#147 in teacher salaries yet WA constantly is rated by Boston Magazine in the top 20, is a TELLING stat when teachers accuse the town of playing cheap (this goes back to before last year, even in good financial times Westford always said 'wish we could do better' even 15 years ago as new schools were being built left and right).
I agree per pupil only tells part of story (no, automatically spending more doesn't guarantee success) BUT the hard reality that we expect teachers to deliver like DCL teacher peers yet pay them with Ayer, Dracut, and well behind even Billerica is just pathetic and insulting.
Next time Westford's schools are 'compared' by the School Committee or Superintendant I hope it's to the ones we pay our staff like and not the Lexingtons, Actons, Grotons which we really aren't equivalent to.
The reality that our staff works amount the most hours , about a week extra on average, only adds.
Thank you Andrew for getting this together! Westford teachers know they got railroaded last year and likely will be work to rule in 0-60 if a fair market value contract isn't presented at the start of negotiations next year!

Old news, both teachers and residents know we play hard and cheap with our public employees (bang for the buck), love it or leave it this is how we operate here. We like to blow our money on extravagant capital expenditures not staff salary. People are easily replaceable by noobies fresh outta college who don't self advocate who cares if our reputation is becoming one where top teachers don't want to come to?

Between the treatment of our teachers last year by the school committee, to the treatment of residents constitutional rights by the board of selectmen this year, Westford town leadership sure has found ample ways to totally embarrassing itself.
Complete cleaning of house is not only in order, it's long overdue.

"discussed over the past year", that is a generous description :O

Last year's antics are just going to be the initial sip of the cool aid compared to what's likely to transpire next year I fear! Get ready to chug by the gallon!

Andrew! Average salaries are invalid to compare equity between towns.
1. Average salaries in a town will be reduced for a town when the schools encounter a large retirement group like Westford did in 2004 when 52 teachers retired at top step.
2. Average salaries in a own will be increased when there is a layoff because the teachers with less seniority are generally lower on the pay scale.

Although teachers like to point out averages of teacher salaries, they should also consider the median family income of the residents of the town, degree the equalized real estate valuation/capita and % of budget paid by either state or federal funds. For instance Lowell has 80+% of its education budget funded by either state or federal funds while Westford's education budget receives about 20% from state and federal sources.

So Jesse, who based on your formulas are Westford's 'peers'? Are really more like Billerica, Dracut, Ayer, Lunenburg, than DCL towns? Maybe we are not a truce W Town after all but more of a Status Wanna Be?m

BTW chastenedWestfordteacher Like my hero Steve Jobs, I never received a college degree. I found the professors to be boring and mentally challenged.
BG does provide a better ROI than any public school in MA and possibly the US.
I am glad that I have brought you to a state of enlightenment. You will be a better person and teacher because of it.

II proved it in this thread

http://westford.patch.com/articles/school-committee-recommends-new-fy-14-budget-to-voters

Carlisle 185 days $7k-$20k more, extra pay column M + 60 Better insurance split

Concord 185 days $17K -23K 3 extra columns

Concord/Carlisle 185 days 22k-26k 4 extra columns

Tyngsborough within a few hundred dollars of Westford but only work 181 days instead of Westford’s 185, they have 3 extra columns and reach top pay in 12 years instead of Westford’s now 15 years. So essentially, they pay more.

Chelmsford 182 days 75/25 insurance split vs. Westfords 65/35 for an equivalent HMO 2-5k less Top pay in 13 years. The better insurance split and few days puts them about a little above Westford, but its so negligible it’s not worth doing the math.

Acton $2500-4k less 182 day year, 75/25 insurance split = same as above

Littleton
180 days 75/25 They haven’t released pay scale numbers for a while but they are right on par with Westford for the 06-08 years. Top pay in 13 years. Unless they nose dived on pay, they are most likely making more than Westford.

Dracut 185 days 10 steps 4 extra columns
5k less. Since I don’t’ know the insurance split it’s hard to compare. They work a lot of days, but make $100 a week less. Even with a generous insurance split it’s very likely they are compensated less than Westford, but they reach top pay 5 years ealier. In the end they fair worse than Westford.