A Look at the New NASD Teacher Salary Matrix

Nazareth School Board members voted 6-1 at a special meeting Aug. 29 to approve a salary matrix for the district's teachers.

The matrix took effect Sept. 1 -- when the district's teachers also entered a new contract extension that calls for a 3.75 percent average raise.

The ‬contract also calls for the Nazareth Area Education Association (NAEA) to construct a salary matrix‭, or schedule, ‬to determine how large a raise teachers at each of the‭ ‬16‭ ‬steps on the salary scale will receive. That matrix must be approved by the school board before it takes effect.

The board on Aug. 22  from the association. Board members and district superintendent Victor Lesky said the proposed raises were too high at the top of the scale and too low at the bottom.

Lesky said the first proposed matrix would hurt Nazareth's ability to compete with surrounding districts for top entry-level teaching talent.

The NAEA agreed Aug. 24 to a revised salary matrix with lower raises at the top and higher raises at the bottom. The board approved the deal this past Monday night.

For the full story on the teacher salary matrix and a grievance filed by the NAEA, read "" on Nazareth Patch.

The Matrix Explained:

B -- Bachelor's degree
B+12 -- Bachelor's degree plus 12 credits
M -- Master's degree
M+15 -- Master's degree plus 15 credits
M+30 -- Master's degree plus 30 credits
M+45 -- Master's degree plus 45 credits