ProComp GLOSSARY
The ProComp salary system is a revolutionary new salary plan that will change the way teachers are paid. Detailed below are explanations of some of the specialized terms used when addressing the ProComp system, which went into effect at Denver Public Schools on January 1, 2006.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Advanced Degrees – Degrees earned past a Bachelors Degree, including a Masters degree and a PhD. Under ProComp, educators receive a salary increase of 9% of the index for each advanced degree they earn.
Annual Earnings – The sum of all of a teacher’s salary in a twelve month period, including salary, bonuses and any other extra pay.
Annual Student Growth Objectives – Objectives set in collaboration by a teacher and principal or by student service professionals (SSPs) and their supervisor/program manager. Objectives must be job-based and establish expectations for student growth using baseline data. Objectives may not be based on CSAP results. Under the ProComp System, teachers and SSPs set two objectives each year. Educators who meet both objectives receive a salary increase of 1% of index. Those who meet one objective receive a bonus of 1% of index and if they meet neither objective, they receive no increase.
B
Bargaining Unit Members – Employees represented by the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA). They include teachers, nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, speech language instructors, educational audiologists and JROTC instructors.
Bond Issue – An election by voters giving the school district approval to issue bonds to finance capital improvements, such as new schools, large equipment and remodeling existing schools. These elections do not address operating expenses, including teacher salaries and benefits.
Bonus – One time or multiple time payment that does not become part of a teacher’s salary. Under ProComp, teachers and student service professionals (SSPs) will be eligible for bonuses if they fill hard-to-staff assignments, work in a hard-to-serve school, work in a distinguished school, or for meeting one of two student growth objectives.
C
Career Earnings – The sum of all earnings, salary plus bonuses, for all of the years teachers remain in DPS. Under ProComp, no teacher will be paid less than their annual earnings under the old system.
COLA – Cost of Living Adjustment that is negotiated by the district and teachers every year. DPS and DCTA will continue to negotiate the cost of living adjustments as a part of annual collective bargaining. Adjustments will then be made equally on the Master Agreement’s salary schedule and to the ProComp Agreement.
Collective Bargaining – The process by which DPS and DCTA negotiate changes to the Master Labor Agreement, including annual cost of living adjustments. Both the Master Agreement and the ProComp Agreement are subject to collective bargaining.
Community Forum – The Community Forum was a bi-monthly meeting of community members interested in public schools and educational excellence in Denver. Launched in August 2001, the forum’s leadership was anchored by members of the Denver Rotary Club, League of Women Voters and other community leaders.
Compensation Trust Fund – Proceeds from the $25 million mill levy approved by Denver voters in 2005 will be placed in a trust fund governed by a board of directors that includes representatives from DCTA, DPS and the community.
Component – The broad categories of compensation under the ProComp Agreement. ProComp has four components which can help build earnings for teachers: Knowledge and Skills, Professional Evaluation, Market Incentives and Student Growth.
CSAP – The Colorado Student Assessment Program. It is a state-mandated test based on standards. CSAP reading and math tests are given in grades 3-10.
CSAP Incentives – The element of ProComp that rewards teachers who exceed a range of expected performance based on CSAP scores. Teachers who exceed that range shall earn a sustainable increase of 3% of the index. Teachers who fall within that range of expected performance will earn no increase. Teachers who fall below that range of expected performance will lose a sustainable increase of 3% of index if they have earned one in the past.
CTAC – Community Team Assistance Center of Boston. CTAC was commissioned to conduct a study of the Pay for Performance Pilot program. Part of the findings in its initial report were the basis for expanding the teacher compensation plan to include more than student achievement. Its final report on the Pilot, Catalyst for Change, issued in January 2004 showed a link between student growth and teachers who set the highest level of Objectives.
D
Distinguished Schools – The element of ProComp that rewards teachers with a bonus of 2% of index when they work in schools recognized for outstanding performance. DPS and DCTA will agree annually on distinguished schools. Schools will be recognized as Distinguished based on 30-40 school performance indicators. These include outstanding results based on student growth data and factors such as school climate, attendance and graduation rates. All teachers and specialists at a distinguished school will receive bonuses. The bonuses for specialists will be prorated if they work for multiple schools.
E
Element – Specific building blocks in the Professional Compensation System for Teachers. ProComp is composed of 10 elements.
Entry Salary – The annual salary paid to newly hired teachers who have no outside experience credit or advanced degrees.
Extra Duty Pay – Compensation for teachers who take on extra duty paid based on rates established in Article 32 of the Master Agreement. These include coaches, mentors, and ELA teachers.
F
Fully Funded – The ProComp system will be fully funded and sustainable. In November 2005 Denver voters approved a mill levy override of $25 million to pay for the system. For educators who elect to remain in the old pay system, funding comparable to the new system (less any additional funds specifically raised to implement the new system) will be provided.
G
Graduate Degree – Teachers currently pursuing graduate degrees will have the option to receive salary increases equal to the salary increase they expected under the existing system upon completion of the degree in progress.
Graduate Degree Increase – Educators who join ProComp and get graduate degrees will receive a salary increase of 9%. Teachers and student services professionals may earn more than one graduate degree and receive additional compensation for each.
H
Hard-to-Serve Schools – Educators who work in a hard-to-serve school will receive a market incentive bonus of 3% of the index every year the school is eligible. Specialists who work in multiple schools will receive prorated bonuses if they work in a hard-to-serve school. DPS and DCTA will annually review the list of hard to serve schools.
Hard-to-Staff Assignments – Teacher assignments where the supply of licensed professionals is low and the rate of turnover among licensed professionals is high. Examples of hard-to-staff assignments are ELA-S and special education center assignments. Teachers who work in hard-to-staff assignments will receive a bonus of 3% of index. Specialists who work in hard to staff assignments will receive prorated bonuses if they work in multiple schools.
I
Index – A dollar amount negotiated by DPS and DCTA that would be the basis for determining percentage increases in salary and bonuses in the new compensation system. Under the ProComp Agreement, the index is initially established at $33,301. It will be subject to routine cost of living adjustments through collective bargaining.
K
Knowledge and Skills – The component of the Professional Compensation System for Teachers that rewards teachers for acquiring and demonstrating knowledge and skills.
M
Market Incentives – The component of ProComp that rewards teachers by using incentives to recruit and retain them in schools and assignments that are difficult to fill. Teachers who are eligible may earn multiple market incentives.
Master Agreement – The contract between DPS and DCTA that establishes all terms and conditions of employment for all members of the DCTA Bargaining Unit. The ProComp Agreement establishes a compensation system, but does not waive any of the other terms and conditions of employment established in the Master Agreement.
Mill Levy – An election by voters to raise their property tax to increase school district operating budgets.
Mill Levy Override Election – An election by voters to give approval to increase taxes to pay for school district operating budgets above limits imposed by state law.
N
National Certification – Teachers who get National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificates will receive a salary increase for the life of the certificate. Teachers may earn more than one certificate and be compensated for each.
Non-Probationary Evaluation – Evaluations for teachers who have completed the probationary period, are on continuing contracts and are formally evaluated every three years.
O
OASIS – Online Assessment Scores Information System. OASIS was created to provide teachers and principals with prompt access to scores for their students on a variety of assessments.
Objectives – Student growth objectives which are set by teachers and specialists in collaboration with their principals and supervisors. Compensation for meeting student growth objectives is one way for teachers to build career earnings. Under ProComp teachers will set two annual objectives. Teachers who meet their two objectives will receive a 1% Index Salary Increase. Teachers who meet one objective will receive a 1% Index bonus. Teachers who do not meet either objective will receive no increase.
Opt In – Teachers hired before January 1, 2006 will have a choice to enter the Professional Compensation System for Teachers. Teachers who do not opt in will remain on the Master Agreement’s salary schedule.
Opt In Windows – The period of time between January 1 and March 31 when teachers hired before January 1, 2006 would be allowed to enter the Professional Compensation System for Teachers.
P
Pay For Performance Pilot – The Denver Pay for Performance Pilot Program. It was a four year collaborative and groundbreaking effort between DPS and DCTA which investigated the interrelated issues of student achievement, teaching processes and teacher compensation.
PERA – Public Employees Retirement Association. This is the retirement system for the state. Denver teachers will merge their retirement system with PERA in 2004.
Phase In – The process of gradually implementing the Professional Compensation System for Teachers based on the district’s capacity to support it. Under the ProComp Agreement, the system will be partially implemented in the 2005-2006 school year and fully implemented in the 2006-2007 school year.
PDU – Professional Development Unit – Teachers will receive a 2% Index salary increase after 1) completing approved courses, research, or development activities, 2) demonstrating their skills and 3) reflecting on the value of the knowledge for use with their students.
Probationary Evaluation – Evaluation for teachers during each of their first three years of their employment with the District. During their probationary period, teachers who receive satisfactory evaluations will receive a salary increase of 1% of index.
ProComp – The Professional Compensation System for Teachers.
ProComp Agreement – The labor agreement that establishes the Professional Compensation System for Teachers. The ProComp Agreement is separate from the Master Agreement to ensure stability and security for teachers during the phase-in of ProComp.
Professional Compensation Review Panel – A panel to which teachers may appeal if they disagree with a payment decision related to any of the elements of ProComp. A detailed description of the composition of this trained panel is in the agreement
Professional Compensation System for Teachers – The teacher compensation system agreed to by the District and DCTA, which went into operation at Denver Public Schools on January 1, 2006. It consists of four components—Knowledge and Skills, Professional Evaluation, Market Incentives and Student Growth.
Professional Development Unit – Educators will receive a 2% Index salary increase after 1) completing approved courses, 2) demonstrating their skills and 3) reflecting on the value of the knowledge for use with their students.
Professional Evaluation – The component of ProComp that rewards teachers who receive performance ratings of satisfactory. DPS and DCTA established a Teacher Evaluation Committee that has developed a new evaluation system for teachers and student service professionals.
Professional Teacher Evaluation System – The fair, manageable process for teachers and principals to evaluate teacher performance. The Teacher Evaluation Committee, which is composed of teachers, administrators and specialists, is designing a new professional evaluation system that would be pilot-tested before it is implemented.
S
Salary – An educator’s continuing annual compensation. Salary does not include bonuses or any other extra pay.
Salary Calculator – An online tool that allows teachers to enter their career information and find out approximately how much they can make in annual and total career earnings. It can be used more than once to map out career strategies and to compare earnings under the current and ProComp system to show the best year for a teacher to opt in to ProComp.
Satisfactory Performance – Teachers who receive an evaluation indicating that their performance is satisfactory or better will receive a salary increase. Probationary teachers who receive satisfactory evaluations will receive a salary increase of 1% of the index each year of their three-year probationary period. Non-probationary teachers who receive satisfactory evaluations will receive a salary increase of 3% every three years.
Student Services Professionals (SSPs) – Under the ProComp system, SSPs include social workers, psychologists, nurses, speech therapists, occupational and physical therapists, educational audiologists, hearing impaired teachers and vision impaired teachers. All will have the same annual and career earnings opportunities as teachers. Certifications will count equally and evaluations and student growth goals will be based on SSP criteria.
Student Growth – A component of the ProComp system that rewards teachers for academic growth by their students.
Sustainable Increase – A sustainable increase is added to earnings whenever teachers meet a predetermined goal. Sustainable increases accumulate with every year teachers meet their specified goals. When teachers fail to meet minimum goals, they lose one sustainable increase if they have earned one in the past.
T
T.I.R. (Teacher In Residence) – An alternate way for teachers to become certified. Under this program, teachers will continue taking classes while teaching and working toward their certification.
Transition Team – A team of teachers and administrators who developed and implemented systems needed to support ProComp. They have been working with the district to put the necessary pieces in place. The team is made up of five administrators, five teachers and team leaders.
Tuition Reimbursement – A lifetime account of $1,000 will be available to reimburse teachers and student service professionals for completion of approved courses.
U
Unsatisfactory Performance – Teachers who receive an evaluation indicating their performance is unsatisfactory under the Professional Teacher Evaluation System will have their salary increase for satisfactory performance delayed for at least one year and until they complete a remediation plan.