The answers to the FAQs below are meant to provide convenient, basic information only.

For information relating to the following subjects, click on the subject.

Forms
Multiculture Requirement
Payday
Rating-in
Salary Point
Schedule / Step Advance
Helpful Hints

Questions: What forms and documents need to be submitted to apply for salary point credit?
Answer:

A and B Form: New contract employees and current or former employees who have not previously rated-in need to establish a salary folder with the Salary Allocation Unit. These employees should go to the Salary Allocation Unit after signing their contracts and obtain the rating-in packet.

Rating-in Packet includes: (Note:  Photocopies of transcripts or letters are not acceptable.)

• A and B Form, completed and signed
• Official transcripts verifying the bachelor’s degree and any postgraduate coursework*
• Original letters of employment verification (if any)***

Former employees who may have rated-in previously but are returning to contract status after an absence of seven or more years may have to submit these forms and documents to re-establish their salary folder.

S Form: Employees who have additional official transcripts and/or original letters of employment verification for coursework and/or experience completed prior to their contract date that were not included with the A and B packet will need to submit these verifications attached to a completed S Form.

U Form: Current employees who are applying for additional salary point credit for coursework completed after their contract date at accredited colleges or universities need to submit official transcripts verifying the completed coursework attached to a completed U Form.

NA Form: (NOTE: Requires pre-approval by the Salary Point Credit Committee) Current employees who are applying for additional salary point credit for study or coursework completed after their contract date at non-accredited institutions need to submit official transcripts/original verifications of completion attached to a completed NA Form. Refer to the NA Form for further information and instructions.

Question: Where do I obtain these forms?
Answer: A and B Forms (rating-in packet) are obtained through the Salary Allocation Unit; U, NA and S Forms may be downloaded into and printed from your computer. Please click on the forms link.

Forms (link)

Question: Where do I obtain a salary table?
Answer: The salary tables for credentialed and non-credentialed K-12 teachers, development center and early education center teachers, adult school teachers, K-12 substitute teachers, administrators and special services employees, may be downloaded into and printed from your computer. Please click on the salary tables link.

Question: How do I make changes to my personal information (e.g., name, address, deductions, etc.)?
Answer: Changes to your personal information must be made on an official form specific to that change and submitted to the appropriate office indicated on the change form. Your official District personal information is not updated unless this process is completed. These official change forms may be obtained in your school office or through the District’s Employee Records Unit (213) 241-6550.

Question: What is the multicultural requirement?
Answer: Subsequent to rating-in, in order to qualify for schedule advancement on the teacher salary table, an employee must have completed a minimum of two semester units or equivalent study authorized to meet the requirements of the LAUSD/UTLA Collective Bargaining Agreement, Article XIV section 22.0. This requirement will not be applicable to schedule advancements after the completion of four semester units or the equivalent, which includes units in a broad general course on minority groups and/or units in an in-depth course dealing with a specific minority group. As part of the rating-in process, your transcripts are reviewed by staff for coursework that may meet the multicultural requirement. You will be notified if the requirement has been met or what is needed to fulfill it.

Question: How do I fulfill the multicultural requirement?
Answer: Completing appropriate coursework/study to fulfill the multicultural requirement may be taken at:

• accredited colleges or universities
• non-accredited institutions (Requires pre-approval by the Salary Point Committee - see NA Form for futher information and instructions)
• District in-service classes. (click on the Professional Development link)

Question: What do I do if a class I’ve already successfully completed fulfills part or all of the requirement?
Answer: If you believe that you have fulfilled part or all of the multicultural requirement with a course(s) that was completed after July 1970:

Documentation previously submitted, please notify the Salary Allocation Unit with the following:

• Name of the college/university,
• Course title and number
• Term date of the course

To submit verification of course(s) that may fulfill part or all of the multicultural requirement:

• M Form (Multiculture Application Form) completed and signed
• Official transcript(s)

Note:  You may be asked to provide a course description of the class.

For additional information please refer to the following document: Multicultural Credit Guidelines

Question: When is payday?
Answer: Regular certificated paydays are scheduled every fifth of the month. Click here to see the “SCHOOL MONTH - CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEES PAYROLL CALENDAR” (teachers’ payroll calendar).

Question: How do I rate-in on the Teachers Preparation (T/L) Salary Tables?
Answer: New contract employees and current or former employees (who have not previously established a salary folder) must establish a salary folder with the Salary Allocation Unit. This process is called “Rating-in”. These employees should go to the Salary Allocation Unit after signing their contracts and obtain the rating-in packet.

Rating-in Packet includes: (Note:  Photocopies of transcripts or letters are not acceptable.)

• A and B Form, completed and signed
• Official transcripts verifying the bachelor’s degree and any postgraduate coursework*
• Original letters of employment verification (if any)***

Former employees who may have rated-in previously but are returning to contract status after an absence of seven or more years may have to submit these forms and documents to re-establish their salary folder.

Once submitted to the Salary Allocation Unit, the rating-in forms with official and/or original documentation are evaluated by Salary Credits Assistants. Salary placement is determined by the number of salary points and years of experience granted after the bachelor's degree.

• Transcripts with applicable coursework for salary point credit (based on the K-12 curriculum) will determine salary schedule placement.
• Verification of the multicultural requirement will determine eligibility of future schedule advancements.
• A degree differential is granted for a master’s or doctorate degree obtained at an accredited college or university.
• Letters of employment verification for qualifying experience will determine experience credit for salary step placement.

Employees are notified of their salary placement (schedule and step) by mail by the Salary Allocation Unit.

Question: What is a salary point?
Answer: A salary point is a unit of measurement used by the District to determine placement/advancement on the salary table. A salary point is equivalent to one semester unit or 1.5 quarter units. As defined by the University of California, a semester unit requires a minimum of 15 contact hours with an instructor and 30 hours of outside preparation; one quarter unit requires a minimum of 10 contact hours with an instructor and 20 hours of outside preparation. One quarter unit is equivalent to 2/3 of a semester unit or .667 of a semester unit.

1 semester unit = 1 salary point

1 quarter unit = .667 of a salary point (e.g., 12 quarter units = 8 salary points)

Question: How many salary points do I have on file?
Answer: When an application for salary credit is submitted to the Salary Allocation Unit, receipts that include any salary point/multiculture experience credit granted for that submission and total salary points on file are sent to the employee. It is recommended that employees keep these receipts for their personal records or, if necessary, email the Salary Allocation Unit with any questions or concerns.

Employees who have submitted applications for salary credit since August 1, 2000 or have rated-in since July 1, 2000 and have since received a computer-generated receipt(s), may now view their salary point total on-line by clicking on the link.

Salary Points on File (view on-line)

Question: Where do I obtain additional salary points subsequent to rating-in?
Answer: Ways in which to obtain additional salary points include study/coursework completed at:

• accredited colleges or universities*
• non-accredited institutions (Requires pre-approval by the Salary Point Committee - see NA Form for further information and instructions)**
• District in-service classes (click on the Professional Development link)

Professional Development (link)

Question: What is a salary schedule? What is a step?
Answer: The Teacher Preparation Salary Table (T or L Table) is a grid consisting of:

• Salary Schedules - based on a certain number of salary points (left-hand column of the salary table)*
• Salary Steps - based on years of paid service (top row)***

In addition to being in accordance with the LAUSD/UTLA Collective Bargaining Agreement, Articles XIV and XV, determines:

• Salary table
• Schedule and step
• Effective date

These factors may include:

• Type of contract (probationary, intern, provisional, etc)
• Subject field
• Number or eligible/qualifying/applicable salary points and/or paid service granted/allowed
• New, current or former employee
• Timeliness and completion dates of any document(s) submitted

Question: What is a schedule advance? What is a step advance?
Answer:

Schedule Advance: An employee on the Teacher Preparation Salary Table (T or L Table) is eligible for an increase in salary schedule placement (schedule advance) provided the total salary points on file meets requirements for schedule advancement, the point applications and verifications have been properly filed and other requirements in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement have been met.

Step Advance: An employee not on the maximum step of the schedule shall receive a step advancement effective at the beginning of the employee’s regular annual assignment basis provided the employee has been paid for service corresponding to 130 full-time days during the previous school year.

Question: How often can I have a schedule advance?
Answer:

T Table: Probationary or Continuing status employees.  Provided all requirements governing salary point credit have been met, schedule advance effective dates for employees whose base salaries are set by the Preparation Salary (T) Table will be the beginning of the first pay period which begins after:

1. the points were completed - if required documentation is received within four calendar months of completion, or
2. the submission date of the documentation - if documentation was received after four calendar months from the completion of the course
3. the fulfillment of the multiculture requirement - two multicultural units is required before the first schedule advance, and the fulfillment of the required four multicultural units thereafter.

L Table: Provisional and Pre-intern status employees are placed on the Preparation Salary (L) Table and are eligible for a maximum of one schedule advancement for each 52-week period (e.g., from March to March of the following year), measured from the effective date of the employee’s initial placement, or last schedule advancement, or eligibility for advancement. Provided all requirements governing salary point credit have been met, schedule advance effective dates will be the first pay period which begins after:

1. the points were completed - if required documentation is received within four calendar months of completion,
2. the submission date of the documentation - if documentation was received after four calendar months from the completion of the course, or
3. the fulfillment of the multiculture requirement - two multicultural units is required before the first schedule advance, and the fulfillment of the required four multicultural units thereafter.
4. the ending date of the required period on a schedule, whichever is later.

Note: Employees who are District or University Interns are placed on the L Table but are eligible for schedule advances based on the same criteria applied for probationary or continuing status employees.

Send a Request for Information

Salary Allocation and You – A Joint Venture (Helpful Hints)

We want to make your contact with us as pleasant and snag-free as possible. Here are some suggestions and helpful tips to accomplish this.

Type or print legibly in blue or black ink when completing forms.

Fill in all information requested on the forms.

Obtain required signatures where requested, including your own.

*To apply for point credit, including advanced degrees, from accredited institutions,

• The appropriate and completed application form
• Official transcripts are required

Please Note:  unofficial transcripts, photocopies, grade reports and degree certificates (original or not) are not acceptable.

**To apply for point credit from non-accredited institutions

• NA Form completed and signed (NOTE: NA forms requires pre-approval)
• Original certificates of completion are required (Photocopies are not acceptable)

***Letters verifying previous employment must:

• Be original and on letterhead stationery
• Employment letter must include: 
  • Position
  • Beginning and ending dates (month and year)
  • Full-Time status
  • Substitute, Part-time, or College Teaching must include total number of hours worked per school year
• Prepared by the Personnel or Employment Verification Office
• Signed by the appropriate official including their title.

There are times when a personal visit and/or phone call to Salary Allocation is necessary and the staff welcomes the opportunity to assist you. However, if you need forms or have questions, visit our website (www.lausdsalary.net) to download forms, check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section, or obtain other salary allocation related information. If you still need assistance, please contact the office via a request for information form provided on our website. Allowing staff more time to concentrate on evaluating documents will greatly help reduce the backlog of pending documents.

We realize that any delays and/or mistakes in your salary placement or being notified that credit has not been allowed are understandably frustrating and seemingly unnecessary. As you may be aware, the LAUSD/UTLA Collective Bargaining Agreement, Articles XIV and XV, District policies and procedures, various California State Department of Education Codes and state law govern the salary credit evaluation process. With this in mind, please understand that your documents are evaluated by staff to comply and be in accordance with these rules and guidelines. The process is complex and, depending on an individual employee’s situation, may be complicated. If you do not agree with the evaluation or believe an error has occurred, please address your concerns, in writing, to the Salary Allocation Unit and include your reasons / rationale and supporting documentation (e.g., course descriptions, job description, etc.) why you believe the evaluation is incorrect or should be reviewed / reconsidered.

Thank you for your cooperation