Cary School District 26 and its teachers, represented by the Cary Education Association, have reached an agreement on a new labor contract with annual pay increases.
The new four-year teachers contract, set to start in August and run through 2030, was ratified by the CEA last week and unanimously approved by the school board Monday, according to a District 26 news release.
Average salary increases planned for the first three years of the contract are 5.95%, 4.375% and 3.275%, according to the release. Raises in the fourth year will be based on the Consumer Price Index, a measure of inflation.
The CPI was 3.8% the last 12 months before seasonal adjustment, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The board’s contribution to teacher single medical insurance will increase from 75% to 80% of the premium in the second year of the contract, but the board will keep its contribution to dependent coverage between 20% and 50%, depending on teacher seniority. A 5% increase in board contribution to single dental coverage was added to the agreement.
Teachers will now also receive stipends for serving as mentors and internship supervisors and for working with student teachers, according to the release.
Annual sick, personal and bereavement days are unchanged.
The CEA’s co-presidents Laura Whyte and Jacqueline Argyropoulos said in the release: “We are pleased to have reached an agreement that reflects the hard work and commitment shown by both the Cary Education Association and the District 26 School Board throughout this process. These conversations were approached with respect and a shared focus on supporting students and strengthening our schools. We appreciate the collaboration that made this agreement possible and believe it represents a positive step forward for our educators and the entire D26 community.”
Former Board President Deanna “Dee” Darling and current Board President Julie Jette participated in the negotiations and said in the release that they feel “this 4-year agreement will be mutually fair to our teachers and to the taxpayers who support our public schools.”