Newport-Mesa teachers get salary increases in new contract

Newport-Mesa Unified School District teachers are receiving 2.5% salary increases this year and next in a new contract unanimously approved by the school board this week.

Teachers will receive a raise retroactive to July and an additional increase in July 2018. The total amounts to a 5% hike.

With the increases under the new contract — which will run through June 2020 — the average teacher salary for 2017-18 is about $93,300, district spokeswoman Annette Franco said in an email. For 2018-19, the average salary will be about $95,700.

As of now, the 2019-20 school year does not include a raise.

The total cost of the increases, including benefits such as contributions to retirement, is expected to be more than $4.57 million in 2017-18 and more than $4.71 million in 2018-19, according to the district.

The district also will cover the entire increased cost of health and associated benefits, which amounts to $100,728 for 2017-18.

The new contract also will increase reimbursement from $75 to $100 per classroom teacher for damaged or stolen personal property.

After negotiating for five months, Britt Dowdy, president of the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers, said the agreement is fair but there are still areas that need to be resolved, such as capping class sizes and allocating more time for teachers to prepare.

Board President Karen Yelsey said she was pleased that the parties reached a “successful agreement.”

Next spring, the parties will return to the bargaining table to negotiate more issues of their choice.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella