New contract gives Eden Prairie teachers a 5.5% pay increase over two years

The Eden Prairie School Board Sept. 13 unanimously approved a two-year contract with the Eden Prairie Education Association (EPEA), the union that represents most district teachers, that includes a 2.75% pay increase each year.

The contract is effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023.

Other impacts of the contract include:

• no increases in the district contribution to employee health insurance.

• teachers married to another Eden Prairie Schools’ employee, and who elects family health insurance, will receive a district contribution towards family health insurance equal to two times the district contribution for single coverage.

• sets hourly rates for teacher training ($30), curriculum writing ($40), summer school and targeted services ($40), and teacher substitutes ($35 for K-8, $45 for 9-12).

• removes athletic coach stipends from the teacher contract, which are now listed in a separate guidebook.

Early retirement incentive offered

The contract also includes a one-year memorandum of understanding, for 2021-22 only, that provides for a $50,000 early retirement incentive for teachers who are 55 and have completed 15 years of service.

The $50,000 will be added to the teacher’s post-employment healthcare reimbursement account.

The incentive is funded through the district’s Other Post-Employment Benefits liability account, which are set aside for retirement benefits, and not general fund money.

Three two-year memoranda of understanding that are part of the new contract include:

• an agreement on the Early Childhood Special Education school year calendar, including a “stretch” calendar for summer student needs.

• a full-time union president release that allows the district to release a teacher to a 1.0 FTE union president position.

• a Q-Comp agreement that defines a goal structure, eligibility and award structure for the district’s alternative compensation plan.

Preschool teachers

The board also approved a two-year contract with the Eden Prairie Preschool Education Association (EPPEA), effective July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022.

The EPPEA contract provides for a 2.5% salary increase each year, as well as 2% increases each year in the district’s contribution to single and family health insurance.

The district match for Tax Sheltered Annuities will be 0% for year one and 1% for year two.