North Canton Teachers Once Again Receive Step Increases

Roughly 280 of North Canton City Schools teachers will once again be eligible for step increases. 

In exchange for years of service, teachers' salaries are incrementally bolstered by step increases, but, as a cost-cutting measure, the increases had been frozen in the district for the past four years, according to the Canton Repository. 

The increases were reactivated Monday morning at a special North Canton Board of Education meeting, after the contract was ratified Sunday night by the North Canton Education Association.

According to NCEA union president George Baran, teachers will not retroactively receive increases they missed since 2009. 

The annual salary for an entry-level teacher with just a bachelor’s degree is $35,000, but the district isn't guaranteeing scheduled increases (at a minimum of 1.5 percent) for all teachers. 

Regarding other compensation, teachers might receive raises in the second and third years of the contract if the district receives an unexpected boost in revenue from the State of Ohio.

"Recognizing the sacrifices our staff has made, the Board has agreed to reinstitute the increases for years of teaching experience. However, there will be no additional increases unless the district receives additional monies above the currently projected levels, said North Canton schools Superintendent Michael Hartenstein.

In addition, a new evaluation procedure was agreed to that implements the new laws which hold teachers accountable for their students success on state-mandated tests."