Master contract for teachers approved

Noblesville teachers will receive a 3 percent increase in their base salaries under terms of the 2000-01 master contract.

Noblesville Schools and the Noblesville Teachers' Forum reached a tentative agreement on the contract on November 20. The teachers ratified the contract last week. The school board approved the contract during a special meeting on December 5.

The contract provides a salary of $28,996 for a beginning teacher with a bachelor's degree. The highest paid teacher, one who has earned at least 15 semester credit hours beyond a master's degree and taught for at least 19 years, will earn $57,425.

The beginning teacher's salary of $28,996 is the base on a salary schedule that provides teachers an additional pay increase according to the number of years they have taught. For example:

- A teacher with a bachelor's degree teaching for a fourth year will receive an overall increase of 5.9 percent. Last year, that teacher earned $30,745. This year, with the increase in base salary and credit for another year of teaching, the teacher moves up the pay scale to $32,558.

- A teacher with a master's degree and 11 years experience earned $42,017 a year ago and will earn $44,480 this year, a 5.86 percent increase.

- A teacher with a master's degree and 17 years experience earned $48,853 last year and will earn $51,693 this year, a 5.81 percent increase.

- A teacher at the top of the salary scale earned $55,077 last year. This year, that teacher's salary will be $56,729, a 3 percent.

The contract also provides for increases in extracurricular pay.

New to the master contract is the provision of a 1 percent mutual funds matching investment plan to begin with the first regular pay of the 2001-02 school year.

The contract is retroactive to the beginning of the 2000-01 school year. It expires at the beginning of the 2001-02 school year.

Noblesville Schools has 401 teachers. Of these, 142 have taught for at least 19 years and 138 have taught for five years or less.