'Pension Spiking' For D-86 Teachers Under New Pact

HINSDALE, IL — The Hinsdale High School District 86 board on Thursday approved a two-year agreement with the teachers union, including a "pension spiking" provision and relatively small pay raises.

The agreement is retroactive to the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. Over the two years, teachers are expected to see base salary increases amounting to 2.2 percent.

Under the agreement, the teachers will now get 6 percent annual increases in the last four years of their careers, up from the current 3 percent.

This change will mean higher pensions for teachers, a practice that critics call "pension spiking." In Illinois, the state foots the bill for local districts' pension contributions. So District 86 won't suffer the long-term costs of the end-of-career pay hikes.

In return for the 6 percent increases, the district will no longer reimburse teachers under the Teachers Retirement Insurance Program.

The contract also indicates snow days may be a thing of the past. It says remote learning days may be used instead of canceling school altogether. This is likely a result of the reliance on remote learning during the pandemic.

In a joint statement, the district and the Hinsdale High School Teachers Association said they have spent the past two years on the agreement. As a result, they said they have "strengthened our partnership and mutual respect for each other."

The two-year agreement, the statement said, is shorter than usual.

"In discussing the different options that were available, we concluded that a short-term contract would be more prudent and practical at this time given the budgetary issues here in Illinois and the financial uncertainty created by COVID-19," they said.

According to the Illinois Report Card, District 86 teachers make an average of $110,000, far higher than the statewide average of $68,000.