73
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARADVERTISER.COM
HSTA President Wil Okabe said he was impressed by the students who showed their support.
The state says it cannot “responsibly accept” the latest offer from the teachers union, and contends the proposal would cost taxpayers $1 billion over four years.
Schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi called the offer “fiscally unrealistic.”
“It’s obvious there is more work to do to reach a resolution,” Matayoshi said, in a news release today.
The Department of Education said the proposal from the Hawaii State Teachers Association would have increased teachers’ base pay by 48 percent over four years and delayed implementation of revamped teacher evaluations that take into account student academic growth data.
In December, the state offered teachers 2 percent annual increases over the next two years, at a total additional cost of $49.2 million.
Teachers have been without a contract since July 2011, when the state imposed a “last, best and final” offer that included wage cuts and higher medical premiums.
The state and HSTA will resume negotiations Wednesday.
