News release
JANESVILLE—The Board of Education for the School District of Janesville approved a contract cost-of-living pay increase of 5.9% for the district’s certified teaching staff.
This follows a 99% ‘yes’ vote by members of the Janesville Education Association on the contract proposal, according to a school district news release.
SDJ leaders and the Janesville Education Association said that both sides worked together collaboratively toward a contract agreement that is good for the financial stability of the district, rewarding for longtime educators, and enticing for prospective teachers.
“Unlike the private sector, 80 percent of our total budget goes towards employee salaries. We know that to drive student achievement, we need to have qualified and caring staff in our classrooms leading instruction,” said Mark Holzman, Superintendent in the news release. “In this competitive job market, we are investing in our staff while respecting the limits of our budget and being good stewards of taxpayer funding.”
JEA and SDJ hope that the contract will help with recruiting and retaining teachers — a problem that is being felt across Wisconsin — by raising base salaries so they are more in line with comparable districts around the state.
The contract also needs to be fiscally responsible, not just for the current contract cycle, but into the future.
As one of Rock County’s largest employers, SDJ staff contribute a significant amount back to the community, with more than 88% living in Rock County, with 71% of staff
living in Janesville.
“The board is very appreciative of the outstanding staff that we have in this district,” said Michelle Haworth, School Board President. “We feel this contract is appropriate and reflective of the community’s desire to have quality educators and school staff in our buildings meeting the needs of all
students in our schools.”