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TRADITIONAL SALARY SCHEDULE STRUCTURES

There are more than 800 elementary and secondary school districts operating in Illinois and ninety-six percent of these districts use a teacher salary schedule. These schedules are called single salary schedules because they do not differentiate teacher salaries by grade level or subject taught.

A cursory review of Illinois salary schedules would indicate many similarities. A closer analysis will expose a multitude of variances.

The salary schedules in use today are similar in that they all provide:

· an entry salary for new teachers. This entry salary is normally referred to as the "BA Base".

· additional salary for work experience.

· additional salary for acquiring additional education and/or training.

· a grid framework to systematically increase salaries, vertically and horizontally, as additional work experience and approved education/training are acquired. Each square on the grid is referred to as a "cell".

· a numeric value system for the grid. The application of this numeric value system to each cell is entitled "Indexing". The index number of 1.0000 is normally assigned to the BA base (entry) salary, which traditionally appears in the upper left hand corner of the grid. Cell index numbers can be determined by dividing the dollar amount of the BA base cell into the dollar amount of any cell on the grid. A vertical and horizontal relationship exists amongst the index numbers. This relationship can be converted into dollar and/or percent variances between the cells if you want to perform a detailed analysis of the salary schedule.

Salary schedule differences affect both the appearance and the structure of the schedule. Differences become obvious if you examine the various headings, which appear on Illinois’ schedules. Listed below are four examples of those headings.

a. Step BA BA+8 BA+16 BA+24 MA* MA+8* MA+16* etc.

b. Years BA BA+16 MA* MA+16*

c. Experience BA MA*

d. ---------- BA BA+4 BA+8 BA+12 BA+16 BA+20 BA+24 etc.

*or equivalent hours

District work experience may be entitled "step", "experience", "years", "years of experience" or no heading at all. When the heading "step" is used, the first step is usually numbered one (1), and when "years of experience" is used, the first year of experience is usually numbered zero (0). Some schedules even have half steps for teachers who work less than a full year. The maximum number of steps or years of experience also varies. Existing schedules have as little as seven (7) and as many as forty (40) steps or years of experience. Some schedules begin with Step No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, through No. 15 and then skip to Step Nos. 20, 25, or 30. In this instance where steps are not continuous or consistent, Step Nos. 20, 25, or 30 are called "longevity" steps. The dollar amounts between longevity steps are often smaller than the dollar amounts within the regular part of the schedule.

The first education/training lane of a salary schedule is normally titled "BA" or "Bachelors" lane, although a few schedules still begin with a lane for non-degreed teachers. Teachers with a four-year degree are placed in the BA lane. Lanes beyond the BA require additional education/training. There is a large variation as to the number of lanes on Illinois’ salary schedules. The number of lanes is generally determined by local interest in additional education/training and the frequency (graduate hour groupings) with which the district is willing to reward their teachers, with increased salaries, for acquiring that additional education/training.

Each lane is composed of a number of work experience steps. The number of steps in each lane varies with Illinois’ salary schedules. Within a given district's schedule; however, it is quite common to find that the number of steps increases for each successive lane. Employers historically have viewed allowing teachers with advanced education/training, more steps as an effective inducement for professional growth.

Some salary schedules have provisions for paying salary amounts not shown on the schedule. Teachers receiving these payments may not be on the regular salary schedule, but instead are "paid off the schedule."

These structural variations affect the external appearance of salary schedules. Internal variations are not as obvious, but are more numerous. It is almost impossible to mention all the conceivable internal variations. There are, however, three (3) basic salary schedule structures from which most of these internal variations are derived.

There are three [3] basic salary schedules styles; e.g. Dollar, Percentage, and Mixed. They are presented on Pages 3, 5 and 7. Pages 4, 6, and 8 provides an analysis of each style. Variations of these styles occur throughout Illinois.

DOLLAR SCHEDULE
				* or equivalent hours
Step	BA	BA+12	BA+24	MA*	MA+12*	MA+24*	MA+36*

1	29,457	30,635	31,813	32,991	34,169	35,347	36,525
2	30,635	31,813	32,991	34,169	35,347	36,525	37,703
3	31,813	32,991	34,169	35,347	36,525	37,703	38,881
4	32,991	34,169	35,347	36,525	37,703	38,881	40,059
5	34,169	35,347	36,525	37,703	38,881	40,059	41,237
6	35,347	36,525	37,703	38,881	40,059	41,237	42,415
7	36,525	37,703	38,881	40,059	41,237	42,415	43,593
8	37,703	38,881	40,059	41,237	42,415	43,593	44,771
9	38,881	40,059	41,237	42,415	43,593	44,771	45,949
10	40,059	41,237	42,415	43,593	44,771	45,949	47,127
11	41,237	42,415	43,593	44,771	45,949	47,127	48,305
12	42,415	43,593	44,771	45,949	47,127	48,305	49,483
13	43,593	44,771	45,949	47,127	48,305	49,483	50,661
14	44,771	45,949	47,127	48,305	49,483	50,661	51,839
15	45,949	47,127	48,305	49,483	50,661	51,839	53,017
16				50,661	51,839	53,017	54,195
17				51,839	53,017	54,195	55,373
18				53,017	54,195	55,373	56,551
19				54,195	55,373	56,551	57,729
20				55,373	56,551	57,729	58,907

Index No.	1.0322668	1.0312426	1.0302823	1.0276305	1.0268718	1.0261544	1.025475
Traditional Name - Simple (Additive) Index Salary Schedule
Dollar schedules operate on the premise that when an increase occurs to
the BA base, the same percent increase also applies to every vertical and
horizontal cell on the schedule.

The horizontal and vertical dollar amounts (difference between cells) of this
schedule are equal throughout the schedule [Page No. 4].

The percent differences between cells decline uniformly across and down
the schedule [Page No. 4].

The dollar amounts are equal and the percents decline because each cell
amount is a product of using the BA base for all calculations, not the
preceding cell amount.

The Index No. represents the average % increase between vertical cells.
Notice that the percentage declines for each additional lane.

The ‘Dollar Schedule’ is the second most common salary schedule in use
in Illinois today.

DOLLAR SCHEDULE - Horizontal/Vertical $ Difference Between Steps
				* or equivalent hours
Step	BA	BA+12	BA+24	MA*	MA+12*	MA+24*	MA+36*

1		1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
2	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
3	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
4	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
5	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
6	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
7	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
8	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
9	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
10	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
11	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
12	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
13	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
14	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
15	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
16				1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
17				1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
18				1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
19				1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178
20				1,178	1,178	1,178	1,178

DOLLAR SCHEDULE - Horizontal/Vertical % Difference Between Steps

Step	BA	BA+12	BA+24	MA*	MA+12*	MA+24*	MA+36*
1		4.00%	3.85%	3.70%	3.57%	3.45%	3.33%
2	4.00%	3.85%	3.70%	3.57%	3.45%	3.33%	3.23%
3	3.85%	3.70%	3.57%	3.45%	3.33%	3.23%	3.12%
4	3.70%	3.57%	3.45%	3.33%	3.23%	3.12%	3.03%
5	3.57%	3.45%	3.33%	3.23%	3.12%	3.03%	2.94%
6	3.45%	3.33%	3.23%	3.12%	3.03%	2.94%	2.86%
7	3.33%	3.23%	3.12%	3.03%	2.94%	2.86%	2.78%
8	3.23%	3.12%	3.03%	2.94%	2.86%	2.78%	2.70%
9	3.12%	3.03%	2.94%	2.86%	2.78%	2.70%	2.63%
10	3.03%	2.94%	2.86%	2.78%	2.70%	2.63%	2.56%
11	2.94%	2.86%	2.78%	2.70%	2.63%	2.56%	2.50%
12	2.86%	2.78%	2.70%	2.63%	2.56%	2.50%	2.44%
13	2.78%	2.70%	2.63%	2.56%	2.50%	2.44%	2.38%
14	2.70%	2.63%	2.56%	2.50%	2.44%	2.38%	2.33%
15	2.63%	2.56%	2.50%	2.44%	2.38%	2.33%	2.27%
16				2.38%	2.33%	2.27%	2.22%
17				2.33%	2.27%	2.22%	2.17%
18				2.27%	2.22%	2.17%	2.13%
19				2.22%	2.17%	2.13%	2.08%
20				2.17%	2.13%	2.08%	2.04%

PERCENTAGE SCHEDULE
				* or equivalent hours
Step	BA	BA+12	BA+24	MA*	MA+12*	MA+24*	MA+36*

1	29,457	30,635	31,861	33,135	34,461	35,839	37,273
2	30,635	31,861	33,135	34,461	35,839	37,273	38,763
3	31,861	33,135	34,461	35,839	37,273	38,763	40,314
4	33,135	34,461	35,839	37,273	38,763	40,314	41,926
5	34,461	35,839	37,273	38,763	40,314	41,926	43,604
6	35,839	37,273	38,763	40,314	41,926	43,604	45,348
7	37,273	38,763	40,314	41,926	43,604	45,348	47,162
8	38,763	40,314	41,926	43,604	45,348	47,162	49,048
9	40,314	41,926	43,604	45,348	47,162	49,048	51,010
10	41,926	43,604	45,348	47,162	49,048	51,010	53,050
11	43,604	45,348	47,162	49,048	51,010	53,050	55,172
12	45,348	47,162	49,048	51,010	53,050	55,172	57,379
13	47,162	49,048	51,010	53,050	55,172	57,379	59,674
14	49,048	51,010	53,050	55,172	57,379	59,674	62,061
15	51,010	53,050	55,172	57,379	59,674	62,061	64,544
16				59,674	62,061	64,544	67,126
17				62,061	64,544	67,126	69,811
18				64,544	67,126	69,811	72,603
19				67,126	69,811	72,603	75,507
20				69,811	72,603	75,507	78,528

Index No.	1.04	1.04	1.04	1.04	1.04	1.04	1.04
Traditional Name - Compound (Progressive) Index Salary Schedule
Percentage schedules operate on the premise that when an increase occurs
to the BA base, the same percent increase also applies to every vertical and
horizontal cell on the schedule.

The horizontal and vertical percentages (difference between cells) of this
schedule are equal throughout the schedule [Page No. 6].

The dollar differences between cells increase uniformly across and down
the schedule [Page No. 6].

The dollar amounts increase and the percents are uniform because each
cell is determined by multiplying a fixed percent (example is 4%) times the
previous cell amount, not the BA base salary, and adding that amount to the
previous cell amount (across and down).

The Index No. represents the average % increase between vertical cells.
Notice that the percentages are identical for all the lanes.

The 'Percentage Schedule' is the least common salary schedule in use in
Illinois today.

PERCENTAGE SCHEDULE - Horizontal/Vertical $ Difference Between Steps
				* or equivalent hours
Step	BA	BA+12	BA+24	MA*	MA+12*	MA+24*	MA+36*

1		1,178	1,225	1,274	1,325	1,378	1,434
2	1,178	1,225	1,274	1,325	1,378	1,434	1,491
3	1,225	1,274	1,325	1,378	1,434	1,491	1,551
4	1,274	1,325	1,378	1,434	1,491	1,551	1,613
5	1,325	1,378	1,434	1,491	1,551	1,613	1,677
6	1,378	1,434	1,491	1,551	1,613	1,677	1,744
7	1,434	1,491	1,551	1,613	1,677	1,744	1,814
8	1,491	1,551	1,613	1,677	1,744	1,814	1,886
9	1,551	1,613	1,677	1,744	1,814	1,886	1,962
10	1,613	1,677	1,744	1,814	1,886	1,962	2,040
11	1,677	1,744	1,814	1,886	1,962	2,040	2,122
12	1,744	1,814	1,886	1,962	2,040	2,122	2,207
13	1,814	1,886	1,962	2,040	2,122	2,207	2,295
14	1,886	1,962	2,040	2,122	2,207	2,295	2,387
15	1,962	2,040	2,122	2,207	2,295	2,387	2,482
16				2,295	2,387	2,482	2,582
17				2,387	2,482	2,582	2,685
18				2,482	2,582	2,685	2,792
19				2,582	2,685	2,792	2,904
20				2,685	2,792	2,904	3,020

PERCENTAGE SCHEDULE - Horizontal/Vertical % Difference Between Steps

Step	BA	BA+12	BA+24	MA*	MA+12*	MA+24*	MA+36*

1		4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%
2	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%
3	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%
4	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%

Salary Schedule Costing

Contemporary Salary Schedule