CMS market raises reach $17,000 a year

"Market adjustment"  raises for 254 salaried Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools employees will range from $180.95 to $17,201.60 a year,  according to a summary CMS sent Thursday evening.  About 5,800 hourly workers will get raises that range from $5.16 to $1,040 a year.

Those raises will be in addition to the 3 percent across-the-board raises that got so much attention during budget talks.  They're based on a 2007 study comparing CMS pay with what people were making in comparable jobs. The school board approved a plan to make wages more competitive,  but the recession stalled those adjustments shortly after the first round of pay bumps in 2008.

The obvious questions: How many people are getting a $17,000 raise, who are they, and why that amount?

I don't know yet.

After the school board approved a raise plan Tuesday night that included the market adjustments,  I requested a list of positions eligible for the market bumps and a range of those raises.

CMS is on a four-day summer schedule,  and spokeswoman Tahira Stalberte sent the summary 20 minutes before offices closed for the week.  She said she knew I'd ask about the upper range,  but couldn't get an answer before everyone dispersed.  A more detailed breakdown will take more time to compile, she said.
(Update 1:30 p.m.: Stalberte just called to say employees haven't been notified of their market adjustments, pending a final decision on the state budget and the county raise money, so CMS can't release specifics yet.  I guess someone has a nice surprise coming!)

Here's what I know:  Teachers and other certified staff,  executive staff and school board members are not getting market raises.  Human Resources Chief Daniel Habrat said at the meeting that most of the 254 salaried staff who will get those raises are assistant principals.  Other salaried job categories CMS lists as getting market raises are administrative assistant, administrator, analyst, assistant director, coordinator, director, engineer, executive director, manager, principal, After School Enrichment Program assistant, recruiter, specialist, supervisor and "other exempt staff" ("exempt" is HR-speak for non-hourly workers).

The length of time a salaried employee has been in the job determines how close CMS will get them to the "market value" of their job,  with the least experienced landing at 77 percent of market value and those with four years or more getting 98 percent of market value  (read the explanation CMS sent here).

Obviously this begs for more explanation,  and I'll try to get it next week.

During Tuesday's meeting,  Habrat said teacher assistants, bus drivers and cafeteria workers make up the largest group of hourly employees getting market adjustments.  The summary lists 46 positions getting the bumps, including custodians, grounds workers, school resource officers and secretaries.

Meanwhile,  the 3 percent across-the-board raises  --   the first most employees have gotten in four years  --  are scheduled to take effect July 1, with the money showing up in the August paycheck.  However, Gov. Bev Perdue's announcement today that she'll veto the budget approved by legislators throws everything back up in the air.  Stay tuned.

The K-8 debate continues

The New York Times recently posted an online debate question that's of great interest in Charlotte:  Do adolescents fare better in K-8 schools or traditional middle schools?

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools launched eight K-8 schools (actually preK-8) in 2011-12, created after the closing of three high-poverty middle schools.  At midyear, there were some serious challenges with discipline at the new schools. Now that a full year has wrapped up,  I'm hoping the school board will get a report on academic performance, discipline, teacher surveys and other measures that might gauge how well this new setup worked for almost 5,000 students.

If there were a clear-cut advantage to one structure or the other,  there wouldn't be much room for debate. In the Times forum, former Los Angeles Superintendent David Brewer makes just that point: Changing the grade-level structure is too simple a "solution" for the problems of educating kids in high-poverty schools. He concludes that the K-8 structure has some advantages if there's lots of support.

Paul Vallas,  who has been superintendent of several districts,  argues for "a more nuanced system" for adolescents, with small, separate middle-school buildings on elementary campuses.  At least some of the CMS preK-8s are using that system.

The middle school debate is important for everyone in Mecklenburg County.  When the CMS board talked about future school construction, one of the questions was whether new schools should be designed to combine elementary and middle grades.

Addition: While I'm tossing out reading material, EdWeek has a fascinating (but long) educator roundtable going about whether the traditional school schedule is outmoded. Contributors raise points about the length of the school day and year  --  again, hot topics here -- but they also discuss whether there are just better ways to use teachers' and students' time.

London check: Cut but not sent

Piecing together the picture of school board Chairman Ericka Ellis-Stewart's attempted London trip has been a lot like the old story of the blind men trying to describe an elephant. You get a bit here and a bit there, but the full thing isn't clear.

Christine Mast,  a Huntersville accountant,  added an important piece when she got a response from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools that reconciles why Ellis-Stewart could say CMS cut a check for the $4,800 trip while CMS officials said no check was sent to the Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the trip. As you may recall,  Ellis-Stewart signed up for the five-day trip, which was supposed to depart May 19.  Flight delays led to the trip's cancellation,  but questions arose immediately afterward about how Ellis-Stewart,  who had less than $300 left in her travel budget,  had planned to pay.

E-mails released almost a month after I requested them show the chamber staff repeatedly asking Ellis-Stewart where her payment was. On May 15, after another chamber query,  Ellis-Stewart emailed that "The check has been cut and (CMS Chief Financial Officer) Sheila Shirley will be sending it over."  When I asked spokeswoman Tahira Stalberte to get Shirley or interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh to confirm whether a check had been cut and/or sent, Stalberte replied that no check was delivered to the chamber.  Ellis-Stewart,  meanwhile,  insisted it was her understanding that the check had been cut.


Mast made a formal request for a copy of the check. She got it on Friday afternoon,  with this explanation from Shirley:



A check payable to the Charlotte Chamber was cut on April 2, 2012 as requested 
by the Superintendent.  Funds were available in the board's total travel budget 
line item.
The check was held by the Superintendent pending board authorization which would 
have occurred in one of two ways:
1)Individual board members transferring their available travel funds to cover 
the remaining amount needed, or 
2)Full board approval of the expenditure in an open meeting
Neither of these occurred, thus the check was not released and has been voided.  


There you go:  Simple and clear. Seems like Ellis-Stewart and/or CMS officials might have offered that explanation earlier  --  though,  of course, questions remain about how things got to this point and what Ellis-Stewart would have done had the plane taken off.

I can't know anyone else's motives,  but I can offer a couple of observations.  First, this is a tremendously awkward situation for CMS staff.  The nine-member elected board is the ultimate boss,  and it's clear that there were tensions among members about this trip and the way it was handled.  Employees who are probably already on edge with the pending arrival of a new superintendent couldn't have been eager to step into that fray.  But Hattabaugh,  who will leave CMS after handing off to Heath Morrison at the end of the month,  would have been in the best position to step up with a clear, factual account.

Second,  stalling is a tactic that sometimes pays off.  I hate to admit that,  but it's true.  We've all seen the local press corps shrink in recent years.  Those of us who remain are juggling a lot of stories and can be distracted by breaking news.  That's why citizen inquiries like Mast's can be so helpful.  They show the public is interested in  --  and has a right to  -- public information.  And they increase the odds that being stingy with that information will only prolong an uncomfortable story.

Some of you have asked who paid for Ellis-Stewart's plane ticket if CMS did not.  Like some of you who have posted comments,  I believe it was the chamber,  which collected $5,000 per participant  (public officials got a $200 discount)  to cover airfare,  hotels,  meals and other costs.  I also believe,  based on the repeated requests for payment,  that the chamber had no intention of covering Ellis-Stewart's tab.

Since getting the CMS emails,  I've twice asked Natalie English,  the chamber's senior vice president for public policy,  for more details about the CMS payment.  So far,  no response.

RSoead more here: http://obsyourschools.blogspot.com/#storylink=c

Calling Olympiad alums

Here's an intriguing idea for young people (and maybe not-so-young) who want to network in the science field:  Science Olympiad is creating an online alumni network.

The academic tournament has been around for 28 years,  and the Illinois-based organization says there are millions of former competitors, teachers and other supporters.  That includes many from the Charlotte region. Notable alumni cited in the news release include Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and storm chaser Reed Timmer.

The alumni group offers chances to share stories and encourages alums to volunteer for Olympiads in their area. The web page includes Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn connections.

"Now more than ever it's important to create a community that applauds those involved in STEM education," president Gerald Putz says in a news release (STEM is science, technology, engineering and math). "Science Olympiad alumni are shining examples of the type of thinkers and leaders that a STEM education produces, and will drive the future workforce."

New CMS policy on digital citizenship

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools moves closer to a wireless "bring your own technology" environment next week,  when the school board rolls out a revised internet policy that spells out conditions for students to bring their own laptops, tablets, smart phones and e-readers.

The basics: Students can use their devices to support "education, research and career development."  Parents are responsible for installing parental controls on internet access,  and CMS is not responsible for theft,  loss or damages to those devices.

"CMS will provide digital citizenship education to all students that addresses appropriate online behavior, including interactions with other individuals on social networking sites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying  awareness and response," a new section says.


Because this is public education, we also get a new acronym: PTD, for Personal Technology Device, "a portable Internet accessing device designed to share information, record sounds, process words, and/or capture images, such as a laptop, tablet, smart phone, cell phone, PDA, or e-book reader."


The introduction of the policy at Tuesday's meeting is basically a formality.  There will be a public hearing at a later meeting.


I'm still waiting to hear which schools will pilot the BYOT approach in August. 

CMS: No trick to 3 percent raises

Rumors have been afloat for weeks that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leaders planned to shortchange teachers on their promise of a 3 percent raise. Instead of a true 3 percent raise, the skeptics say, CMS only plans to increase the local supplement by 3 percent.

Not so, interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh and Chief Financial Officer Sheila Shirley told me Wednesday. The 3 percent plan, which came a big step closer to reality with the state budget plan legislative leaders have agreed on, is to boost salaries by 3 percent, not a fraction of that, they said.

Consider a teacher with 10 years of experience and a bachelor's degree.  In CMS that teacher makes $42,612 for a 10-month work year -- a $37,710 state salary plus a $4,902 supplement paid with county money (check the CMS pay scale here). A 3 percent bump in the supplement would be only $147, bringing the total pay to $42,759. Shirley said CMS hopes to use county money to supplement the 1.2 percent raises provided in the state plan (which still has to be voted on by the full House and Senate and signed by the governor), so the teacher would make 3 percent more next year, which would be $43,890.


By the way, it looks like hiring season is in full force at CMS. The district has 324 instructional jobs posted (mostly teachers) and 101 non-educator jobs. 

London trip: Where's the check?

School board emails about Chairman Ericka Ellis-Stewart's London travel plans answer some questions and raise new ones.

They show Ellis-Stewart was initially concerned that the budget for Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board travel wouldn't cover the $4,800 bill, but signed up anyway. They show the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the trip, spent weeks trying to get the money -- and that Ellis-Stewart told them a check was coming, even though CMS staff now say no check was sent.

Ellis-Stewart

The emails show chamber staff urging Ellis-Stewart to consult Eric Davis, her predecessor as chair, on ways to find the money. They show Davis urging newly-hired Superintendent Heath Morrison to attend, and they show Ellis-Stewart waiting for word on whether Davis would transfer his unspent money to her. At roughly the same time, they show Davis requesting a report on all members' travel spending and informing two colleagues that he denied Ellis-Stewart's request.

I requested the emails on May 21, two days after Ellis-Stewart and about 80 other community leaders boarded a plane that was delayed for hours by mechanical problems, leading the chamber to cancel the trip. CMS provided them Monday at no charge, after telling me originally it would cost $855 for retrieval.

You can read them here, but there's a lot of repetition and it can be hard to sort out the chronology. The request was only for emails sent and received in May, but they include replies to prior communications, giving a fuller picture of the discussion.

The emails start with a Feb. 29 reminder from the chamber that the trip is filling up fast, urging those who are interested to register by the March 5 deadline.

"I am not sure how this will fit into the district's budget," Ellis-Stewart emailed Natalie English, the chamber's vice president for public policy, that day.

"Have you thought about talking to Eric about it?"  English replied the next day. "He went last year and found it very valuable. He might have some thoughts about how you could make it work."

Marilyn Monson, the chamber staffer handling the trip's logistics, let Ellis-Stewart know the chamber offered a $200 discount on the $5,000 trip for public officials.

"I am interested,  but am not sure if the district's budget will support the expense,"  Ellis-Stewart replied on March 1.

Nothing in the emails provided shows how Ellis-Stewart resolved that question.  But a series of emails in March between Ellis-Stewart and Monson show Monson trying to get Ellis-Stewart's registration and check,  while Ellis-Stewart says she needs an invoice from the chamber to get payment.

Davis

On April 2,  Ellis-Stewart emailed that she had re-faxed her registration form,  which Monson confirmed.

On April 20, the day after the school board picked Heath Morrison as its next superintendent, Davis emailed English to ask for information on the London trip. He received an electronic brochure later that day and  forwarded it to Morrison.
"Heath, if possible this would be well worth your time to go on this trip, meet business and community leaders, etc. I believe that Ericka is going,"  Davis wrote.
The email does not discuss the cost of the trip or how it would be paid for.  Davis said in an interview he never heard back from Morrison about the trip. 

A series of emails sent the morning of May 15 chronicle an exchange between board clerk Judith Whittington and Ellis-Stewart about the travel budget.
"Transfers to your travel budget are: $1,000 from Richard (McElrath) and $800 from Amelia (Stinson-Wesley). Am I missing any?"  Whittington asked.
"Potentially, Eric Davis.  Waiting to hear back from him,"  Ellis-Stewart answers.
Whittington then informed Ellis-Stewart that a board member had requested "an updated travel report" and she wanted to make sure she had the latest information. "Report will be coming to you, as well as other board members, shortly," Whittington added.
"Who made the request?"  Ellis-Stewart asked.
"Eric asked for updated travel report,"  Whittington replied.

That afternoon, the chamber's Monson emailed Ellis-Stewart to ask about payment: "Hi Ericka, sorry to bother you, but we still have not received your check for the trip to London.  Would you please check into this for me?"
"The check has been cut and (CMS Chief Financial Officer) Sheila Shirley will be sending it over,"  Ellis-Stewart replied.
When the Observer asked for confirmation this week, CMS spokeswoman Tahira Stalberte replied: "Please contact Ericka about the email she sent to the Chamber. We can confirm that no check was sent to the Chamber from the district." Ellis-Stewart said Tuesday that it was her understanding that CMS had cut a check in late April or early May.

On May 16, there was a brief exchange of emails between Davis, Tim Morgan and Rhonda Lennon.
"I declined Ericka's request to transfer travel $s,"  Davis told the other two.
"I have not been asked,"  Morgan replied.
"nor have I," added Lennon.

On May 18,  the day before the London flight was supposed to depart, Davis emailed interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh with the subject line  "London."
"Any Board members going?"  Davis asked.
"Eric,  BOE chair is apparently leaving Saturday afternoon for London,"  Hattabaugh replied.

Lennon

Ellis-Stewart boarded the plane,  along with dozens of other participants, that Saturday.  Lennon later said Ellis-Stewart called her that morning to ask about transferring travel money. That evening she emailed Hattabaugh and other CMS staff, seeking more information about the budget and saying she was considering “a small transfer” to Ellis-Stewart.
“I have received this type of request in the past, which I have always declined as I think each board member should be responsible for making good financial decisions regarding their travel and the use of taxpayer money,” Lennon wrote.

The flight was delayed for hours by mechanical problems,  and the chamber decided early Sunday morning to cancel the  trip.

While most board members' emails were limited to bare-bones information, Stinson-Wesley, the board's newest member, proved the exception. After the trip was cancelled and questions about travel spending were being aired, Stinson-Wesley sent her colleagues a 13-paragraph email May 25 sharing thoughts and questions about allotments of travel money and talking time at school board meetings. She asked what happened to unspent travel money and  how freely board members should share their individual allotments.

Stinson-Wesley

"Is it better stewardship to spend fully what we have been allowed, gaining the knowledge that the money is supposed to pay for and sharing that knowledge with one another, or is it better stewardship to save that money and not use it at all?"  she asked. 
Stinson-Wesley said she didn't mind sharing some of hers but would like to get travel reports in return. She even suggested using closed meetings to share reports -- something that would not pass muster with the N.C. open meetings law, which limits closed meetings to a few confidential purposes.


The only response to Stinson-Wesley included in the emails provided by CMS is one sentence from Vice Chairman Mary McCray: "Judy (Whittington, the board clerk) can address your concerns with the allotment of money, so speak with her."
Elllis-Stewart has said that board members will likely discuss travel budgets at a future retreat.