RTSD, Teachers Union Strike Tentative Contract Ahead Of Schedule

RADNOR TOWNSHIP, PA – About one year ahead of their current contract agreement expiring, the Radnor Township School District and the Radnor Township Education Association have stricken a tentative contract agreement.

According to the district, a tentative 5-year contact was agreed upon by the district and the Radnor Township Education Association (RTEA) teachers union on Sept. 6, according to the district.

“Having a tentative agreement in place this early in the school year is a testament to the collaborative and reasonable approach both our School Board and faculty brought to the negotiations process,” RTSD Superintendent Kenneth Batchelor said in a statement. “We are a unified school district focused on educating, supporting and unlocking the potential in all of our students.”

In the tentative contract, members of the RTEA will get a 2.7 percent pay increase in the 2018-2019 school year, a 2.92 percent increase in 2o19-202o, a 2.45 percent increase in 2020-2021,a 2.53 percent increase in 2021-2022, and a 2.36 percent increase in 2022-2023.

Additionally, the the contract provides for bonuses for teachers at the top of the pay scale.

“People move to - and stay in - Radnor for the community and the schools,” RTEA President Dave Wood said. “This agreement should assure them that the District and its teachers are on the same page and ready to do great things over the next five years.”

Patch recently reported that teachers in the district on average earn a salary of $87,213.76, making them among the 18th most earning teachers in the state, according to Pennsylvania Department of Education data.

Meanwhile, the Lower Merion School District and the Lower Merion Education Association are embroiled in contract negotiations, with the LMEA launching a petition to push the district for raises. The LMEA also hired a PR firm out of Philadelphia to help get their desired raises.

“The Board was eager to work with our teachers to develop a long-term plan for sustainability,” RTSD School Board President David Falcone said. “We thank the faculty for their willingness to join us in the development of this agreement for the benefit of our students and the Radnor community. We hope that the positive result from such a collaborative process will help to create a new normal for our District in which the teachers, staff, administration and Board can communicate openly and work together in furtherance of Radnor excellence.”

The full contract will get a vote at the school board's Sept. 26 meeting, according to the district.

Image via Radnor Township School District