Denver Public Schools and teacher’s union are abandoning agreement with Denver taxpayers.
At the heart of the pending teacher strike in the Denver Public Schools is ProComp. Passed in 2005 by Denver voters, the Professional Compensation System raised property taxes to fund specific teacher pay increases.
ProComp includes financial incentives for teachers to improve student performance and work with our city’s most vulnerable students — English language learners, students with special needs and those from poverty-stricken neighborhoods.
ProComp, agreed upon by Denver Public Schools and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, was never intended for traditional, across the board salary increases.
Its intent was to increase compensation for teachers as a reward for improving student outcomes.
Today, negotiations have stalled over the use of ProComp funds. Using ProComp dollars to increase the base pay of all teachers violates the spirit of the law.
By moving ProComp dollars from teacher salaries in poor schools to funding general pay increases, the district and the union are abandoning their agreement with Denver taxpayers. Denver taxpayers contribute $33 million into the ProComp trust fund every year. Neither party has the legal right to ignore ProComp’s voter-approved purpose. If both DPS and the DCTA believe the 14-year-old law needs to be changed, we are happy to assist with a new proposal.
We understand why DPS and DCTA have turned to ProComp as a funding source for acrossthe-board teacher raises. For more than 20 years TABOR has made it difficult to increase public funding to support higher teacher salaries.
We believe teachers deserve higher pay. Most Denver citizens support higher teacher pay. With the pressure of a looming strike, it is not at all surprising that DPS and DCTA are looking to raid ProComp funds.
It wouldn’t be the first time. Earlier in the negotiations, both sides agreed to use funds — originally intended as incentives for teachers in the poorest Denver schools — for salary increases for all.
And now there are demands to do more of the same.
Both organizations are on a perilous path and must adhere to the original intent of the ballot. The consequence of failing to keep the law is clear. The “tax increase shall terminate if ProComp terminates.”
We doubt that either side in this negotiation wants to jeopardize this significant investment by Denver taxpayers.
As Denver citizens, as Denver voters, we all have a responsibility to see that the ProComp mil levy is spent as it was intended — to improve outcomes for Denver ’s students by funding specific incentives for specific work.
All strikes can be averted, and this one is in the hands of the two negotiating teams.
If new laws are needed to increase teacher salaries, let’s work together to get them passed. In the meantime, ProComp dollars must be used as we voters agreed in 2005.