LPS and LEA Reach Tentative Agreement for Teacher Pay Raise in 2024-25

LINCOLN–(KFOR/News Release Jan. 23)–Lincoln Public Schools and the Lincoln Education Association announced on Tuesday a tentative agreement for teachers to receive a 4.55% pay increase for the 2024-25 school year.

It would increase the base salary from just over $47,000 to more than $48,500. The district would also assume a 1.99% health insurance premium increase.

“The negotiations table meetings were full of the exchange of ideas, agreements and disagreements, but in the end I feel we did what was best for the staff and students of LPS,” said LEA President Deb Rasmussen.

Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Paul Gausman issued a statement, saying, “Our students, families and community are fortunate to have such highly qualified and
dedicated certificated staff in our classrooms and schools. This continued investment in staff will aid us in recruiting, developing, and retaining the best professionals. This
agreement recognizes the value we place on their expertise while being mindful of the challenging financial situation that our community and state continue to face.”

Other details in the agreement include the following:

● An additional $700,000 towards extra standards compensation. This includes an increase in coordinator stipends from $11,329 to $15,000, and a move from 10
extra days to 14.
● Accumulated leave payout will increase from $16.50 to $20.00 per hour following 10 years of service.
● The 189-day teacher contract will be the same at all levels and broken down as
follows:
○ There are a total of 175 student learning days.
○ In August, five days before students begin for professional learning and planning.
○ Two days within the school year are for parent-teacher conferences.
○ One day after the end of the student calendar will be a staff work day.
○ Six days within the school year are for professional learning in the morning
with autonomous plan time in the afternoon. Of those six days, four will be
for building-led professional learning and two for district-lead sessions.
● Required staff meetings will be reduced to a maximum of one meeting per month for up to 75 minutes.
● The threshold for staff to ratify any variance in a school building was lowered from 85 percent to 75 percent approval.
● Upon return from one-year Leave Of Absence, staff will be placed where there are openings in the district after surplus certificated employees are assigned. They will
no longer be guaranteed their former position or location.
● The number of “Blackout Days” or days in which staff cannot request time off was reduced to the first and last five student days and the days immediately before and
after a scheduled break.
● A joint committee will be formed to review the LPS appraisal process, the new teacher tenure model and extra standard roles and pay.

The proposed agreement covers approximately 3,700 LPS employees who are teachers, librarians, nurses, social workers, counselors, school psychologists, speech language
pathologists and early childhood and home-based teachers.

The agreement is pending approval from the Lincoln Board of Education, who will discuss and vote on it at their Feb. 13 meeting.