Wichita board approves teacher contract

The Wichita school board on Monday voted unanimously to approve the 2016-17 teacher contract, which teachers overwhelmingly ratified last week.

The contract includes a $500 one-time payment – or more, for teachers eligible for longevity pay – that teachers will receive in their November paycheck, officials said.

Details of the agreement include:

▪ One step on the salary schedule for years of experience.

▪ Adjustment on the salary schedule based on additional education, known as tracks.

▪ A one-time bonus that is either $500 or an amount equal to a teacher’s longevity payment. (Longevity – the annual raises teachers are supposed to receive beginning in their 15th year – will remain frozen).

▪ An additional $100-per-employee district contribution to the health plan reserve, from $590 to $690 per month.

▪ A base health insurance plan with no premium and two “buy up” plans with monthly premiums but lower deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. Yearly deductibles on the base plan range from $4,500 for an individual in-network to $18,000 for a family out-of-network.

District officials said the price tag of the agreement is about $11 million.

This story was originally published October 25, 2016 at 8:56 AM with the headline "Wichita board approves teacher contract."