School Committee Members Debate Teacher Pay Scales

When the Newport Public Schools district hires a new teacher, should it base her salary on the totality of her experience, or just on the time she's spent teaching in Rhode Island's public schools?

That question was up for discussion Tuesday night at the School Committee meeting, where member Robert Leary raised the question based on his concerns that the district is paying some new hires more than it has to according to state law. Leary cited several instances in which the school district hired a new teacher at a pay scale that factored in years spent working at private schools, or at public schools in other states. He pointed out that Rhode Island general law stipulates that the district doesn't have to do either.

"I don't think that's a good policy going forward, and I never thought it was a good policy before," Leary told his colleagues. "...In these economic times, I think it's important we look at this."

Leary proposed editing the district's policy to state that the department will only recognize prior teaching service in public schools in the city and state of Rhode Island, and that any exceptions must be presented to the School Committee for specific approval and specific rationale for said requests.

How that would impact the district's ability to attract strong candidates was a point of debate within the committee.

Member Rebecca Bolan noted that Leary's proposal could actually help the district attract more experienced teachers, who otherwise wouldn't be hired because they're too expensive. For instance, she said that currently if a teacher with several years of experience at Cluny School applied for a job, she might be looked over in favor of a cheaper candidate fresh out of college. If Newport was more able to negotiate, she said, it might give that Cluny teacher the chance to agree to be hired on at a lower pay scale, rather than just being passed on entirely.

"I think it's important to realize that we eliminate some candidates because they have too much job experience," she said. "This leaves it open so we can negotiate and get candidates who were excellent, but too expensive."

But other committee members expressed concern that such a policy could actually detract teachers from applying in Newport, or accepting a job here.

"We're looking for outstanding teachers," said Dr. Sandra Flowers. "I really hate to see some really perfect candidate for a position say 'I will go where I will get paid what I deserve.'"

Flowers noted that "it's not a bad idea" to instead tell teachers that they'll consider their experience elsewhere on a case-by-case basis, as some other Rhode Island districts do. At the beginning of the conversation, Leary told his colleagues that Barrington "doesn't automatically" factor in private school experience. Central Falls credits teachers one year for every two years at a private school; North Kingstown accepts out-of-state public experience, but private only on a case-by-case basis; and North Smithfield says "normally no" to both.

Superintendent John Ambrogi acknowledged that Newport is the first district he's worked in where he didn't have much flexibility to negotiate. Rather than making the district's policy all or nothing, he said he'd like the ability to negotiate with a candidate and give credit for out-of-state or private experience when necessary, then come to the School Committee for approval. Getting the School Committee's permission before negotiating, he said, would be "really messy."

"We've got a problem here with quality vs. costs," added Charles Shoemaker. "As I listen to the Newport public, they are upset about the quality of education in our schools, and the only way to get it is to hire a good superintendent who negotiates with these people."

Shoemaker continued by saying it's really a matter of either getting "rid of the superintendent, or follow his advice, which is what the market will bear for that person."

"He's probably got a good sense of what a good science teacher will cost," Shoemaker said. "We have to give him that freedom, otherwise that science teacher is probably going to take a walk."

Ambrogi said he would be comfortable with negotiating the out-of-state and private school experience if indeed the candidate was the best one for the job and would be too expensive to hire otherwise. He said he would have the district's attorney, Neil Galvin, revisit the wording of the district's policy to see if any changes can be made.