Auburn School Committee ratifies three-year teachers’ contract with annual raises and expanded leave

The Auburn School Committee on May 7 ratified a three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Auburn Education Association that provides annual salary increases, expanded leave and new planning-time and stipend provisions for teachers.

The agreement, negotiated beginning in November, includes a 3% base salary increase each year of the contract and 3.5% annual increases for off-scale employees, continued step increases, added planning time, and limits on staff meeting length. The contract also increases parental leave from 10 to 12 weeks, adds three bereavement days per year that do not count against sick leave, raises sick-day accrual from 120 to 130 days, and allows teachers to keep jury-duty pay. Co-curricular stipends rise 8.5% in year one and 3% in subsequent years, and a joint committee will review athletic and co-curricular stipends in years two and three to assess equity and competitiveness.

Why it matters: The contract affects teachers’ pay, benefits and work time across the Auburn Public Schools district, and the financial terms will factor into the district’s personnel budget and planning over the next three years.

Committee officials described the negotiations as collaborative. According to the committee’s summary at the meeting, other provisions include a $42 payment for teachers who cover classes during their prep time, increased retirement bonuses over the contract term and a $1,500 annual stipend for teachers and nurses who hold national board certification. The committee said it negotiated stepped increases and other supports intended to strengthen teacher retention and classroom planning.

The vote to ratify the agreement was called during the May 7 meeting. No named roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript; the chair announced the motion carried.

The committee said the contract reflects months of bargaining and thanked members of the Auburn Education Association and the school department negotiating teams. The committee did not provide a detailed cost breakdown in the meeting record; funding sources and the budgetary impact were not specified at the session.

Actions recorded: The committee moved to ratify the collective bargaining agreement between the Auburn School Committee and the Auburn Education Association; the motion carried. The transcript does not include a recorded vote tally or names of members who moved and seconded the motion.

The committee listed upcoming meetings and adjourned at 6:29 p.m.