The newly-inked Barrington teachers contract offers a detailed look at the requirements and compensations extended to local public school teachers.

For starters, the contract calls for around a 2 percent pay increase for teachers each year for the next three years — the increases vary a bit depending on what step the teacher is at or how long the teacher has been with the district, and what level of college degree he or she has.

Educators can also earn more money through the district if they complete additional duties, such as coaching or serving as a club advisor or department chair. 

A Step 1 teacher in the district who has a bachelor's degree stands to make $41,443 in 2020. That pay increases to $43,036 when that teacher moves to Step 2 in 2021, and jumps again to $45,569 when they move to Step 3 in 2022. 

The pay for a Step 9 teacher with a master's degree in 2020 is $69,986. A Step 10 teacher with a master's degree in 2021 earns $81,492, and a Step 11 teacher with a master's degree in 2022 earns $96,242.

The two groups negotiating the new contract differed on their reactions to the agreed-upon salary increases. 

The school committee said that for years, the district's entry-level teachers were among the lowest paid in the state while Barrington's top step teachers were among the highest paid. 

"The new agreement awards proportionately greater salary increases to our entry-level teachers in an effort to correct this disparity," stated a press release from the school committee.

Members of the Barrington teachers union do not agree. In a separate statement, the union leadership said it tried to negotiate a flat 2 percent increase across all steps, but school committee members rejected that. 

"…the school committee insisted that step increases were sufficient and salary increases should only go to top-step teachers, which resulted in depressed wages for lower-step teachers… Unfortunately, entry-level teachers who only attain a bachelor’s degree will be 'rewarded' with a 1.5 percent increase over three years, which will hardly close the gap between steps and will contribute to continued disparity," the union stated.

Other compensation

According to the contract, district-wide department heads earn annual stipends of $4,050, as do department chairs at the high school. Curriculum leaders at the elementary schools and middle school earn stipends of $5,400, while the head teachers at the three elementary schools earn stipends of $3,600. The senior project coordinators at the high school earn stipends of $6,075. 

Teachers and external candidates can apply to fill leadership positions for student activities, and those positions include stipends. For example, the advisor for the yearbook committee, debate club, and TV studio each earns a stipend of $4,500 while the drama club stipend is $6,750. Other advisor positions range from $900 for the gender equity club and Unified Theater group to $3,600 for the National Honor Society and $4,500 for the Science Olympiad advisors at the high school and middle school. 

This year's coaching stipends range from $6,514 for the head football coach to $3,232 for the golf coach, and $4,164 for the cross country coaches. Many of the assistant coaching positions also offer stipends, some as much as $3,573 (boys and girls basketball), and some offering less, such as cross country's $1,250. The stipend for the cheerleading advisor is $1,030.

Contract details

In addition to pay, the contract also dictates requirements and limitations in a number of other areas. Following are some examples: 

• Teachers shall not be required to perform morning and afternoon bus duty supervision.

• The NEAB President and grievance chairperson shall not be assigned any non-teaching duties.

• Secondary teachers shall not be required to teach in more than two subject areas. 

• Teachers shall not be required to perform the duty of collecting money from students with the exception of collection of curricular cost of programs and, no more than once per week, lunch and milk money.

• Teachers covering for an absent teacher will be compensated, but only if they are required to provide coverage during their prep period. 

• A teacher may request an unpaid leave of absence to assume a job outside of the school district, provided that it is not in teaching at another private or public K-12 school. 

• Teachers may use sick leave for their own illness or injury or that of a family member. Sick leave may not be used for health care appointments (including dental appointments) that are for routine care or that can be scheduled at a time other than during the school day. 

• Teachers accrue 1.5 days of sick time for each month worked. 

• The Friday before Labor Day shall be considered a vacation day when the school year begins prior to Labor Day. The school committee and NEAB may agree to exchange that day off for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

• When preparing the school calendar, the superintendent shall meet with the NEAB president. 

• Guidance counselors and 12-month employees shall be paid per diem for any day that they are required to work in addition to the 187-day work year. 

• Teachers in grades K through 5 shall report to school at least 10 minutes before the official beginning of the school day. Teachers in grades 6 through 12 shall report to school at least 15 minutes before the start of the school day. 

• Teachers shall be required after the close of their workday "as long as is reasonably necessary to fulfill their obligations relating to special help for students, parent conferences, faculty meetings and such other duties as may be assigned by the principals."

• The full-time teacher's workday shall be 7 hours. 

• The work year for teachers shall be 187 days.

• All teachers who have completed one year of work, shall be eligible for tuition aid. Tuition aid shall not exceed $50,000 in the aggregate for the school year. 

• All teachers shall participate in meetings devoted to collaborate common planning time for a minimum of 45 minutes twice per month. 

• Teachers may be required to attend a maximum of 10 faculty meetings per year, which will normally have a maximum duration of 1 hour. Faculty meetings shall be scheduled to start at the end of the school day, except at BMS and BHS. 

• Teachers at the middle school and high school shall not be assigned more than 25 teaching periods and up to five administrative periods per week. 

• Teachers shall, in addition to their lunch period, have one preparation/non-teaching period per day. 

Steps and salaries

How much money do Barrington teachers receive? According to the recently-signed contract, teachers' pay varies greatly depending on which step the teacher is at or how long he or she has been with the district, and what level of education the teacher has.

Here are some examples:

For the year 2020

• Bachelor's degree, Step 1 teacher: $41,443

• Master's degree, Step 5 teacher: $55,327

• Master's-30, Step 11 teacher: $94,694

For the year 2021

• Bachelor's degree, Step 1 teacher: $41,650

• Master's degree, Step 5 teacher: $56,433

• Master's-30, Step 11 teacher: $96,588

For the year 2022

• Bachelor's degree, Step 1 teacher: $41,859

• Master's degree, Step 5 teacher: $57,562

• Master's-30, Step 11 teacher: $98,520