Northfield School Board, Teachers Agree to 1-Percent Salary Increase in Two-Year Pact

The Northfield School Board and Northfield Education Association on Monday agreed to a two-year pact that will give the district's teachers a 1-percent salary increase in each year of the contract.

The previous two-year contract, which expired June 30, 2011, had a freeze on steps (years of experience) and salary for all teacher salaries. In the second year of the previous contract, the teachers of Northfield absorbed the entire $2,000 increase in health care insurance costs, according to Hannah Puczko with the district's .

For the 2010-11 school year, the district's general fund expenditures were $36.2 million, 72 percent of which accounted for regular, special and vocational instruction, according to district records. Under the 2007-09 contract, district records show that teachers received a 10.3 percent total compensation increase that included a 3-percent base salary increase and a 7-percent increase in health insurance.

The new contract, which retroactively started July 1, will expire June 30, 2013. Teachers will also receive a 3-percent increase in the contribution towards health insurance premiums in 2011-12.

"This will bring the District's contribution back to the decade-long average ratio between the district's contribution and employee's contribution," Puczko wrote in an email to media. "Unforeseen increases to the health insurance premiums in the 2012-13 school year will be shared on a limited basis between the District and the employees."

The agreement comes with two weeks until the district will ask voters on Nov. 8 to approve a new .

Superintendent Chris Richardson said if the levy is voted down by residents, teacher layoffs and increases in average class sizes could be in store.

According to district documents, at least 115 employees would lose their jobs and class sizes would increase by four to six students in every classroom for the 2014-15 school year if the levy is not approved.

But the district would have another chance to receive voter approval next fall, either for a renewal of the current levy or the increased levy it seeks this year.

NORTHFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT BY THE NUMBERS*
• 3,709—Northfield School District students
• 273.48—full-time equivalent teachers
• 30.5:1—average student-teacher ratio at
• 29.5:1—average student-teacher ratio at
• 23.75:1—average student-teacher ratio at Northfield's elementary schools

*Provided by Northfield School District