By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


A new teacher contract has been approved in a local school district.

The Fenton Education Association, which represents the district’s teachers, ratified a two-year deal last Thursday, a day after the Fenton Board of Education gave its stamp of approval. Teachers had been working without a new contract since June of 2019. The new agreement runs through June 30th, 2021. The Tri-County Times says the two-year deal includes a full step and 1-percent salary increase for the current school year. Steps are the process by which teachers receive raises, progressing on a scale from 1 to 11. But Fenton teachers have only been getting half-step increases for the last several years. And while there is no additional compensation for the 2020-21 school year, the contract does include a higher sick day cap and increased payment to teachers who opt not to take medical benefits.

Fenton Superintendent Adam Hartley said he was appreciative of the FEA and the Board of Education cooperating on an agreement, allowing them now to focus on preparing for the upcoming school year during what he called an “unprecedented time in education.”