Insights
What 124 of Long Island's 125 school district contracts actually say — provision by provision, with the data to negotiate from.
New York's 2026 Minimum Wage & Exempt-Salary Lines: Where They Land on a School Pay Scale
The minimum wage rose to $17.00/hr on Long Island and the overtime-exempt salary line to $66,300. A built-in checker shows where each one lands on a pay scale — paste a rate or …
Workload & ScheduleClass Size Caps: 28 Is the Median, But the Story Is in the Outliers
Most Long Island elementary class size caps cluster between 24 and 30 students. The districts at the extremes — those capping at 15 and those at 35 — are doing something specifi…
CompensationContinuous vs. Cumulative Longevity: A $2,500 Difference You Need to Understand
Two words in your contract's longevity clause determine whether 12 years of service earns you $2,000 or $4,500. Most members don't know which version they have.
CompensationCoaching Stipends: Universal Pay Structure With Highly Variable Dollar Amounts
99.7% of Long Island teacher contracts include coaching stipends. The structure is universal — head coaches, JV coaches, modified coaches, and assistant coaches all get paid ext…
CompensationSick Leave Buyback at Retirement: The 33% or 50% Decision
Almost every Long Island teacher CBA pays out unused sick days at retirement. The number that matters is the *rate* — and the difference between 33% and 50% on a 200-day cap is …
Benefits & LeaveBereavement Leave: Why 5 Days Became the Long Island Default
80% of Long Island teacher contracts provide 5 days of bereavement leave for the death of an immediate family member. 16% provide 3 days. The 4% at other values are doing someth…
Grievance & ArbitrationThe Grievance Filing Window: 30 Days Is Standard, But Variation Matters More Than the Number
A teacher believes the contract was violated. How long do they have to file a formal grievance? Long Island answers vary from 5 days to 60 days. The 30-day window is the modal a…
Grievance & ArbitrationArbitration Cost Sharing: "Split Equally" Is Long Island Universal
When a Long Island teacher grievance reaches arbitration, who pays the arbitrator's bill? In 95% of contracts: "split equally" between the district and the union. The 5% with di…
Workload & ScheduleConsecutive Teaching Periods: 3 in a Row Is the Modal Workload Cap
Half of Long Island teacher contracts that address it limit teachers to 3 consecutive teaching periods. The other half allow more. The 3-period cap is one of the quietest but mo…
Contract MechanicsConformity to Law: The Clause That Makes the Contract Bend, Not Break
Almost every Long Island teacher CBA includes a "conformity to law" clause — language stating that the contract must be interpreted consistent with state and federal law. The cl…
Benefits & LeaveSick Leave Accrual Rate: 10, 12, or 15 Days a Year?
A Long Island teacher accumulates new sick days each year. The annual accrual rate determines how quickly a teacher can build up the balance that eventually becomes retirement b…
Benefits & LeaveSick Leave for Family Illness: The Universal Provision Almost Nobody Talks About
A Long Island teacher's child has the flu. The contract says sick leave is for the teacher's own illness. Can the teacher use a sick day to stay home with the child? In 280 of 2…
Grievance & ArbitrationGrievance Step 1 Response: 5 Business Days the Long Island Standard
A teacher files a grievance at Step 1. How long does the supervisor have to respond? Long Island districts have largely settled on a tight standard — 5 business days — but the v…
CompensationHow to Read a Teacher Salary Schedule: Steps, Lanes, and the Traps Between Them
A salary schedule looks like an orderly grid. It isn't. The steps between cells, the gaps between lanes, and three structural traps — balloon steps, compression zones, and rippl…