KEWANEE, Ill. — Editor's Note: The video above shows some of the Kewanee teachers on the picket line earlier this year before any deals were proposed.
Kewanee teachers and staff have secured a new contract after more than six months of negotiations, according to a press release from the Illinois Education Association on behalf of the KEA union.
The Kewanee Community Unit School District #229 Board of Education sent what it called its "last, best and final offer" on Oct. 31 to teachers and staff. Both parties met on Nov. 16 for another mediation session before the union approved the new contract on Nov. 19. On Monday, Nov. 20, the school board approved that contract.
“We are proud of the work we did at the bargaining table on behalf of our students and Kewanee staff," Kewanee Education Association President Ruth Kapacinskas said in the release. "We represented our members’ interests in terms of historic pay increases and establishing a shared understanding of the meaning and value of a wage schedule. The wins we got will truly mean a better education, better schools and a better community for all our students. We are incredibly grateful to everyone in the community, including all the parents and students, who supported us in so many ways.”
Once the contract is signed, it will go into effect immediately as the previous one has already expired. It will last three years, from 2023 to 2026, according to the press release.
According to the release, the new contract will create a joint committee of members from the school board and the union, help fix the district's teacher shortage by supporting staff wanting to earn their teacher certification, include backpay from when the previous contract expired on Aug. 15 and provide wage increases for teachers and staff.
The wage increases, which differ based on the number of years a teacher has worked for the district, under the contract can be found below.
Beginning Teacher
- 2023-24: $42,541 (5%)
- 2024-25: $44,668 (5%)
- 2025-26: $46,454 (4%)
- Total increase over three years: 14.7%
Teachers with 2-8 years of experience
- 2023-24: 7.03%-10.28% (8.65% average)
- 2024-25: 7.03%
- 2025-26: 5.27%
- Total increase over three years: 20.6%-24.27%
Teachers with 9, 10 & 11 years of experience
- 2023-24: 6.97%-8.89% (7.93% average)
- 2024-25: 6.5%
- 2025-26: 5.5%
- Total increase over three years: 20.2%-22.3%
Teachers with 12 or more years of experience
- 2023-24: 6%
- 2024-25: 6%
- 2025-26: 5.5%
- Total increase over three years: 18.5%
“We plan to continue to push for better in future contract negotiations," Kapacinskas said, "We need to remember a salary schedule that provides wage increases based on an individual’s experience, loyalty and educational advancement result in a more transparent wage structure. When a pay structure is transparent, the community sees its investment in the best public schools and future costs are more predictable."
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