Stratham school board ratifies four‑year teacher contract, previews FY27 budget with bond and health‑cost impacts

The Stratham School District board on Monday ratified a four‑year collective bargaining agreement with teachers and presented a first draft of the FY27 budget, with administrators warning that higher health insurance costs and the first full year of bond repayments will push near‑term spending higher.

The board voted 4–0 to ratify the teacher contract. The agreement, summarized for the board and public, provides an initial 3.5 percent cost‑of‑living increase in the first year, 3 percent in the middle years and a return to 3.5 percent in the final year before the next negotiation cycle, according to the district summary presented at the meeting. The board said salaries remain the largest share of the operating budget and were the principal focus of negotiations.

"Salaries is the biggest part of the budget," said an unnamed board member who led contract negotiations, describing talks with the teachers' union as "really collaborative." The board thanked negotiators, district staff and the union after the vote.

Why it matters: administrators said the budget preview is an early view and that several one‑time and ongoing cost changes will affect property taxpayers. The district included the first full year of the recently approved bond…