Fountain Hills teachers present survey results calling for pay schedule, discipline clarity and special‑education planning

Representatives of the Fountain Hills Education Association briefed the district governing board on Feb. 23 with survey findings they said reflect staff concerns about pay, prep time and instructional mandates.

The presenters said 53 employees responded to the January 10–21 survey, representing slightly more than half of the district’s roughly 102 employees. "Our response rate is just over 50%," the presenter said, calling it "pretty good for a survey like this." They reported specific findings: "66 percent, reported receiving a 175, prep minutes," and "73.6 reported having prep time interrupted, at least 1 day a week," raising concerns about teachers’ ability to plan lessons. The presentation also said "49 percent reported no pay for substituting on their prep." (Survey figures were presented by the association; methodology and raw data were provided to district staff.)

The teachers' group outlined five priorities: pay and a certified salary schedule, addressing student behavior, professional development tailored to campus needs, undoing one‑size‑fits‑all district initiatives by increasing site representation, and giving teachers seats on school leadership committees. The association said its proposals include a publicly posted certified salary schedule,"that would be public for all of us to look at and it would be with education and years of service," and reinstatement of the district discipline matrix with added PBIS language to align discipline and positive‑behavior supports.

On compensation the presenters said they modeled options contingent on state funding. Superintendent Sweeney and staff framed those salary‑schedule models as illustrative: they showed examples run out 10 years and noted the outcomes depend on state classroom funding and existing classroom‑site funds. "We can put together what a scout salary schedule will look like, but it's contingent on funding being available to serve," a staff member said during the discussion.

Board members pressed for logistical detail on several proposals. On a requested extra professional day for special‑education teachers to complete IEPs, trustees asked whether the day would be scheduled during breaks, as paid work, or coordinated with principals to address calendar coverage. Presenters said the extra day would be "a professional day in agreement with the principal so they would take into account calendar coverage." The association also proposed increasing the hourly rate for substitute teachers and establishing a 20% staff discount at McDowell Mountain Elementary preschool; trustees sought equity safeguards so the benefit would not appear to favor a subset of employees.

The meeting included a lengthy exchange about district initiatives such as Beyond Textbooks and PLP. Teachers and trustees agreed these programs can be effective in some contexts but said implementation and resource bank availability vary by campus and subject. One teacher described Beyond Textbooks as "only as good as it being implemented correctly," and board members acknowledged training gaps and turnover problems that reduce program benefits.

Next steps: the association said meet‑and‑confer language and proposals will be brought to the board for consideration; some items (for example, retroactive substitute pay this year) were addressed administratively while language changes remain subject to bargaining and board approval.

The board did not take a formal vote on the meet‑and‑confer package during the meeting; presenters left survey materials with district staff for follow‑up.