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Welcome to Pro Comp for the ‘07-‘08 Contract Year!!!

This article includes a great deal of information that should clarify how you will be paid under ProComp. If you still have questions after reading this, you can get more information by:

·        Attend the following orientation session (4:30-6:00PM):

      *  May 8, 2008             Place MS,7125 Cherry Creek Drive

·        Calling 720-423-3900 with questions

·        Accessing the DPS portal at http://www.dpsk12.org and clicking on the “Staff” link on the navigation bar on the left hand side of the DPS homepage, then the “MyDPS” link at the top of the “Staff” page.

We hope to see you at one of the above workshops

Sincerely yours,

ProComp Team

Table of Contents

1.   ProComp Pay - Overview

2.   Professional Evaluation

3.   Tuition Reimbursement

4.   Advanced Degrees

5.   Advanced Licenses-New and Renewal

6.   Professional Development (PDU)

7.   Student Growth Objectives

8.   Distinguished Schools

9.   Exceeds Expectations

10. Market Incentives

11. Professional Review Panel

1.  ProComp Pay-Overview

Beginning in the fall of 2006, all ProComp elements were operational.   However, pay for the elements an educator receives may depend on when the employee joined ProComp. 

Ö         All ProComp participants will be eligible for the Market Incentive bonus if they are considered “qualified” in their position and work in a designated hard-to-serve school or a hard-to-staff assignment.

Ö         All ProComp employees will have an opportunity to apply for and complete a Professional Development Unit (PDU). 

Ö         All ProComp employees are eligible to receive as much as $1000 tuition reimbursement for professional development or classes taken after they became a member of ProComp.  New hires may use this element the day they begin work. 

Ö         Salary increases and bonuses for completing Student Growth Objectives will be paid beginning Sept. 30, 2007 based on results of the objectives measured during the ’06-’07 school year.  Employees must have been in ProComp during the ’06-’07 school year to be eligible for these increases

Ö         ProComp pay referenced in this document is based on an index amount of $34,200   This amount is currently being negotiated by the district and the union and is subject to change

2.  Professional Evaluation

Professional evaluation of teachers is required by statute every three years for non-probationary teachers and once a year for those on probation.  Denver Public Schools implemented a new Comprehensive Professional Evaluation system in ‘06-‘07.  It will be used for all teachers and student service professionals employed by Denver Public Schools in ’07-’08

Professional Evaluation for ‘06-‘07

Under ProComp, employees who worked during the last school year ‘06-‘07 and received a satisfactory professional evaluation will receive an increase in pay.  The pay increases below are paid over 12 months.  Employees receiving an unsatisfactory evaluation will not receive an increase

Full-time, non-probationary teachers

If you were on formal evaluation in ‘06-‘07, you can expect a $1026 increase in your annual salary on Sept. 30, 2007, based on a satisfactory evaluation.  Your next evaluation and opportunity for an increase will be in three (3) years.

Non-probationary teachers who were not on formal evaluation in ‘06-‘07 will receive a $342 increase every September until they reach the year when their formal evaluation actually occurs.  For example, a ProComp educator whose next regularly scheduled formal evaluation  does not take place until ‘07-‘08, will receive a $342 increase in September 2007.  In September 2008, he or she will receive a $1026 increase in annual salary for a satisfactory evaluation during the 2007-2008 school year

Full-time probationary teachers

Probationary teachers can expect a $342 annual increase in pay in September 2007 based on a satisfactory evaluation for the ‘06-‘07 contract year.

Professional Evaluation for ProComp Members in ‘06-‘07

·       All teachers will be evaluated on the same form and with the same process as described in the handbook found at the DPS portal at http://www.dpsk12.org and clicking on the “Staff” link on the navigation bar on the left hand side of the DPS homepage, then the “MyDPS” link at the top of the “Staff” page

·       All probationary teachers should be evaluated each year during their probation using this tool.  Non-probationary teachers have their first year of non-probationary status evaluated and are evaluated every three years after that

3.  Tuition Reimbursement

ProComp participants may apply for reimbursement of tuition and books for classes or conference registration fees related to your discipline and taken after entering ProComp. People who joined ProComp during the third window only may submit claims for reimbursement for classes taken after Sept. 1, 2007.

·    The total lifetime tuition reimbursement cannot exceed $1,000.

·    If classes are taken in a proposed assignment area (not your current job, but another discipline covered by the DCTA bargaining agreement) you also need to complete a “Declaration of Proposed Assignment” form

·    Before taking a class, you must obtain the signature of your supervisor on the Tuition Reimbursement Form http://payroll.dpsk12.org/ProCompforms  This step ensures that you are pursuing professional development that aligns with the requirements for reimbursement.    

·    Once you have finished the class, attach receipts for tuition and books and an official transcript or certificate showing satisfactory completion of the class and have your supervisor approve the form for reimbursement. 

·    Forward the approved form and attachments to the Payroll Department, 900 Grant Room 406, Denver, CO 80203  (The address is also on the form.) You will receive the approved amount on your next scheduled paycheck that is at least 25 days after the proper documents are received in Payroll.

·    You may turn in the approved paperwork whenever you choose. There is no time limit for turning in this reimbursement request

4.  Advanced Degrees

If you receive an advanced degree in your current or proposed assignment area, complete the attached salary change request form http://departmentforms.dpsk12.org/payroll/salarychange.doc and send it to Payroll along with an official transcript showing the date the degree was awarded.  If the degree was awarded in a proposed assignment area (not your current job, but another discipline covered by the DCTA bargaining agreement) you also need to complete a “Declaration of Proposed Assignment” form (The Declaration of Proposed Assignment form may be submitted to Payroll at the same time as the official transcript showing the conferral of the advanced degree.  Teachers may complete more than one advanced degree but may only receive a salary increase for additional advanced degrees only once every three years

5.  Advanced Licenses-New and Renewal

If you receive an advanced license for which you have not been compensated, complete the attached salary increase request form http://departmentforms.dpsk12.org/payroll/salarychange.doc and send it to Payroll Department, 900 Grant Street, Room 406, Denver, CO 80203 with evidence that you now hold one of the approved advanced licenses.  The license expiration date must appear on the document.

Increases in pay for advanced licenses will be discontinued if the license is allowed to expire.  Evidence of all license renewals should reach Human Resources prior to the license expiration date to ensure no disruption in these additional payments.  A copy of the extended license with the expiration date should be sent to:

            Denver Public Schools  - Payroll-License Renewal

900 Grant Street, Room 406

Denver, CO 80203

A list of advanced licenses may be found by accessing the DPS portal at: http://www.dpsk12.org

You will be able to access the DPS portal at http://www.dpsk12.org and clicking on the “Staff” link on the navigation bar on the left hand side of the DPS homepage, then the “MyDPS” link at the top of the “Staff” pageWhen you go to the Professional Development tab of “My DPS” you will find the PDU Handbook with the protocol and samples of PDU proposals.  The protocol will define the steps you will need to take to complete your PDU.  The samples will show you how some people have approached writing a proposal.  The website will also include a completed PDU work sample so you will have some idea of what the completed work should look like.  We have also placed the PDU proposal form on the website and the PDU Rubric.  Hopefully this will give you a good start on your work for the year.  This year we are offering several options for Professional Development Units.  If you want to design your own proposal for your work you can choose a couple of different ways to have your work reviewed at the end of the process. 

You may wish to submit your completed work and have a review team look at your work and compare it to the Professional Development Unit Rubric. Another option allows you to bring your completed work to a professional discussion and share your learning with your peers.  In this second option you can choose to present as a panel, if you have worked together with a group and you want an opportunity to present as a group.  You may also wish to present your work in a showcase format where you can set up a power point or a storyboard and answer questions about your work as the reviewers/reflectors walk through a room looking at work samples

You may prefer to attend a series of classes known as pre-approved Professional Development Units.  A bank of pre-approved PDUs that anyone may use is available on the “MyDPS link.   If you choose a pre-approved PDU, you will have an instructor of record with whom you will work to complete the Professional Development Unit.

Other information about earning a PDU: 

·         You are not required to pursue a Professional Development Unit.  The decision is up to you. 

·         You can be paid only for one PDU during the contract year ‘07-‘08, although you can earn more than one PDU in a contract year.  In this scenario, you would turn one in for pay and bank the other one. 

·         You may complete as many Professional Development Units as you want.  PDUs have no expiration date.

·         You can choose when you want to begin work on your Professional Development Unit.  You need to spend a minimum of three months working on your Professional Development Unit. 

·         All PDU proposals for the ‘07-‘08 year must be turned in by Feb. 15, 2008. 

·         All PDU work for the ‘07-‘08 school year must be completed by May 15, 2008

7.  Student Growth Objectives (’07-’08)

This element will be paid in September 2008 based on the number of objectives met in the ‘07-‘08 school year.  All teachers and Student Service Professionals will need to use the new Student Growth Objective web application available at the DPS portal at http://www.dpsk12.org and clicking on the “Staff” link on the navigation bar on the left hand side of the DPS homepage, then the “MyDPS” link at the top of the “Staff” page

·         Educators must submit their objectives by Oct. 31, 2007. 

·         Principals and managers must review and accept objectives by Nov 30, 2007. 

·         Decisions on whether objectives are met, not met or pending should be made by May 30, 2008. Objective measurements should be chosen that will be available by that date.

*     For more information about this element, access the DPS portal at http://www.dpsk12.org When you get to the DPS homepage then you will click on the “Staff” link on the navigation bar on the left hand side of the DPS homepage, then the “MyDPS” link at the top of the “Staff” page (click on the SGO tab

8.  Distinguished Schools

If you taught in ‘06-‘07 in a school designated as “distinguished”, you will receive a distinguished school bonus in ‘07-‘08.  Because of state reporting dates, last year’s distinguished schools will not be announced until January 2008.  The distinguished school bonus will be paid  to eligible employees, retroactive to Sept. 1, 2007 to those employees who were in ProComp last year and worked in the distinguished school at least 89 days during the year. 

9.  CSAP Exceeds Expectations

If you were a 4^th - 10^th grade classroom teacher who teaches math or language arts and you were in ProComp last year, your students’ CSAP results exceeding expectations relative to comparable DPS schools could earn you an increase in pay in March 2008, based on figures available in the summer of ‘07.

10.   Market Incentives

ProComp participants must be qualified under both DPS and CDE standards to receive a Market Incentive bonus.  Qualified teachers working at hard-to-serve schools or in hard-to-staff assignments may be eligible for one or more bonuses under the ProComp agreement.  Market Incentive bonuses will be prorated based on your FTE status.

Hard-to-Serve Schools- Beginning Sept. 1, 2007,  ProComp participants will be eligible for a Market Incentive bonus for working in the following schools ;

Elementary                          Middle            High       Alternative

Ashley              Greenlee    Hill                  Lincoln  Prep Assess 

Barrett              Harrington  Horace Mann  North     CLA

Bryant Webster Mitchell      Lake               West      Emerson St

Castro               Montclair    Merrill                          EGOS HS

Cheltenham      Philips        Place                           Florence Crittenton

Columbian        Remington  Randolph                    Gilliam

Del Pueblo        Schenck      Rishel                                          

Fairmont           Valdez        Smiley                  

Fairview            Whiteman                                           

Garden Place    Wyman

Gilpin

Hard-to-Staff Assignments- The following assignments are considered hard to staff and are eligible for the bonus during ‘07-‘08

            ELA-S Teachers and Counselors                          

Occupational Therapist/Physical Therapist

Special Education Teachers and Center Assignments 

School Nurses

Secondary and Alternative School Math Teachers  

School Psychologists

Bilingual Members of the MAST Team                                        

Speech Language Specialists

Employees who cannot be attached to students through Infinite Campus or do not have an FTE assignment to a hard-to-serve school or a Special Education Center Program, will need to log these appointments.  This log can be used to establish time worked in hard-to-serve schools or in hard-to-staff assignments.  A copy of this log may be obtained from your manager

11. Professional Review Panel