Salary Freeze for FWCS Administrators, Teachers May Be Next

Facing a huge budget cut, the Fort Wayne Community Schools Board of Trustees must make major changes to keep the district afloat. Administrators are currently in the line of fire, and teachers may be next. 

“All administrators will face a pay and step increase freeze for 2010” says Mark GiaQuinta, President of the Fort Wayne Community School Board. The freeze will save the district $260-thousand.

Currently, FWCS faces a $15-million budget cut, stemming from a $300-million cut in education statewide. “They're willing to make that sacrifice right now because they know the economy is terrible” says GiaQuinta. 

Today, GiaQuinta also suggested an even bigger change, a salary freeze for all teachers, which would save the district close to $2-million. He says “we would like our administrative staff to go to the next session and put that on the table because that's the $2-million savings."

In December, the board approved a pay increase for five of the district's top administrators. Yet GiaQuinta says “no dollar figures were attached to the schedule” and “I have said repeatedly that if the money was not available, administrators would not receive any raises.” 

GiaQuinta called a press conference today to “get this out of the way, and clear the air that it's not just these 5 who won't get step increases, no administrators will.” 

Today, Steve Brace from the local teachers union told FOX Fort Wayne that they have yet to discuss teachers' salaries with the district. Brace says the union is simply focused right now on the district's 11 LEAD schools that are part of the Race to the Top stimulus program.

The Fort Wayne Community Schools Board of Trustees will meet next Tuesday, March 2, at 5:30PM at the Grile Administrative Center on Clinton. They will discuss further how to make up for the $15-million cut. *This meeting is open to the public.