Board member Randy Haas cast the dissenting vote.
Teachers’ base salaries had been frozen since the end of the 2008-2009 school year, when the district began making a wide range of cuts to reduce annual expenses.
Since that time, Little Miami teachers accepted step freezes and two years ago received no base wage increase. In a contract approved last summer, step increases based on years of service were reinstated.
In negotiating the new agreement, Board President Stephanie Black said it was critical to strike a balance between financial responsibility and acknowledging teachers’ contributions during recent years.
“The Board is very sensitive to the fact that Little Miami just came out of fiscal emergency three months ago. We are watching every dollar so we can avoid being in the same situation in the future,” she said. “The Board appreciates the continued hard work our teachers have done educating our students through these tough times.
“I personally sat in on the negotiations and thought this agreement was a fair compromise between the teachers and the community.”
The agreement also included two minor changes in contract language: Moving a pre-opening day professional development day inside the school year and increasing the yearly stipend for mentor teachers from $500 to $750.
Superintendent Greg Power complimented both sides for working together on this new agreement.
“The teachers came to the negotiating table with the knowledge that Little Miami still owes $2 million in loan payments to the state,” he said. “Our administration knew that our teachers have weathered a stormy four years while still providing a quality educational experience to our students. This agreement takes both of these into account, and we’re grateful for the hard work both sides have put into it.”
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