The Tulsa Public School board voted to approve a new agreement for the 2015-16 school year with Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association at tonight’s board meeting. This resulted in TPS teachers receiving a one-step increase on the salary schedule.
The average step increase is just under $600 annually, and represents an average 1.5 percent of the employee’s current salary. The new agreement requires the district to pay career increments as stipulated in the 2014-15 agreement, and to add an additional step of $500 to the career end of each lane on the salary schedule.
Both parties also agreed to reopen negotiations within 30 days of Jan. 1, 2016 for the sole purpose of considering terms and payment of a one-time stipend for the full year 2015-16.
“Tulsa teachers are so deserving of a pay increase, and I really wish we could do more,” said Deborah A. Gist, superintendent. “The financial constraints are so severe given current state funding levels that this is the best we can do at this time. I am thankful to the team for their hard work, and I am hopeful we will be able to do more in the future.”