Tooele County School District is proud to announce it has reached a tentative agreement with the Tooele Education Association that will increase overall compensation for all teachers in the district by 9.06 percent. 

This will provide new teachers a starting salary of $37,000, (up from $33,142). Every cell on the salary schedule will receive a $3,858 increase, which is equivalent to an 8.5 percent increase in base salary. In addition to this, the agreement eliminates all half-steps on the salary schedule. 

“We are in a highly competitive market based on a statewide and national shortage of teachers,” said Tooele County School District Superintendent Scott Rogers. “We truly value the professional and support employees we have in TCSD. This is a great first step, but we must do more as we are able.”

This agreement outlines additional recruitment and retention strategies for the next two to five years.

“We appreciate the ability to work as a team with our executive board and district administration on a long-term plan to address teacher retention and recruitment via competitive compensation,” said TEA President Bob Gowans.  

As part of the new agreement, the district will pay an additional $488K in insurance premiums which is approximatley 6.33 percent more than the past to help cover rising costs.

“We want to keep our great teachers and meet the needs of all students in the district,” said TEA Negotiations Chair Rick Harrison. “We look forward to working with the district in future years to see this agreement fully implemented and see TCSD become a destination spot for the best teachers in Utah.”

Tooele County School District would also like to announce the tentative agreement with the Tooele Education Support Professionals Association to increase salaries by two percent for all classified support professional employees paid on Schedule E, and increase salaries for para-professionals by three percent. 

In the new agreement with TESPA, the district will cover insurance benefit cost increases for 2017-2018, and eliminate three furlough days for 12-month employees and employees on 220-day contracts.

“This has been a great opportunity to see how the TESPA negotiations team works together with the district leadership team,” said TESPA President Kim Jorgensen. “I appreciate the positive efforts of everyone involved.  The district has taken steps with TESPA to address many concerns of our dedicated support professionals.”

Both tentative agreements are subject to final Board of Education approval on June 13, 2017.