District 300, union OK 3-year teacher contract with 3% raises yearly

The Algonquin-based Community School District 300 board has approved a new three-year contract with the district’s teachers union.

The new contract with the Local Education Association District 300, also known as LEAD 300, will run from July 1 through June 30, 2028. The new agreement includes “competitive salary increases over the three-year term” and an “increased number of sick days available each year, based on existing unused leave and increased district contribution to the Teachers’ Retirement System,” according to a District 300 news release.

The district will increase contributions to the TRS, starting at 1.5% and ending with 4.5% for the 2027-28 school year, according to district documents. The contract also includes expanded tuition reimbursement benefits and higher compensation for additional responsibilities, such as sponsoring clubs or leading student activities.

LEAD 300 members ratified the agreement in May and the school board approved it May 19. All board members voted in favor except board President Nancy Zettler, who said she abstained from voting because her daughter is in the union.

District 300 Superintendent Martina Smith said in the release: “This agreement reflects our shared belief in the power of strong partnerships to support staff and student success. I’m grateful to the negotiating teams for working collaboratively to develop an agreement that supports our vision to empower and equip all students to reach their highest potential in their chosen pathway. I especially want to thank LEAD 300 President Mike Williamson and his team for their leadership and commitment throughout this process.”

Williamson was also quoted in the release, saying: “We are off to a very good start with this new board and administration, but as with any other negotiations process, there are things we are just in the beginning stages of tackling. All negotiations are problem-solving processes.

“What we’ve accomplished this year has set a solid groundwork for everything we need to do going forward,” Williamson continued. “The members of LEAD 300 have committed themselves to providing the best education possible for all students. Students are our number one priority and, as educators, we strive to help each and every one of them realize their dreams. I believe this contract, and everything that it puts in place, will help empower us all to do so.”

The new contract provides 3% raises in each of the three years for certified staff members, according to a salary schedule included in the contract. For the 2025-26, the starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree is $51,661, or $56,770 when the district’s TRS contribution is factored in. At the high end – a teacher with a doctorate and 30 years’ experience – those figures are $124,093 or $136,366 with retirement contributions.

For the third year of the contract, the starting salary is $54,807 and $60,227 with TRS and the high-end pay is $131,650 and $144,670 with TRS.

According to the district’s Illinois Report Card for 2023-24, the most recent year available, the five-year-average teaching salary was just over $70,000, and more than half of teachers had a master’s degree or higher.

District 300 serves more than 20,000 students, and LEAD 300 represents about 1,670 certified staff members, including teachers, social workers, counselors, psychologists and nurses, according to the release.