U-46 board to vote Monday on teachers' contract extension

Elgin schools' officials are expected to vote Monday on a one-year teacher's contract extension calling for a less than a 1 percent base salary increase and a roughly 3 percent step increase on average.

The Elgin Teachers Association, the union representing 2,448 teachers in Elgin Area School District U-46, earlier this week ratified the tentative agreement, which extends the current contract through the 2017-18 school year. The extension expires Aug. 10, 2018.

A step increase refers to a teacher's years of experience, while a lane increase refers to a teacher's level of education. The tentative agreement calls for a base salary increase of 0.94 percent with a step increase of 3.1 percent on average. No changes were made to health insurance premiums, which remain at 10 percent for the employees' share, or retirement benefits.

Joint committees of district leaders and union representatives are working on developing a multiyear contract. They will make recommendations on addressing teacher workload, safety, special education, student placement, compensation, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and research current and emerging best practices in those areas, per a district statement.

For details of the tentative agreement, visit theeta.org.