District 47 Board of Education Approves Teacher Contract
At the October 21 Board of Education meeting, the Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 Board unanimously approved a new four-year contract with the Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers’ Association (CLETA). The contract is effective from August 19, 2024, through the day before the first school day of the 2028/29 school year.
The contract includes new money added to the salary schedule totaling at least 19.5% over the next four years: 5.5% for 2024-2025, 5% for 2025-2026, 5% for 2026-2027, and 4-5% for 2027-2028 based on CPI, as well as retirement (TRS) contributions up to 3% based on seniority, improved benefits and additional professional development opportunities.
“District 47 has an incredible teaching staff that is dedicated to our students, and we are happy to have reached an agreement that will continue to attract and retain staff of this caliber,” said Dr. Tim Mahaffy, District 47 Board of Education president. “This contract exemplifies our commitment to balancing fiscal responsibility with our mission to provide the best educational opportunities for all students, ensuring that we can continue to deliver a high-quality education for years to come.”
The Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers’ Association (CLETA) ratified the contract on Thursday, October 10.
Below outlines some of the changes that are expected in the contract:
- Contributions up to 3% to Teachers Retirement System (TRS) beginning in 2025-2026 based on seniority in the district.
- Increased benefits contribution, with a proposal to pay for 100% of single HMO medical, dental and vision coverage and up to 75% for dependent coverage. (Previous contracts only gave a monthly dollar amount towards insurance.)
- Increased plan time - every staff member is given a minimum of 5 hours weekly
- Hiring speech, psych, social work, and counselors at a higher level on the salary schedule (MA+32 column) in order to recruit, retain, and reduce the need to contract (current staff will also be adjusted on the salary schedule accordingly)
- $250 stipend per trimester for EL/Bilingual teachers
- PreK early release days become non-student attendance for staff to engage in professional development
- Special education staff is given 3 non-student contact days to complete paperwork, progress reports, data collection, and prepare for the summer program
- Increased hours for staff to oversee student extracurricular activities and clubs at the middle schools
With this new contract in place, the district and educators look forward to working collaboratively to empower all students.