WAUKEGAN, IL — Following more than nine months of negotiations, the Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 school board and the local the Waukegan Teachers Council agreed to a new contract this week.
The new four-year contract between the local affiliate of the Lake County Federation of Teachers, IFT Local 504, and the 22-school district includes a competitive raise for teachers, expanded mental health support for educators and students, initiatives to increase collaboration between the school and families and additional support for the diverse needs of the district’s nearly 14,000 students in the district.
The contract introduces a new, 35-step salary schedule that promises a more transparent and structured pay scale for teachers, according to a joint statement from district and teachers union representatives.
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“I’m proud of our union and our district for working together to put our students first,” said Waukegan Teachers Council President Andrew Friedlieb.
“This contract is a win for them and for our community because it offers what’s necessary to attract and retain excellent teachers,” Friedlieb said in a statement. “We bargained a fair agreement that gives teachers the resources and the foundation needed to give students the best support possible. This contract will make our district stronger.”
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The agreement comes amid a national teacher shortage that has also affected Waukegan. Administration and union representatives emphasized the importance of a collaborative approach to the contract to help keep teachers and make sure they have the necessary resources to support students.
The first year of the contract will see salary increases averaging around 20 percent, a move aimed to increase District 60’s competitiveness with neighboring districts. Subsequent raises should further help the district attract and retain qualified teaching professionals.
“I am very proud of our administration and the Teacher Union’s collaborative effort. The two teams worked very hard to reach an agreement that values our Teachers and supports the work they do to educate the children of this community,” said District 60 Superintendent Theresa Plascencia.
“I know I speak for our Administrative team, as well as the Board of Education when I say we’re looking forward to more competitive compensation for our frontline educators, and are excited for the continuity this agreement will bring,” Plascencia said.
The agreement ratified this week, which is set to be retroactive from July 1, 2023, follows the expiration of the district’s previous contract with its teachers union.
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