The Cash Reserve Myth: HSE Has the Money

  While surrounding area schools successfully used cash reserves to fund fair raises for their teachers this year, the HSE Administration refused to use just an additional $1,565,107 to ensure no teacher took home less pay. They only committed $1,098,000 to mitigate some insurance costs, still forcing a loss in take-home pay. 

The money is there: 

• · The Reserves Are Growing: The general rule for district cash balances is 8-12%. HSE far exceeds this, and the Administration continues to stockpile funds, refusing to release the small amount needed to hold teachers harmless.
• · The Operations Fund Shell Game: Instead of prioritizing our classrooms, the Administration is inflating the Operations Fund (used for day-to-day school operations) and moving money away from teacher compensation by transferring money out of the Education Fund. 
• Our Clear Demands: Money, Time, and a Future Commitment 
• Yesterday, we sent dates to the administration and asked them back to the table, and even though that’s what Pat Mapes stated would happen when a board member asked what would happen if the teachers didn’t ratify, administration’s response to our request was that we go to pre-impasse mediation thus causing both sides money.  Again, we are asking the Board and Administration return to the table and meet these demands: 

                           1. Financial Dignity: An Additional $1,565,107.  We ask that the Board and Administration  

                                return to the table with the necessary funds to ensure we are not forcing 80% of our   

                                educators backward. This investment is necessary to prevent the effective pay cuts caused by  

                                increased insurance costs and to honor the professional value of every teacher. 

                           2. Restore Essential Planning Time: We ask that the Board and Administration restore 30 

                                minutes of dedicated planning time to teachers by canceling a portion of scheduled 

                                meetings. This essential time will be reinvested directly into student success, enabling proper 

                                lesson preparation, vital parent communication, and necessary grading. 

                          3. Commit to Competitive Compensation for Next Year: We ask that the Board and 

                                Administration commit now to a goal for next year: delivering truly competitive and    

                                sustainable compensation for every educator. This commitment must include justly  

                                compensating Master's-level staff and correcting the salary schedule to accurately reflect and 

                                honor years of dedicated service. 

                                                                      A Stand for Fairness and Sustainability 

                     A "no" vote wasn't about greed; it was about fairness, sustainability, and the future of our schools. 

To the HSEA members: Stay united. Stay loud. Stay firm. Your collective power is massive. 

NEXT STEPS:  

1. Wear your HSEA colors 

2. Talk to colleagues and neighbors using the talking points we attached to tonight’s message 

The fight for professional respect and financial dignity continues! We stood together to say NO; now,       

                                                                   we must stand together to demand YES!