Worthington teachers have ratified a new three-year negotiated contract that calls for a 2.85 percent increase to the wage scale in teachers' salaries for each year of the agreement.

The Worthington school board will vote on the tentative contract at its next board meeting, set for 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13 at the Worthington Education Center, 200 E. Wilson Bridge Road.

The contract, which is retroactive from Sept. 1, 2008, and runs through August 31, 2011, replaces a three-year contract approved in September 2005 that called for a 3.75 percent increase in teacher's salaries.

Worthington Education Association President Pete Scully said negotiations began July 31 and ended around Sept. 7, with teachers voting to approve the contract Sept. 29.

"We worked for a while on the language, but the reason for the delay in voting was the schools being closed due to the windstorm," he said.

Scully said the requirement for ratification is "50 percent plus."

"We weren't anywhere near just 50 percent," he said. "The contract was well-supported by teachers."

Board President Jennifer Best said negotiations were "a long and difficult process."

"We have this difficult economy right now but our surrounding school districts are giving what we considered really decent raises for these tough times, so it was really hard to decide on the details," she said. "But I think it is a really good contract and I hope it shows teachers we appreciate them, but it is not excessive and it is fair to the community."

Best said the district could afford the 2.85 percent raise on the teacher's wage scale because teachers' health insurance deductibles and monthly premiums were increased.

"The deductible used to be $1,100 for a single teacher and $2,200 for families and is now $1,500 for singles and $3,000 for families, so we're getting a better rate on the insurance," she said.

Scully said the new contract calls for the district to contribute 67 percent of the annual deductible amount into each participating member's health savings account the first year, 60 percent the second year and 70 percent the third year of the contract.

Monthly premiums for teachers were raised to around $44 a month for singles, from $31.14, and to $120 a month for family coverage.

Scully said the monthly premium goes up 2 percent each year.

"An estimated family deductible will be $160 in 2010 and $213 in 2011," he said.

According to the contract, base salary for a new teacher with no experience in the first year of the contract will be $37,930. By the third year of the contract, the base salary for a new teacher will be $40,123.

The teacher's wage scale calls for step increases according to education and experience, so a teacher with 10 years of experience plus a master's degree would earn $64,447.

Scully said changes also were made to "update the contract."

"There were a lot of substantive changes in terms of dealing with work situations, with more support for teachers who have students with special needs, in training time and in time to complete (Individual Education Plans)," he said. "There is also language on our 21st-century renewal effort and on supporting members who are being reassigned or transferred."

Best said Treasurer Jeff McCuen prepared a new five-year financial forecast, which board members will discuss at next week's board meeting.

"The new forecast reflects the new contract and covers the raises and adjustments in insurance expenses," she said. "Our financial positions in other things have changed, too, so things look a little better, with a little more carryover. The changes in the employee contributions to health insurance helped us give the raises without it having a negative effect on the forecast."

Best said board members will begin preparing for negotiations with classified staff members, whose contract ends Dec. 31.

The new contract details are expected to be posted today, Oct. 8, on the district Web site, worthington.k12.oh.us.