MacKenzie Elmer

melmer@dmreg.com

The cost of plugging in a coffeepot for a Des Moines teacher: $20.

For about five years, some Des Moines schools have asked teachers who plugged in small appliances in their classrooms to pay a user fee. However, the policy wasn't uniformly enforced.

This year, though, teachers must put a "paid" sticker on their coffeepots and microwaves, according to an email sent to staff earlier in the week.

"Five years ago, they tried to put (the fee policy) in place, but it was really dependent on each building," said Andrew Rasmussen, president of the Des Moines teachers union. "It was not something they sat down with the teachers association and agreed to. We never said yes to the district that we agree. When this started, the fee was not enforced. … But with this change they're trying to make sure it's done across the board the same way."

School districts across Iowa have differing policies on whether coffee makers, microwaves and refrigerators are allowed in classrooms.

Waterloo schools do not allow appliances in classrooms. However, each building has designated break areas with district-owned appliances, said Tara Thomas, a district spokeswoman. Small appliances in classrooms are discouraged in Sioux City for safety reasons and energy management, said Rita Vannatta, director of human resources.

Iowa City does not charge employees for small appliances. Neither does the Cedar Rapids district, but it is evaluating its energy policy to determine whether a fee or a ban might be necessary.

"We have a lot of refrigerators in classrooms and are trying to get a grasp on what we can and can't afford," said Rob Kleinsmith, buildings and grounds manager. "We hope to have a policy by the end of the year because it is a pretty big expense."

In Des Moines, staff must annually pay $30 for a small refrigerator, $20 for a coffee maker and $10 for a microwave.

Whether Des Moines teachers pay the fee depends on their schools' energy plans and whether the plans are enforced, district officials said.

"A lot of teachers who contacted me question whether removing a minifridge in a classroom is going to make a huge difference overall in energy savings for the district," Rasmussen said.

But Phil Roeder, director of district communications, said with more than 5,000 employees, the cost of operating personal appliances could amount to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

"We have a duty to be fiscally responsible, and this small fee for the use of personal convenience appliances is one small contributor to that responsibility," Roeder said in an email.

It costs $153.30 each year to run a minifridge, $32.86 a year for a microwave and $123.04 for a drip coffeepot, according to a district Energy Report Card dated February 2013. Minifridges consume the most energy per year at 2,190 kilowatt hours.

Roeder said district officials considered banning personal appliances in classrooms five years ago. However, teachers said doing so would be inconvenient and instead suggested charging the fee to offset utility costs, Roeder said in his email.

"The fees, of course, are significantly less than the actual utility costs for these small appliances, a fact that is only compounded as energy costs are rising," Roeder wrote in an email.

This week's announcement is hurting morale in some buildings because it came as a surprise to some staff, Rasmussen said. These appliances are a convenience for teachers who may not have time to visit a staff lounge between classes, he said.

Many teachers already spend between $200 and $500 out of pocket each year to stock classrooms with extra supplies, Rasmussen said.

Low-income students often show up to class without backpacks or notebooks, so teachers often provide those materials, he said.

"It's a shame that schools have to charge educators extra money for having a cup of coffee or getting a snack out of the fridge in the classroom," said Jean Hessburg, spokeswoman for the Iowa State Education Association. "Teachers are used to out-of-pocket expenses they spend just to get their classroom up and running. It just cannot become status quo."