Why are two neighboring Basic Aid school district able to sign new contracts with salary increases for teachers and the SMUHSD cannot? This just goes to show what good financial planning can do for a district.

Palo Alto School district inks union contracts
Unions representing Palo Alto Unified School District's teachers and classified personnel have agreed to tentative labor contracts that call for them to get a 5 percent pay raise this year and retain the same benefits.

The raises have been made retroactive to the start of the district's fiscal year, July 1, but raises for the next two years of the contracts have not been determined. The agreements also allow the district and the unions to renegotiate two contract articles per year.

Entry level teachers will now earn $48,943 a year and the highest paid teachers will get $98,835.

The teachers' contract includes a $1,450 a year stipend to middle school teachers who work on two campuses a day. The stipend only applies to a handful of teachers and is intended to compensate them for the time they spend driving from campus to campus during what would be their preparation period, said Assistant Superintendent Scott Bowers.

Sequoia Teachers, district OK contract
The new agreement calls for an immediate 2 percent raise retroactive to July 1, 2006. Teachers will receive a 3 percent raise July 1, 2007 and a 4 percent raise July 1, 2008.

These teachers are in the classroom teaching and the students are learning. The morale is high and the students and parents are content. I don't think we can say the same for the SMUHSD. Its time for some answers.

– Written by JC