D230 Teachers Still Without Contract As Talks Continue In November

PALOS HILLS, IL — More than 300 members of the Dist. 230 Federation of Teachers put the heat on school board members to settle a new multi-year contract. The union represents teachers, counselors, social workers and psychologists at Andrew, Sandburg and Stagg high schools.

Union members from all three schools packed last week’s Dist. 230 school board meeting Oct. 24 in a show of solidarity. The teachers say they have worked without a contract for over 50 days since the new school year started. The most recent 2019-2024 contract expired on the first day of the current school year.

Both sides have met seven times since April 1 with a federal mediator to hammer out a new contract. Michelle Etchason, a 33-year English teacher at Sandburg High School and long-time president of the teachers union addressed the D230 school board during public comments.

Tonight we have assembled 382 of our colleagues here to underscore the fact that we have worked 52 days without a contract,” Etchason told the school board members. “We deserve better. It’s time to settle this contract.”

The Community Consolidated School Dist. 230 Board of Education later released a statement:

“The District 230 Board of Education is optimistic they can reach an agreement with the teachers association. They are committed to continuing good faith bargaining efforts, listening, and reaching a fair contract for staff while upholding the fiduciary responsibility of the Board to its taxpayers all while focusing on long-term financial sustainability in an environment that poses incredible challenges for school financing within Illinois.”

Etchason said the union and board members would meet Nov. 12 to discuss the terms of a new contract.

She attributed part of the delay to reaching an agreement to trying to find dates when everyone could meet. Both sides are meeting with a federal mediator.

“The mediator works with both sides to get both sides of the story,” Etchason said. “We were in federal mediation a few contracts ago but it really does help move things along.”

Etchason could not address the sticking points of current contract negotiations “because we haven’t shared it with our membership yet.”

According to Illinois State Board of Education's most recent Illinois Report Card for 2023, the average annual teacher’s salary in CCSD 230 is $96,225 over the past five years. These numbers are calculated by using the sum of all teachers' salaries divided by the number of FTE teachers based on the average.

The district bases salaries and increases on a 23-step process. The annual salary for an early career teacher with a bachelor’s degree is $55,264; a mid-career teacher with a master’s degree with 30 hours of training post-master’s and 14 years with district is $95,318.

The annual salary for a district teacher at the highest step with 23 years of experience and a master’s degree is $128,000, Etchason said.

Compared to other neighboring districts with multiple schools, the average teacher’s salary at Bremen Township Dist. 228 four high schools is $95,734. CHSD 218 which includes three high schools, the average teacher salary is $102,621.

In nearby single high school districts, such as Evergreen Park Community High School District 231, the annual salary is $83,809; Oak Lawn Community High School Dist. 229, $102,621; and in Reavis High School Dist. 220, the annual teacher's salary is $105,578.

“The mediator works with both sides to get both sides of the story,” Echtason said. “We were in federal mediation a few contracts ago but it really does help move things along.”