Crystal Lake District 47, teachers approve ‘new money’ contract for salaries of 19.5% over four years – Shaw Local

After a year of negotiations, Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 and its teachers union have agreed to a new contract and avoided a strike.

The school district and the union that represents District 47 teachers, the Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers Association, reached a tentative agreement last month. CLETA ratified the agreement on October 10 with a majority of almost 70%. The school board unanimously approved the agreement Monday.

The contract runs through the end of the 2029 school year and includes what the district called “new monies added to the payroll totaling at least 19.5% over the next four years.” Other changes include up to 3% of contributions to the teacher retirement system, starting at 1% at 10 years of service, increased benefits, longer plan time, hiring consultants at a higher salary level and a $250 per term stipend for English teachers a second language and bilingual teachers, according to a press release from District 47.

“District 47 has an incredible teaching staff dedicated to our students, and we are pleased to have reached an agreement that will continue to attract and retain staff of this caliber,” District 47 Board Chairman Tim Mahaffy said in a news release. “This contract is an example of our commitment to balancing fiscal responsibility with our mission to provide the best educational opportunities for all students and ensure we can continue to provide a high-quality education for years to come.”

The school district and the union have been negotiating a new contract since October 2023. A federal arbitrator was brought in in June to help the sides work out an agreement, and the teachers have been working without a contract since the start of the school year.

The teachers union gained “unprecedented momentum” in negotiations and felt tremendous community support; Last year, the union gained over 200 new members, said teacher and CLETA member Jacqueline Murk.

“Our union is stronger than ever and CLETA will continue to advocate for our educators, schools and families,” Sanchez said in a news release from the Illinois Education Association. “We love our students and know that strong schools are the foundation of strong communities. We are so grateful for the tremendous support and love from our students, families and community. We couldn’t have done it without their help.”

According to the IEA press release, of which CLETA is a member, the CLETA bargaining unit includes 670 educators who serve the more than 7,000 students who attend schools in District 47.

“This is definitely a step in the right direction. When surveyed, the majority of our teachers said they have considered leaving the district. They cited low wages, expensive family insurance costs and a lack of support for student and staff safety,” CLETA President Jenny Sanchez said in the IEA statement. “This new contract addresses many of our concerns, but we also recognize that there is still much work to be done to truly make Crystal Lake a destination district for educators.”

Tensions may continue as CLETA filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the district last month — before the contract dispute was settled and after the union considered a strike — alleging that the district was using outside firms to hire temporary workers, “which is a constitutes a direct violation.” the current CLETA contract and the Illinois School Code,” says a new press release from the IEA. According to the IEA, the district has spent more than $1.8 million on these businesses to date.