FOSTER — Capt. Isaac Paine Elementary School principal Gary Moore was the top School Department earner in 2006, with a salary of $87,608. The remaining nine top earners in 2006 were teachers. All are currently employed by the town.

Of the 28 teachers on staff, 19 earned more than $70,000 in 2006. Those 19 all earned a base salary of $67,259, with the rest of their gross earnings coming in the form of extra pay.

Seven teachers had gross earnings of between $55,000 and $63,000, with three earning a base salary of $59,926 and four earning a base salary of $53,807.

According to the Foster teachers’ union contract, during the 2005-2006 school year, salaries ranged from $34,872 for step one teachers and $64,018 for 10th step teachers. In 2006-2007, first step teachers’ salaries went up 2.5 percent to $35,744 for step one teachers and $65,618 for 10th step teachers.

Much of the extra pay that teachers earned came from longevity and educational stipends.

Holding an advanced degree or taking courses in higher education can earn teachers between $2,286 and $3,958 in extra pay, depending upon the degree earned or number of classes taken.

Teachers can also earn $900 serving as a student mentor or $3,500 for completing and attaining National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification, which is a nationally recognized peer-review certification process.

Length of time, or longevity, in the department accounted for additional pay. Teachers with 11 to 17 years in the district received $550 in 2005-2006; teachers with 18 to 24 years earned $800 and teachers with 25 or more years earned $1,100. Those rates increased the following year by 2.5 percent.

Compiled by Paul Edward Parker

THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL

Source: Foster School Dept.

pmarcelo@projo.com