The West Hartford Board of Education voted Tuesday night to ratify an agreement with the West Hartford Teachers Association.

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford’s more than 900 teachers have a new contract that will be effective from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028, an agreement that has been ratified by both the West Hartford Educators Association (WHEA) and the Board of Education after months of negotiation.

The Board of Education unanimously ratified the contract – which had been previously ratified by the WHEA – at its meeting Tuesday night.

Executive Director of Human Resources Julio Duarte said the three-year contract “reflects months of dialogue culminating in final agreement between WHEA and Board representatives.” Initial talks between September and November did not result in an agreement, so the Board and the union engaged in mediation on Nov. 13 – which despite sessions that lasted until 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., was also not immediately successful.

Agreement was reached several days after mediation ended, on Nov. 22, 2024, Duarte said.

In the first year of the contract, there will be step movement only for teachers who are on steps 10-12, and there will be a $3,000 wage increase for teachers at the maximum steps and $4,000 at most steps below the maximum. In the second and third years of the contract, there will be step movement for all steps, and a $3,000 wage increase at maximum steps. In the third year, there will also be a $60 increase at the steps below maximum.

There are also some changes in the benefits practice, including an increase from 20.75% to 21.25% in the premium cost share for health insurance in the third year of the contract.

When the new contract commences, teachers will become eligible to enroll in the State Partnership Vision rider at the 100% teacher cost for their enrolled level. “We believe this is a significant benefit for most of our employees,” Duarte said.

The sick leave policy will be modified so that a teacher on a FMLA qualifying leave for birth or adoption will be able to use up to 20 sick days concurrently with the leave period.

The Board will fund up to $120,000 in the first year ($130,000 in year two and $140,000 in year three) so that teachers will be eligible for reimbursement of up to $1,500 per year for pre-approved graduate courses.

The commencement of the new contract aligns with the start of the districts FY 2025-2026 budget year, and in response to a question from Board member Jason Gagnon, Director of Finance and Planning Liz Hewitt said the impact of the contract will be $3,996,000 in the first year, $4,158,000 in FY 2026-2027, and $3,770,000 in FY 2027-2028.

While the structure of the contract does not specify an across-the-board wage increase. Hewitt said that because the contract includes step movement as well as changes to the scale for some teachers, particularly at the lower end of the scale, the wage increase is as much as 8%. Overall, the budgeted increase in teacher wages in 2025-2026 will be 4.82%, and in 2026-2027 will be 4.78%. Th increase in the final year of the contact is projected at 4.14%.

“We do believe that this is a fair contract that reflects our shared commitment to supporting the growth and wellbeing of our teachers while ensuring financial responsibility to our community,” Duarte said. He said the contract “aligns with our efforts to ensure that West Hartford Public Schools remains an exceptional place to come learn as well as to teach.”

Duarte said one of the goals of the WHEA was to smooth the gaps between the steps and make it more equitable. The top step has about a 2.7% increase over time, Hewitt said.

Duarte said the “salary structure makes us very, very competitive and attractive from a salary standpoint.” The town is already very attractive from a professional development standpoint, he said, and changes to benefits can be used to incentivize.

The Board voted 6-0 to ratify the contract. Deputy Chair Shannon Marimón was absent.

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