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District proposes modest health premium increases and a roughly 4–5% teacher wage offer; $400,000 gap remains with union demand
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Summary
Administration proposed switching health plan administration to UMR, modest employee premium increases, expanded zero‑cost benefit services, and a teacher wage proposal (administration: ~4.97% or up to 5.19% in an adjusted offer) while the Wauwatosa Education Association seeks about 5.63%—a roughly $400,000 gap the board could choose to cover by reallocating funds.
The Wauwatosa School District presented proposed employee benefit and salary changes for the 2026–27 plan year at its April 27 meeting, including a change of health plan administrator, modest premium increases, and negotiated salary options.
Administration said health‑plan renewal rates produced an 8.48% effective increase (within budgeting assumptions), allowing the district to propose plan‑design continuity while shifting administration from UHC to UMR. The district proposed a July 1–June 30 plan year, maintained current deductibles and health‑savings contributions, and outlined expanded no‑cost services for employees: the Maven suite (maternity, parenting, midlife health), expanded Teladoc (including dermatology and mental‑health virtual visits for ages 13+), a virtual physical‑therapy option, and the Noom behavioral‑health/nutrition offering.
Administration said employee premium increases would range from about $77.54 to $318.15 annually depending on plan option, while the district would absorb the majority of the overall premium increase. The district also offered an enhanced short‑term disability enrollment window for a one‑time increase without medical screening.
On compensation, administration presented benchmarking showing teacher pay is now near the median and proposed an average increase of roughly 4% across employee groups. For teachers the administrative proposal equated to 4.97% overall (2.63% CPI base plus step and schedule adjustments) and administration offered a possible increased offer of 5.19% that would forego further teacher salary adjustments in 2026–27. The Wauwatosa Education Association (WEA) has proposed about 5.63% (a difference the district quantified as roughly $400,000). Administration said it could meet the WEA request only by finding additional savings or reallocations.
Board members were briefed that the next bargaining session with the WEA was scheduled later in the week and that the board is expected to act on a salary package at the May 11 meeting.
Next steps: administration will continue negotiations with the WEA, prepare materials for the May 11 board vote, and continue detailed benefit planning and communications to staff about the health‑plan changes and new voluntary services.
(Reporting based on benefit and compensation presentations to the Wauwatosa School Board on April 27, 2026.)
