We are proud to announce that the District and Hemet Teachers Association (HTA) has reached a tentative agreement for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 schools years.
Both parties mutually agreed to enter into mediation on March 29, 2017, regarding Article 9 Salary and Article 8 Benefits. On May 25, 2017, both parties reached a tentative agreement, which includes language modification in several articles as well as an increase to salary. The tentative agreement states that all certificated salary schedules will be adjusted to reflect a one and a half (1.5%) increase, retroactive to January 1, 2017, for the 2016-17 school year; a one-half (0.5%) increase effective July 1, 2017; and an additional one and a half (1.5%) increase will be applied on January 1, 2018, for the 2017-18 school year.
The entire contract is now closed and all tentative agreements reached by the negotiation teams will be incorporated into the new contract pending ratification of HTA members and approval by the Governing Board of Education.
In addition to the increases in salary schedule, the District also agreed to provide an annual stipend of $750 to school School Psychologists who are Nationally Board Certified; an annual stipend of $3,000 to the Agricultural Service Provider; and to increase retiree health and welfare benefits from $3,500 to $4,500.
Hemet Teachers Association’s President, William Valenzuela said, “There were many incremental improvements made on several issues that will serve our students and educators better in the future. This deal advances our great public schools and the lives of the professionals who make them so. We will never stop fighting to ensure our schools are filled with the quality, caring individuals that our community has become known for.”
“I want to thank the negotiation teams for their diligent efforts in reaching a resolution. We are thankful that the relationship between the District and HTA has remained strong throughout the negotiations process. This resolution will allow us to remain focused on the most important work of the district, our students’ success,” said Superintendent Christi Barrett.