FISHERS, Ind. — The Hamilton Southeastern Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. on a tentative contract agreement with the teacher's union.
On Monday, Nov. 18, the district announced the preliminary agreement had been reached.
According to a release from the district, the new deal will:
- increase base salary for teachers by $1,400 for returning teachers
- recognition of advanced degrees attained since the last contract
- up to $2,000 in HSA contributions for qualifying members
The school district is transitioning to a high-deductible health insurance plan, after the costs for its traditional plan increased by 8.5%. The HSA is part of the new plan to "minimize the overall financial impact on both the district and its employees."
“From the onset, our administration has been focused on providing a strong financial package to our teachers while responsibly planning for the future,” Superintendent Pat Mapes said in the district statement. “Our teachers are at the heart of our schools, impacting students and families daily, and we are committed to supporting them.”
You can read the tentative agreement below:
After the public hearing on Nov. 21, a special School Board meeting will be held on Nov. 26 to ratify the new deal.
The teacher's association has also been pushing back on a proposal to bring a charter school to the HSE district. Budget concerns, as state funding for HSE schools has dipped, was a major part of the charter school debate.
There is no mention of a charter program in the tentative agreement published by the district.
(NOTE: The video at the top of this story is from a report on the charter school debate).