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The Des Moines Register has failed to tell the whole story about compensation of school district employees ("13 Districts Still Pay Full Health Benefits," March 21). The article implies that because Des Moines public schools employees receive the full cost of health insurance coverage as part of their compensation package, their total wages are exorbitant in comparison to their colleagues throughout the state and that the Des Moines district is not prudent in the use of taxpayer dollars.
The district's compensation philosophy is embedded in board policy which requires that compensation be competitive with surrounding metro districts, as well as within the Urban Education Network (the eight largest districts in Iowa). At the same time, the compensation of employees must be reasonably comparable to that of neighboring and similar-sized districts.
Total package negotiated
Decisions regarding salary and benefits are made at the bargaining table. Packages are negotiated comprehensively. In other words, there is not a process to discuss salary, followed by a separate process to discuss benefits. Competitiveness is determined by the value of the total package in comparison to the total package settlements of the barometer districts.
Within the metro area, three districts have surpassed DMPS in the total value of compensation and benefit settlements for five consecutive years: West Des Moines, Norwalk and Ankeny.
Within the Urban Education Network, we have ranked in the middle of the pack for compensation and benefits for the past five years as well. Last year, DMPS employees received the lowest overall salary increase in comparison to their colleagues in the metro area and the Urban Education Network districts.
Finally, five metro school districts raised taxes last year: Carlisle, Urbandale, Southeast Polk, West Des Moines and Ankeny, while the Des Moines school board has held the line on tax increases for six consecutive years.
Ankeny is cited as a district in which school employees pay a portion of their health care costs. While that is true, the Register fails to mention that Ankeny teachers' average salary is $2,000 higher than the average salary of DMPS teachers. Their compensation and benefits settlements have been higher than the DMPS settlements for five consecutive years, and the Ankeny Board of Education implemented a significant tax increase last year.
It is true that DMPS employees, through the collective bargaining process, have determined that they prefer to continue the practice of directing a greater portion of total compensation dollars to fully-funded health insurance. As a result, increases in "take home" pay have been less than that of metro area or Urban Education Network school districts' employees.
While DMPS teachers' average salary of $54,000 is higher than the state average ($50,000) it is consistent among similar-sized districts. In fact, the average regular salary (not including benefits) for teachers in the 10 largest districts in Iowa during the 2009-2010 school year was $53,285.
While the Register suggests otherwise, the district cannot mandate employees to pay for part or all of their health insurance. All parties must adhere to the rules and requirements of the collective bargaining process, which are embedded in Iowa law. The district's dual obligation is to secure both competitive and responsible settlements, which it has consistently done.
Benefits now cost more
While taking pot shots at public employees seems to be lawmakers' and journalists' sport du jour, the real problem is not that the benefits public employees have long earned and enjoyed with little or no objection are suddenly undeserved. The real problem is that the cost of what used to be an easily affordable and reasonable benefit has escalated in recent years at disproportionate rates. Instead of breeding resentment of teachers and other public employees, perhaps an exposé of out-of-control health care costs and legislative stinginess in the face of overflowing state coffers should be offered. And where do corporate tax breaks at the expense of funding for education fit into this scenario?
It's time for the Register to do its homework and tell the truth about Des Moines' public schools. Outstanding educational opportunity and fiscally responsible leadership equal quality education for students at a reasonable price for taxpayers.
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