Pay Raise for Teachers Brings Cuts

Trustees of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District said this week they will have to make deep budget cuts to afford a 7% salary raise for teachers.

In a budget hearing this week, trustees said a raise of that size would cost about $3.3 million annually.

As the result of belt-tightening, teachers in Newport-Mesa schools went two years without any raises, and received increases of 1% and 1.2% in the last two years.

“We have sunk really low in the last five years compared with other districts,” said Linda Mook, director of the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers.

According to a recent survey by the Orange County Department of Education, a teacher with only a bachelor’s degree earns about $28,148 at Newport-Mesa.

A teacher with a similar educational background earns up to $44,675 at Los Alamitos Unified School District. Only teachers in the Orange Unified School District earn less than Newport-Mesa teachers at that level.

More experienced teachers as well earn less at Newport-Mesa than they do at most school districts in Orange County.

Among the cuts the board is considering is the $39,000 annual contribution to the Environmental Nature Center.

Trustees also discussed the possibility of eliminating physical education and music programs for elementary students to save money.