Heights teacher contract approved with $2,000 base raise

Teachers in the Jackson Heights school district received a $2,000 raise in base pay for the 2025-26 school year, according to a ratified teacher salary contract that was approved Monday night by the USD 335 Board of Education.

According to the approved contract, the base salary for teachers in the Jackson Heights district was increased from last year’s $45,000 to $47,000 for the coming school year — an increase of 4.4 percent. Pay “steps” based on each teacher’s level of continuing education and years of service were also increased, from last year’s $600 “steps” to $700 for the coming year.

The contract — which was approved on a 6-0 vote, as board member Kallie Kirk was absent from Monday’s meeting — marked a return to the annual teacher salary contract agreement, as opposed to the two-year agreement approved in July of 2023 and covering both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years. That particular contract provided base salary increases of $2,000 and pay “steps” of $600 for both years.

Full-time teachers also received a 33.8-percent increase in the monthly contribution toward their employee health insurance policy premiums, from last year’s monthly contribution of $493.97 to $661 monthly for a single employee policy. Teachers who choose more expansive policies, such as employee and spouse or employee and child, are expected to pay any monthly premium amounts above the $661, it was reported.

According to the contract, the insurance policy is being provided on a “use it or lose it” basis, which means that teachers may choose not to participate in the employee insurance program but will not receive any other compensation. The contract also states that the district will pay part-time teachers a pro-rated amount for health insurance.

As part of the contract, board members approved a new continuing education program for teachers who seek a master’s degree, in which college hours earned toward a master’s degree in a program approved by the superintendent will be reimbursed by the district for the basic credit hour charge, up to $500 per credit hour. A maximum of 12 hours per calendar year will be eligible for reimbursement, it was noted.

Hours qualifying for reimbursement must be in the teaching field for which the teacher is currently employed or hours that will improve the teacher’s instructional ability, according to the contract, which also states that the master’s degree program must be completed within six years.

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