The Southwestern Consolidated School Board of Trustees ratified the 2023-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Southwestern administration and the Southwestern Consolidated Classroom Teachers Association (SWCCTA) on Nov. 13.
The agreement increases the starting teacher salary at Southwestern from $40,000 to $46,000 per year. Experienced teachers will receive significant increases in their base salaries.
Teachers also will see a significant decrease in their medical insurance costs.
“This contract is a massive step forward for our corporation and makes us much more competitive with other districts which will help us retain quality, experienced educators,” said SWCCTA president Matt Campbell, who is a high school language arts teacher in the school system. “I am excited for our future and what we will be able to accomplish as a district.”
Campbell thanked the school board and administration for their work in the bargaining process.
“Southwestern, and rural schools like it, have always struggled to keep up with larger schools in regard to teacher pay and benefits/incentive packages. Over the past several years, teachers have chosen to leave Southwestern to take jobs in surrounding districts that pay five to ten thousand dollars more per year than Southwestern,” said Southwestern High School principal John Tindall. “Every year, we find ourselves replacing high quality educators due to that very reason. This contract breaks the rural school stigma. This agreement is an investment by Southwestern schools for the Southwestern community.”
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