The Marion Community Schools Board of School Trustees unanimously approved a two-year teacher contract at its regular meeting Oct. 24 that includes a 9 percent raise in educator pay over the two years.
The agreement between MCS and the Marion Teachers Association (MTA) covers July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025. Teacher salaries will increase by 5 percent in the 2023-2024 school year and another 4 percent in the 2024-25 school year. By the end of the contract, the top of the base salary range will be $82,553.
“We care about our teachers, and we want them to have what they deserve,” MCS Superintendent Keith Burke said. “Thank you to the MTA and the School Board for their support.”
MTA President Stephanie Holcomb echoed the appreciation.
“It helps to have a good relationship between the teachers, the administration, and the School Board,” she said.
The agreement lays out the following salary ranges:
2023-24:
- Teachers returning to MCS*: $46,043 - $79,378
- Teachers new to MCS: $45,570 - $71,295
2024-25
- Teachers returning to MCS*: $47,884 - $82,553
- Teachers new to MCS: $47,393 - $74,147
* employed by MCS for at least 120 days in the prior school year
In addition, teachers may be eligible for additional stipends based on their years of experience and advanced degrees earned, ranging from $1,654 to $8,000. The contract also outlines stipends for various positions including department heads, program directors, club sponsors, team coaches, etc.
School Board member Alan Beck, who was a member of the contract negotiation team, said the school district should be proud of the fact that the Board, the teachers, and the administration work so well together.
“I feel like this was an amazing negotiation with amazing results,” Beck said.
He added that he hopes the results speak loudly, and that it will help Marion Community Schools continue to attract high-quality educators who want to be a part of a great team.
Insurance change will provide better service, lower costs for MCS employees
At a time when health insurance premiums are surging — at the steepest rate in years, according to the Wall Street Journal — Marion Community Schools is happy to offer this welcome news to its staffers: MCS’s choice to shift to a new insurance model will not only keep premiums level in the coming year, but it will even reduce deductibles and offer lower out-of-pocket costs for local medical care!
At its regular meeting on Oct. 24, the Marion School Board voted unanimously to approve the change for the coming year. With the money the corporation would have spent to stay in the state plan, they will instead move to a new customized, self-funded plan.
As part of the arrangement, Marion Health Network will be a Tier 1 provider, which had not been true under the state plan. This means for staffers who use the local network, deductibles will be lower under the new plan. In addition, cost negotiations directly with Marion Health Network may lower the overall cost of care such as preventative services.
Employees will be receiving more information about what this change means to them soon, as open enrollment gets under way next month.
It’s a great time to be a Giant!
A big boost in teacher salaries, steady insurance costs, and improving health care opportunities are just some of the reasons why it’s a great time to be a Marion Giant! For more information about Marion Community Schools (including current job openings) explore the rest of our website.
You can also find enrollment information here on the website. Marion Community Schools accepts student registration year-round.