St. Paul Public Schools Board Approves New Contract with Teachers Union
The St. Paul Public Schools Board of Education has approved a new contract agreement with the teachers union, covering the period from 2025 to 2027. This agreement includes pay increases, benefits, and protections for licensed staff, educational assistants, and school and community service professionals, totaling 3,287 full-time employees. The contract was reached after several months of negotiations and was ratified by union members in August, ahead of the current school year.
Key Provisions of the Contract
The agreement includes a $1,820 pay bump for licensed staff, effective July 1, 2025, and an additional $180 effective January 1. Educational assistants will receive a $1.30 per hour pay increase, while school and community service professionals will receive a 10.5% increase, both effective July 1, 2025. In the second year of the contract, teachers and school and community service professionals will receive a 2% pay bump, and educational assistants will receive a 2.5% increase.
The contract also includes a 4% increase to district contributions to health insurance premiums in 2026 and a 6% increase in 2027. Other highlights of the contract include preserving the district’s restorative practices program, providing financial gains for all employee units, offsetting impacts of health insurance increases, and maintaining current class-size parameters.
Benefits and Protections
The agreement includes additional protections for LGBTQIA+ students and staff, ensuring that educators cannot be disciplined for using a student’s preferred name or pronouns. The contract also addresses artificial intelligence, stating that the district shall not eliminate bargaining unit members as an immediate and foreseeable result of adopting or implementing generative AI technologies.
The starting salary for licensed staff with a bachelor’s degree will be $59,756 for the 2026-2027 school year, with the highest salary for licensed staff with a bachelor’s degree being $82,031. A teacher at the highest experience level with a doctorate would earn $113,627 in the 2026-2027 school year, plus a stipend for each year beyond 20 years of teaching.
Levy Referendum and Budget
The union will now shift its focus to supporting the district’s November levy referendum, which aims to boost operating funds and head off $37 million in budget cuts if the levy is not approved. The district’s 2026 budget is $1 billion, with an estimated $51.1 million budget shortfall. The school board approved the budget in June, with plans to cover the shortfall using reserve funds, budget cuts, and new revenue.
For more information on the contract and the levy referendum, visit Here
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