Seattle teachers to see pay increase over next 3 years pending contract approval

The raise that Seattle teachers and classified employees were fighting for is expected to be 11.1% over the next three years, according to a tentative agreement.

According to the agreement, teachers will see a 5% pay raise in the first year, a 2.1% increase in the second year and 4% in the third year.

The bump would increase teachers’ salary range between $63,000 to $124,000 a year by the fall of 2021.

Paraprofessionals, classified and clerical employees are expected to get 5% the first year of the contract, 2.1% the second and another 5% in the third year.

It was late Saturday when the Seattle Education Association and Seattle Public Schools reached a tentative agreement.

Now the agreement must be approved, and that is expected to happen at a meeting on Tuesday.

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That agreement was emailed Sunday to all members of the teachers’ union for review.

Teachers had rallied outside the district headquarters earlier this week but ended up working out a deal after the technical 5 p.m. deadline Saturday.

Last year teachers also rallied for a new contract.

The biggest divide was over pay.

The school district said it has every intention of remaining competitive but must balance that against what it can afford. It also pointed out after lengthy negotiations last year, teachers' salaries were increased by 10.5%.

It was on September 8, 2018, the Seattle Education Association’s members voted to approve an educator contract, after teachers had voted to authorize a strike.

According to this year’s agreement emailed out Sunday, pay wasn’t the only thing that was negotiated. In the tentative agreement, there was wording about racial equity and other key factors in the contract.

Again, the union is expected to vote on the new contract Tuesday. The first day of school for Seattle Public Schools is Wednesday, Sept. 4.

Cox Media Group