Schools, Teachers Agree To Raise

The average teacher’s salary in Coeur d’Alene public schools will rise 3.9 percent under a contract agreed upon this week.

The agreement was announced Friday by Wanda Quinn, board chair for the school district, and by Gretta Shay, president of the Coeur d’Alene Education Association.

Union members and school board members ratified the contract on Thursday. It raises the annual base salary of teachers from $19,250 to $19,800.

The top of the new salary schedule is $40,590 for a teacher with 15 years of experience and 70 semester credits beyond a bachelor’s degree.

The district will continue to contribute $288 per month (or 73 percent, whichever is greater), toward health insurance costs. All employees will now be required to enroll in at least a minimum health insurance plan.

The district and teachers agreed to study several different topics, including the insurance program; the “least restrictive environment” for students; alternatives to existing school hours and school year; and salaries for extracurricular activities.

, DataTimes