New Contract Signed For Shaker Heights Schools, Teachers

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH — The Shaker Heights Schools and the Shaker Heights Teachers' Association have agreed on a new three-year contract. Teachers will get a base salary increase of two percent in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

The agreement is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2018. The salary increases will bring the base salary for a beginning teacher, with a bachelor's degree, to $46,208 in 2018.

The contract also increases the employee-shared premium percentage of health, dental and prescription coverage from 12 percent to 13 percent, starting Jan. 1, 2020.

“Negotiations, by nature, require thoughtfulness, time and tough conversations. Our use of interest-based bargaining ensured that we collaborated and kept our young people at the top of mind,” said Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr., superintendent of schools in a statement. “Our discussions were always respectful, productive and reflective of the team culture we’ve fostered throughout our school district.”

The contract also has a new pilot program for the transferring of sick days for teachers that suffer a "catastrophic" illness. The contract also has an extension of maternity leave and, for the first time, adoption leave.

The Shaker Heights Teacher Association represents more than 400 employees.

“SHTA members overwhelmingly approved the new agreement and look forward to three more years of stability and compensation that we hope continues to bring and retain the best and brightest teachers to our district,” said John L. Morris, president of the SHTA said in a statement. He noted that 99 percent of teachers approved the contract.

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