District 113 Board of Education Approves Two-Year Salary Agreement

Township High School District 113 and the District Education Association (DEA) have reached a salary understanding, resulting in a two-year agreement that will extend through the 2013 - 2014 school year.  In the first year of the agreement, the DEA agreed to freeze the current salary schedule (0.0% will be added to the salary schedule) and limit compensation increases to step and lane changes, that is, increases for experience and new credentials. In the second year of the agreement, the salary schedule will increase by 0.85% and step and lane changes will continue to be honored. 

This compensation package follows a previous agreement which created a second salary schedule for newly hired teachers.  This two-tiered system is a further sign of the progress being made by the District and the teachers to ensure both the
fiscal health and continued excellence of our high schools.

Superintendent George Fornero was pleased with the outcome saying that it was “fair to employees and fiscally responsible.” Fornero went on to explain the process, saying, “We reached an agreement through multiple meetings and much discussion. Our staff members are keenly aware of the economic challenges faced by schools and communities and agreed to a package that is respectful of taxpayers. I am proud of our ability to manage challenging times with a shared interest in promoting financial stability.”

District 113 is one of only a few school districts in the state that does not have a union.  Instead, the teachers elect representatives to meet and confer with the
administration to reach agreements on compensation and other key matters.  Marty Esgar, an AP science teacher at Deerfield High School, serves as the District Education Association president. Esgar commented, “Staff members are elected by peers and volunteer incredible amounts of time to work collaboratively with the administration. ‘What’s best for students’ guides us as we seek outcomes that are also fair and respectful to the highly-educated and dedicated staff who make up our District.”

Dr. Fornero added his appreciation for working in a non-union school system. “Working collaboratively with all employees, we were able to contain health care costs which helps sustain our fiscal integrity. Because of collaborative long-range financial planning and cost containment, we will enter the 2013 school year without layoffs or modifying class size.”

Recently, District 113 received notification from Moody’s Investor Services that their financial ranking would remain at Aaa, the highest attainable rating.  This agreement will help sustain the District’s fiscal health.

The Board of Education, in affirming the agreement with the certified staff, expressed their appreciation for the tremendous efforts by the Administration and the DEA to craft a balanced and fair settlement.