Indian Prairie Unit District 204 teachers ratify contract

Indian Prairie Unit District 204 teachers voted 1,175 to 742 Thursday to ratify a two-year contract providing roughly .65 percent annual salary increases.

The district expects to save $2.5 million next school year by freezing salaries and implementing a more efficient medical plan. Teachers also will not receive annual step increases they normally receive for additional education or experience during the first year of the new pact.

In 2011-12, teachers will receive a 1.26 percent increase on their base salary beginning with the 12th paycheck and "step" increases for education and experience will resume.

The contract also provides jobs for 16 to 23 elementary teachers who were released earlier this year.

The teachers will be brought back to keep maximum class sizes at 30.

"This was a carefully negotiated and thought-out agreement. The association wanted to protect the teachers, yet remain cognizant of the monetary impact our contract has on the district," union President Val Dranias said. "Our priority was always to do what was best for kids while minimizing the hurt to our members. Bringing back teachers and lowering class sizes was imperative to continue the kind of education our District 204 students deserve."

The union represents roughly 2,170 teachers.

Board President Curt Bradshaw has called the change to the health care plan key to the agreement.

As an example, there now will be deductibles or coinsurance in areas that have not had them before, such as emergency room visits and outpatient surgery. In addition, beginning in the second year, teachers will pay an additional $150 per month to cover their spouse if the spouse is eligible for coverage under their own employer's plan.

The school board is scheduled to vote on the agreement June 7.

The district, which covers portions of Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield and Bolingbrook, is facing a projected $21.4 million budget deficit next year. It already has approved cost-saving measures that include the release and recent rehire of nearly half of the 145 nontenured staff, increased fees in several departments and cuts to several programs.