District 200 Board of Education and Faculty Senate Approve New Contract 

The District 200 Board of Education and the OPRFHS Faculty Senate have reached agreement on a new five-year teacher contract. The Faculty Senate approved the contract on May 29, and the Board voted to approve the contract at a special meeting on June 11. 

In a joint statement, Board President Audrey Williams-Lee and Faculty Senate Chair Andrew Brown said, “We are excited to reach an agreement that continues to fairly compensate our teachers for the excellent work they do for our students on behalf of our community each year. This five-year contract allows the district to stay within its budget, while helping us to remain competitive as we work to recruit and retain exemplary teachers.”

The contract will take effect July 1, 2026, and run through June 30, 2031. Key components of the new contract include:

• Salary increases tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in years two through five of the contract. Because tax-cap law limits the district’s annual levy increase to CPI or 5%, whichever is lower, salary increases will align with revenues while also reducing expenses in low-inflation years. 

• Reduced retirement and benefit liabilities. 
  • Any faculty member who retires no later than the first year they are eligible will receive a lump sum of $5,000; the previous incentive was $15,000.
  • 403(b) match contributions have been reduced from 4% to 3% for Tier 1 Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) employees and from 4% to 3.25% for Tier 2.
  • The district’s contribution to health insurance premiums has been reduced by 1% for both single and dependent coverage across all plans in years two through five, while dental insurance premium contributions are reduced by 10% for single coverage.

 Sick leave has been restructured to enhance attendance, with teachers now receiving 10 regular sick days instead of 15, as well as a non-replenishable bank of 90 emergency sick days that require documentation. Teachers taking zero to three sick days during the year are eligible for attendance incentives ranging from $600 to $300.

The contract also ensures that professional development is more purposeful and job related. The district will begin offering tuition reimbursement, a new benefit, which will come from an annual pool that increases from $130,000 in the first year of the contract to $150,000 in the fifth year. In order to receive tuition reimbursement, professional growth plans and pre-approval will be required so that coursework aligns with district goals and strategic priorities.