Indian Prairie School District 204 has its compensation details set for the next four years — for support staff as well as teachers — after the approval of a new union contract.
The agreement between the school board and the Indian Prairie Classified Association, known as IPCA, gained unanimous approval Monday night. It includes a boost in starting hourly pay for various support staff positions, as well as yearly pay increases of about 2.5%, the district said in a community message sent after the vote.
Deal shows ‘deep respect’ for assistants, support staff
The deal spans the same timeframe as a pact the board approved earlier this month with its teachers union, the Indian Prairie Education Association. IPCA members approved the deal with 68% of the union voting in favor.
“This contract reflects our deep respect for the classified staff members who serve as the backbone of our school community,” Superintendent Adrian Talley said in the community message. “Our goal throughout this process was to honor the essential work of our clerical teams, assistants and support personnel, while maintaining our commitment to fiscal responsibility.”
Higher starting pay and raises included in deal
The agreement sets the pay rates and other employment terms for more than 600 classified staff members who work as teaching assistants, behavior assistants, secretaries, receptionists, and health office or library assistants, or in other roles.
Starting pay for new employees in these roles now will range from $19.25 to $22.25, depending on the position category.
School board members quickly endorsed the contract, with President Laurie Donahue thanking administrators and IPCA leaders for their collaborative work to come to an agreement. IPCA President Liz Lanning, Donahue and Talley then immediately signed the contract during Monday night’s meeting.
Salary terms set through 2029-30
Salaries make up 65% of the district’s annual operating expenses, so the contracts approved this month set the terms for much of Indian Prairie’s spending through the 2029-30 year.
The new teachers’ union contract provides salary increases tied to economic conditions and offers a chance for review after two years, in the event of significant changes in district revenue. Teachers will receive slightly higher percentage raises than those specified in the support staff contract — 2.9% and 2.7% — during the deal’s first two years; then, later-year raises will be offered at 80% of the Consumer Price Index, between a floor of 2.25% and a cap of 5%.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!
