The Chelsea School Committee on Dec. 1 voted to approve three collective bargaining agreements with the Chelsea Teachers Union covering clerical, paraprofessional and teacher units for the period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027. The committee’s roll call showed seven members voting in the affirmative; three members were absent for the votes.

The agreements provide a 13% total wage increase across each unit over the contract term: 3% in the first year, 5% in the second year and 5% in the third year. Christine Lee, who presented the agreements to the committee, said the raises were negotiated to be “fiscally responsible and prudent within the limited resources that we do have.”

The paraprofessional unit will receive an additional differential to base pay intended to strengthen the pipeline from paraeducator to teacher: $3,500 in the current year, $2,000 in the second year and $1,500 in the third year, the presentation said. Clerical staff receive two additional steps on the pay schedule (steps 4 and 5) and a $1,000 differential the first year and another $1,000 the following year.

The contract also expands family and medical leave provisions. According to the presentation, the district aligned language to the Massachusetts Parental Leave Act and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Christine Lee said the agreements include “6 fully paid weeks of maternity and paternity” as a new benefit described for the multi-year term; for the current year the district will provide three weeks of paid leave for employees already on leave at the time of ratification. The transcript did not specify the exact effective date for the full six-week benefit beyond placing it in 2025.

Sick-leave provisions were expanded. Under the new language, staff may use up to an additional 45 days to care for a family member (beyond the previous 15-day allowance under FMLA) and the sick bank’s use was broadened so employees can draw from it to care for immediate family members, not only for their own illnesses.

Other contract highlights presented included:
- A $1,000 annual stipend for staff who complete a state certification process for bilingual or biliteracy certification (details to be developed);
- Increased longevity bonuses across units;
- A step increase for any Chelsea High School graduate who returns to teach in the district;
- Higher hourly educator pay rates and a pilot class-size program starting July 1, 2025, described in the presentation as a set of enrollment thresholds and escalation steps (reassignment or principal/superintendent-level review) rather than a single flat cap;
- A high-school–level cap described in the presentation as a 40-student total for a single high-school course section in cases of high demand.

Committee members discussed the pilot class-size program during debate. One member asked how the pilot would work in a constrained district like Chelsea; Christine Lee said the pilot sets thresholds by grade level and that initial steps would include school-level adjustments or reassignments and, if unresolved, review at the superintendent level. Lee noted that many classrooms already include two adults and that some high-demand high-school courses (Advanced Placement classes) may exceed typical cutoffs.

Dr. Abeyta thanked negotiators and called the agreements “an extremely strong contract” that will help the district attract and retain educators. Several committee members expressed appreciation for the negotiating team. Lee acknowledged legal counsel and the negotiation team by name during the presentation.

The votes were recorded by roll call. After the committee’s votes, the chair announced the motions carried. The agreements are subject to ratification by the Chelsea Teachers Union as required by the contract language.

The committee’s discussion also referenced budget constraints and the district’s intent to pursue additional state funding to help reduce class sizes in future years.

Looking ahead, the committee and presenters said implementation details — such as the bilingual stipend rules and the operational steps for the class-size pilot — will be developed by district staff and administrators.