you worked 120 days or more in a given school year), provisional service, and prior permanent service.

Teachers who were paraprofessionals can get salary credit for time worked as a paraprofessional on a 1 to 3 basis, that is one year of teacher salary credit for every three years worked as a paraprofessional. (Similarly, teachers who were paraprofessionals can get on a one-to-one basis creditable time towards career award service based on their paraprofessional service.) To obtain credit in either of these cases, a "PSO-3" form should be filed with the Office of Human Resources. Using that form, state specifically what you are seeking, based on what service. The Office of Human Resources will verify your claim.

Academic Lane Placements for Provisionals

Provisional teachers are also eligible for academic lane advancement, with increments provided for Bachelors + 15, (Graduate or In-Service credits), Masters, Masters + 15, Masters + 30, Masters + 45, Masters + 60, Masters + 75 and Doctorate. YOU MUST FILE A "PSO-3" APPLICATION TO ADVANCE LANES.

(As stated above, do not rely on anyone else to do this for you; and, further, do not assume that your credentials are on file with the Office of Human Resources unless you have a date-stamped copy to prove it. N.B. Make sure all supporting documentation is attached to any application requiring same. As above, keep date-stamped copies of all material. When filling out the PSO-3 form, only your signature is required.

As above with applications for salary step credit, file all documents yourself as soon as possible directly with the Office of Human Resources . Incidentally, you should save all pay stubs to confirm salary amounts/changes, etc. Should you not see a deserved payroll change within three paycheck cycles, you should call one of us.

Vocational teachers may be eligible for salary lane adjustment. Please consult the BTU Contract for more information.

HINT: SAVE YOUR PAYSTUBS and MONITOR ANY PAYROLL ADJUSTMENTS

It is good practice for you to retain all pay stubs and to at least twice yearly review your pay stub for accuracy of deductions and correct lane and step placement . Further, it is good practice to review carefully your pay stub after any salary change request to insure proper payment.)

Contractual Working Conditions

Class Size Maxima effective September 1, 2012

We have tenaciously fought for class size reductions over the last two decades. They are most important to us and most important to the children we teach. Please see the schedule below of permissible class size numbers.

If any of your classes is in violation of the allowed maxima, speak to your BTU building Rep. and he/she will make sure that a grievance is promptly filed. Procrastination does not pay. File your grievance when the maxima is exceeded. A student who has been enrolled and who has not been discharged counts on your class roster.

CLASS SIZE MAXIMA 2011-2011: REGULAR EDUCATION

(As of September 1, 2013, class size in Level 3 and Level 4 schools plus undesignated schools (King, Higginson Lewis, Mildred Ave., Tech Boston) shall be reduced by 2 students in grades 6 and by 1 in grade 9. This currently totals 35 schools that have the affected grades.)

In elementary schools where there is only one regular education class in a grade level, the School Department may exceed the class size maxima by one or two students. For one student over the class size maxima the teacher will receive $1,500. and for two students, $3,000.

In secondary schools where there is a singular regular education course offering, the School Department may exceed the class size maxima by one or two students. For one student over the class size maxima, the teacher will receive $300. per class and for two students, $600.

CLASS SIZE MAXIMA EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2012: SPECIAL EDUCATION

Some very specialized classes, e.g. lab cluster, may have a smaller class size.

CLASS SIZE MAXIMA EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2012: BILINGUAL, ESL & SHELTERED IMMERSION

Teachers should immediately report class size violations to the Executive Vice-President or submit a class size maxima grievance online.

Planning and Development Time: Grants staff unassigned time when one is not given a programmed duty or responsibility. P&D periods are 'teacher-directed," i.e. teacher alone decides what he/she does during that period.

Middle and high school teachers: 5 full-length periods per week; Elementary teachers: 5 per week, with one per week "administratively" directed.

Individual Benchmark Testing: All K2-3 will be provided with the equivalent of two days of substitute coverage to do benchmark testing. One day's equivalency will be given in September, the other in June. All SPED teachers who provide altermnative assessments will get one day of release time.

Duty-Free Lunch: Grants daily duty-free time to all for lunch in addition to daily P&D time.

Job Sharing: Two people share one job: each gets 1/2 salary and full benefits.

Peer Assistance Program: Experienced teachers in need of assistance can volunteer for a peer assistant.

Accepting a Student-Teacher. If you accept a student teacher, you receive two days leave with pay.

Sick and Personal Leave

Sick Leave:

You are entitled each year to l5 sick days and 4 personal days.

A person appointed after October 1 of any school year shall be granted sick leave for that school year on the following basis: A person appointed after October 1 but before January 1 shall be granted twelve (12) days sick leave for that school year; A person appointed after January 1 but before April 1 shall be granted eight (8) days of sick leave for that school year; A person appointed after April 1 shall be granted four (4) days leave for that school year.

Unused sick (12 if hired between 10/1 and 1/1) and personal days accumulate year to year. You may use personal day(s) for any reason with notice to the building administrator. You need not give a reason for requesting a personal day, and you may take the day(s) anytime you wish. (There are a few minor contractual restrictions regarding use of personal leave. Consult your building representative for a full explanation.).

Up to thirty(30) days of accumulated sick leave may be used for family illness in each school year. Additional leave for this purpose is subject to the approval of the Personnel Department.

Personal Leave and Miscellaneous Paid Leave

Leave for Personal Reasons: Teachers granted leave with pay shall be permitted to continue to establish creditable service towards retirement while on such leave.

Personal leave may be used for personal needs not otherwise provided for, such as to receive a college degree; graduation of immediate member, including niece and nephew; veteran’s and educational; and funerals of family/friends/teachers.

Request for personal leave other than in an emergency shall be submitted to the building administrator as early as possible prior to the day being requested.

In no event will a personal leave be granted during a school emergency.

Employees shall be entitled to use up to four (4) personal days per school year. Up to four (4) such personal days not used in the year for which they are granted are added to the person’s sick leave.

Except at the discretion of the building administrator, not more than five (5) percent of the teachers may be eligible for personal leave on the same day.

No teacher may take a personal day on both the day before and the day after a school vacation, including the Thanksgiving recess.

Religious Holidays: Up to two (2) days without loss of pay or personal leave for the observance of the Jewish Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and for the observance of the Muslim religious holidays, Eidul-Fitr and Eidul-Adha.

One (1) day without loss of pay for Good Friday observance of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Death in Immediate Family: Up to five (5) days without the loss of pay, in the event of a death in the immediate family, including mother-in-law or father-in-law or anyone residing in the same household with the teacher. (Days are consecutive school days immediately preceding, following or including the day of death. Holidays, vacations or suspended sessions shall be considered school days under this provision .One (1) day without loss of pay, shall be provided for a niece, nephew, uncle, aunt, and in-law other than above. Three (3) days without loss of pay shall be provided for the death of a grandchild or grandparent.

Court Leave: The Boston School Department will provide release time without loss of pay for court appearances on school business, including cases involving job-related teacher assaults.

Maternity Leave: Grants paid, as well as unpaid leave. Paid maternity time limited by umber of sick days accrued. 

Leave for Adoption: Grants paid, as well as unpaid, leave. Limited to 40 days per school year if accumulated, though more can be granted. 

Health Benefits

Health Insurance

Health insurance is provided to the membership through the city of Boston's Group Insurance Office at (617) 635-4570. Call that number for more information or visit the office at Boston City Hall, Room 807. Or visit the BPS website.

There are six different plans:  PPO, POS, HMO.  You must apply within 60 days of date of hire. Please note that this 60-day time limit for registering for medical insurance is FIRM. If you miss your particular deadline, you'll not be able to register for insurance until the spring of 2010 for insurance to take effect. New dependents must be added within 30 days.

You have only 60 calendar days from your first day of service to register. The 60 days is FIRM. Sign up for health insurance  calling (617) 635-4570.

Health insurance coverage is delayed by city contract; if you sign up for coverage in August, it won’t normally begin until October 1.

You can only change plans during the next Open Enrollment period, which occurs in the Spring for health insurance that will take effect on July 1st .

Health and Welfare Plan

The BTU's Health and Welfare Plan includes an eye care center, dental care, pre-paid legal care, and a sick and personal leave plan. Visit the Health and Welfare Fund's website for more information. For enrollment in the plan, call the Health and Welfare Office at (617) 288-5883. Ask for a brochure which gives a detailed explanation of all benefits. Or visit their offices are next door to the BTU offices at the BTU union hall.

Other Benefits

Flexible Spending Program

Dependent Care:: Use up to $5,000 in pre-tax dollars for dependent care. This is an IRS-approved program that is quite beneficial when used properly.

Medical: Use up to $2,500 in pre-tax dollars for out-of-pocket medical expenses.

View and download a summary of the BTU contractual benefit package for teachers.

Joining the BTU

All of the above benefits have come as a result of collective bargaining between the BTU and the Boston School Committee. As exclusive bargaining agent, the BTU negotiates the contract, enforces the contract, and promotes the general welfare of the membership.

Each school has Union building representatives, elected to serve the staff in the building in dealings with the administration. The building representative is also the first line of communications between the building staff and the Union office. Many questions can be easily and quickly answered at the building level by asking the building representative. 

Joining with nearly 7,000 others makes us a stronger union, better able to help each of us. We encourage you to join. If you haven't already filled out a membership application, please ask your union building representative for one.

Visit the Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about union operations and member benefits.