What is the Haverford Township Education Association?
The Haverford Township Education Association represents nearly 500 counselors, librarians, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, speech and language pathologists and teachers across the district’s seven schools.
More than 90% of school district faculty hold an advanced degree. The high-performing district serves roughly 6,500 students — 95% of whom continue on to post-secondary education.
“We are a community that cares about our schools and education and that’s true for the people that spoke tonight [and] for the members of the board,” King told WHYY News. “We all value our teachers here in the community.”
In addition to the cost-of-living adjustment to keep pace with inflation, the union is seeking more preparation time for lesson planning in their next contract. The current salary schedule within the existing contract separates faculty into four sections based on the level of their education.
“If your money is not growing at the rate of inflation, it’s losing purchasing power,” Nancarrow said.
According to the district, the average teacher salary in Haverford is $90,400. Under its last available public proposal to the union, the average teacher salary would have risen to $106,275 by the 2028-2029 academic school year. The union wants wages to be competitive with other neighboring districts.
Cara Seker grew up in Havertown and has since become a science teacher in Philadelphia. During public comment, she said she decided to apply for an opening at Haverford. However, she had reservations.
“If I were to take a position in my own neighborhood, I would not be able to afford my house,” Seker said. “I would take a double digit percentage pay cut. And now six weeks without an updated contract, for me, you aren’t hypothetically missing out on qualified teachers — I am one.”
Haverford educators give a standing ovation to a member of the audience during public comment. (Kenny Cooper/WHYY)
Could there be ‘light at the end of the tunnel?’
Negotiations reached a stalemate shortly before the beginning of the school year as the parties were $6 million apart on wages. In September, the school district accused the union of providing “misleading information” to the public.
Nancarrow declined to get into details about the specific wage increase the union is seeking. He said both sides have made a “concerted effort” to find a resolution.
“We are having real substantial conversations and we see a path forward,” Nancarrow told meeting attendees Thursday night. “However, I must be clear — progress requires sustained commitment and focus from both sides. We cannot afford to lose momentum or be or become distracted.”
Haverford is not the only district in Delaware County engaged in a contract standoff with its union. Educators in the William Penn School District have also been teaching without a new collective bargaining agreement since the start of the school year.
Unlike Haverford, William Penn has struggled financially. The chronically underfunded district serves approximately 4,500 students from a number of working-class boroughs in Delaware County. More than 50% of William Penn’s budget comes from the state while 40% comes from local real estate taxes.
Haverford is far less reliant on the state to fund its schools. About 80% of its revenue stream comes from local real estate taxes, according to the district’s latest budget.
Only 17% of its revenue comes from state sources.
