Did MVWSD walk away from conversations and negotiations with MVEA (Mountain View Educators Association/ the teachers union)?

No, the MVEA declared an impasse at the end of the Jan. 18 negotiations session. Read more here.

Is it true that MVWSD has the lowest % allocated to teachers' salary? If yes, why?

This measurement is inaccurate. MVWSD should not be compared to other districts because we have more student supports that directly help teachers with their work in the classroom and improve their working conditions. MVWSD employs Response to Instruction/STEAM teachers, School Counselors, Nurses, School Community Engagement Facilitators, to name a few, and contracts with Rhythm and Moves.  These programs are unique to MVWSD and provide teachers’ planning time, and much needed student and instructional support.  Removing these positions would have a deleterious impact on the social emotional well-being of all students.

How do teacher salaries in MVWSD compare to other districts? 

MVWSD’s starting salary is the highest in the County. The maximum salary for teachers is the second highest in the County (click here for the chart). Total compensation (salary plus benefits) are also among the highest in the County. For example, one district has a maximum salary of $130,339 but its contribution to employee health benefits is only $28,762, which is approximately $12,000 less than what MVWSD provides.

MVWSD Comparison Districts

MVEA Comparison Districts

What is the purpose of keeping ~30% Reserve in budget? Why not allocate it to teachers? 

We do not have 30% in reserves. Our Board of Trustees requires that we end each budget year with 17% in savings- these are our rainy day funds. Every year we offer the highest raise that we can offer.  Our current offer will increase salaries by 48% since 2015.  Our reserves also help us to retain employees during economic downturns.  During the pandemic, we did not lay off a single employee. We gave raises to our employees, even when other districts stated that they could not. 

Spending on books and supplies as part of the budget was significantly higher this year, so can we allocate that money to teachers?

Textbooks come out of one-time funding that should not be used for ongoing salary expenditures. More importantly, we have an adoption rotation and not only need to purchase materials for the current year but save for large adoption purposes.  Our last textbook adoption was in 2020.  Every year, MVWSD is required to purchase consumable materials for math, English language arts and social studies.   Purchasing these items reduces the time for teachers to photocopy materials and assures that all students, including our most at-risk students, have access to high-quality learning materials.

You say you are overstaffed but we keep getting subs in our classrooms

MVWSD employs Instructional Coaches, Response to Intervention/STEAM Teachers, Counselors and other staff members. These instructional positions are used to support all students.  While removing RTI teachers will reduce class sizes at 4th and 5th grade levels, it will also require all elementary teachers to teach an additional subject and will eliminate teachers’ ability to create smaller learning environments that promote student growth. 

What about teacher turnover?

In 2015, MVEA claimed that the District’s teacher retention rate was around 40%.   In seven years time, we have increased our retention rate 86%.  Of those who left recently, almost half were for reasons that MVWSD couldn’t have an impact on - retirement, health reasons, and moving out of the state/area. 

Why not lower class sizes?

Our data shows that our average class sizes are lower than what is contractually agreed upon and is consistent with class size averages across the county. MVEA declined our offer to use a portion of the proposed salary increase for class size reduction. MVEA’s total request would force MVWSD to make budget cuts that will impact instructional programming. Further class size reduction would require either removing Response to Instruction/STEAM teachers and Instructional Coaches or hiring more teachers and costing the District more than $2.3 million annually. 

Why insist that the teachers sign a long term contract? It is necessary to allow for flexibility in the fast changing world.

MVWSD is not insisting that teachers sign a long-term contract. MVWSD offered both a one year deal as well as a multi year deal.  The multi-year offer was made with the intention that teachers could predict their salaries for three years giving them some stability and certainty, as well as reduce the time that both the union and the District spend on negotiations annually.  Read more here.