District 214 teachers forgo annual pay increase next school year

The District 214 school board approved a five-year contract on Thursday with about 860 teachers who will get significantly smaller raises during the next few years.

"These are tough economic times and the teachers realize that, which is why we have the zero percent increase next year," said Bill Dussling, president of the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 school board.

District 214 teachers will still get their step raises, which vary between 2 percent and 2.5 percent based on seniority until a teacher reaches the top of the pay scale, said Randy Hawley, associate superintendent of human resources.

But under the new contract, teachers' across-the-board salary increases will be frozen for 2009-10. The increases will then be tied to the consumer price index for the remaining years with a 0 percent to 3.5 percent increase in 2010-11 and 2011-12 and 1 percent to 3.75 percent increase for years 2012-13 and 2013-14.

The prior two-year contract was not tied to the CPI. It had teachers getting a 4.2 percent increase the first year and a 3.75 percent increase the second year in addition to their step increases.

Dick Trent, president of the District 214 Education Association, said the new contract was more uncertain for teachers since their raises are tied to the CPI and not set in stone.

"Tying (raises) to the CPI means teachers will be able to keep up with the economy," he said. "It is more uncertain for us, but these are difficult times and we don't want to paint the district into a corner."

The two sides spent six months in negotiations before reaching the agreement.

The contract runs from July 2009 through June 2014 and does not include supervisors or administrators.

Other highlights of the contract include compensation for teaching an additional class, flex time for student services staff members, a reduction in the number of college credit hours needed for vertical advancement and an increase in the tuition reimbursement rate for professional development.