District, Teachers Reach Agreement

The Moscow School District has reached an agreement with teachers for the next school year, contingent on a $750,000 supplemental levy being passed by voters May 16.

The pact comes almost five months earlier than last year, when a mediator was called in and agreement came only as teachers were poised to strike.

“If the May 16 levy doesn’t pass, however, then we have to go back and make cuts,” Superintendent Jack Hill said Wednesday. “Then all bets are off.”

The accord includes a 4.5 percent raise for all district employees. It also replaces four of five teachers who were laid off last year due to budget reductions.

It is up to the community to decide if it wants the smaller class sizes and additional technological instruction the levy would provide, Hill said.