Paynesville Public School District board approves 2023–25 teacher contract with 5% and 4% raises

The Paynesville Public School District board approved a two-year teacher master agreement for 2023–25 at a special meeting, adopting a 5% salary increase in the first year and 4% in the second year and several contract-language changes aimed at complying with recent legislation.

A district staff member told the board that bargaining produced "a lot of work" on language changes driven by recent law, including updates to earned safe-and-sick-time compliance, revisions to incentive language that will sunset, and clarified definitions about who is included in the teaching unit (for example, adult basic education and early childhood/family education). The staff member said the district also revisited unrequested leave and the sick-leave bank.

The staff member summarized the pay and benefits changes: "the packet on the salary is 5%; second year is 4%" and said the district and board negotiated a differentiated insurance contribution for single and family coverage. They added that severance will sunset and the district will provide a 403(b) contribution in its place; the staff member stated the MSBA total package is "9.64% over two years."

Board member Thomas made the motion to approve the teacher master agreement; Gerald seconded. The board voted in favor and the motion passed unanimously. The staff member said the special meeting was scheduled in part to allow the district's business office to stagger retroactive payments across bargaining units, which the staff member said would ease payroll processing.

The agreement takes effect per the contract terms; the staff member and board did not specify a public implementation date for payroll adjustments during the meeting.