Tentative agreement reached for IPS teacher contract, including average 3% salary increases and additional vacation days

Teachers in Indianapolis Public Schools may receive average salary increases of 3% and additional days off under a tentative agreement reached between the school district and the Indianapolis Education Association. 

The proposed contract, which covers the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, aims to raise starting salaries from $50,400 to $51,900 for 2023-24. It also sets the maximum salary for teachers at $94,000. 

For the 2024-25 school year, the estimated salary range would be $53,460 to $94,000. 

Under the new contract, no teacher would earn less than the minimum salary for the respective school year, unless their evaluation deems them “ineffective” or “in need of improvement.” 

The tentative agreement also includes special increases in base pay for special education teachers, English-as-a-new-language teachers, school psychologists, and social workers.

As mandated by state law, only teachers rated as “highly effective” or “effective” would be eligible for base salary increases. However, data indicates that the vast majority of teachers would receive these raises under the proposed contract. 

According to district data obtained through a public records request, nearly 35% of teachers were rated as highly effective in 2022-23, while approximately 64% were rated as effective. Only 15 out of the 1,586 teachers evaluated received ratings of “improvement necessary” or “ineffective.”

Qualifying teachers would see base pay increases ranging from $1,850 to $2,790 for 2023-24 and $1,900 to $2,870 for 2024-25. The salary increases for the current school year would be retroactively paid from July 23 of this year. Raises for the 2024-25 school year would take effect on the first contract day of that year. 

The school board is set to vote on the contract next week. 

Here are some key changes outlined in the proposed contract. 

Base pay increases based on teacher evaluations

Teachers rated as “highly effective” in the prior school year would receive:

$1,290 in year one (reflecting their 2022-23 rating).$1,310 in year two (reflecting their 2023-24 rating).

Teachers rated as “effective” in the prior school year would receive:

$1,050 in year one (reflecting their 2022-23 rating).$1,070 in year two (reflecting their 2023-24 rating).

Base pay increases for high-demand positions

Employees who served as certified school psychologists, social workers, special education teachers, English-as-a-new-language teachers, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) core content teachers, STEM career and technical education teachers, or credentialed dual-credit course teachers in the prior school year would receive:

$530 in year one (if employed for 2022-23).$550 in year two (if employed for 2023-24).

This provision would exclude teachers working in these areas on emergency permits. 

Base pay increases based on years of service

Teachers who were employed by IPS for at least 120 contract days in the prior school year would receive:

$530 in year one (if employed for 2022-23).$550 in year two (if employed for 2023-24).

Teachers with one to seven years of effective IPS teaching experience as of the effective date of the salary increase would receive:

$440 in year one (if completed between one to seven years by July 23, 2023).$460 in year two (if completed between one to seven years by the first contract day of 2024-25).

Teachers with eight or more years of effective IPS teaching experience as of the effective date of the salary increase would receive:

$270 in year one (if completed eight or more years by July 23, 2023).$280 in year two (if completed eight or more years by the first contract day of 2024-25).

Pilot program for class coverage compensation

A pilot program would be introduced for 2023-24 and 2024-25 to compensate teachers for covering classes when another teacher is absent. 

Teachers would receive $25 per hour when they give up their designated preparation periods to cover for absent colleagues. 

Academic coaches, interventionists, and International Baccalaureate coordinators would only be eligible for this compensation if they cover for a minimum of three hours and lose their preparation period. Job-sharing teachers would not receive this compensation when their co-teachers are absent unless the coverage also requires them to give up their preparation period. 

Teachers would also receive an additional $25 per hour if principals assign them more students, increasing their class size by at least 30% due to the absence of another teacher. 

Increased days off during the school year

Teachers will be granted two floating holidays for each academic year, which can be used for any reason. Unlike sick or personal time off, these days cannot be carried forward to the next year or cashed out upon retirement.

The tentative contract would also provide for two additional bereavement days for extended family, bringing the total to three paid days off to attend the funeral of an extended family member, defined as aunts, uncles, nieces, or nephews. 

The contract would provide more flexibility for immediate family bereavement days, which now include unborn children. 

Employees would have five bereavement days for immediate family, as in the previous contract, but would have the option to take three days within 14 days of the death and reserve the remaining two for up to a year after the death to attend to the affairs of the deceased. 

Compensation for serving as a long-term substitute

Under the new contract, licensed teachers would be permitted to act as long-term substitutes to cover vacancies outside their regular teaching hours. 

This scenario would apply to teachers who finish their school day earlier than teachers in other schools and can potentially travel to another school still in session to cover a class.  

Teachers in this role would be paid their standard hourly rate, and their substitution assignment would end either at the end of the semester or when the vacancy is filled. Priority for vacant positions would be given to teachers whose schedule, licensure, and endorsement align with the needs of the vacant position.