District 204, teachers reach tentative contract deal

Indian Prairie Unit District 204 has reached a tentative contract agreement with its teachers union, officials confirmed Friday.

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Nancy Valenta confirmed information obtained by the Daily Herald that both sides tentatively have agreed to a one-year contract calling for an average 2 percent salary increase.

Indian Prairie Education Association President Val Dranias said the 2 percent increase is on the base salary, before the yearly "step" increases teachers normally receive for additional schooling or training.

Superintendent Stephen Daeschner said both sides negotiated toward a one-year deal because of concerns with current economic conditions.

"I think we all agree that we just don't know what next year holds," he said.

Dranias agreed, saying both sides "shared many common interests."

Dranias said teachers are expected to ratify the deal on March 20. The school board would vote on it the following week.

The union explained provisions of the proposed pact to teachers on Thursday and teachers received copies of the contract Friday at their respective schools.

Dranias said she had not heard much feedback yet from members so she isn't able to gauge their thoughts.

"I won't know where everyone stands for certain until ratify it next Friday," she said. "I can't speculate."

The existing contract, scheduled to expire Aug. 25, affects 1,811 teachers in 29 schools in the district that covers portions of Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield and Bolingbrook.

Signed three years ago, that contract provided salary increases of 4.4 percent in 2006, 4.2 percent in 2007 and 3.9 percent in 2008.

Under that agreement, the starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree and no experience was $39,225. A teacher with a master's degree plus 60 hours of additional college credit and 23 years experience makes $95,796.

The district also is negotiating a contract with its support staff. That group's three-year deal expires in April and included a 5.15 percent increase in salary and benefits for 2006-07, a 4.11 percent increase for 2007-08 and a 4.02 percent increase for 2008-09.