Naperville District 203 teachers will see an average salary increase of 19.67% over the next four years, according to a new contract.
School board members voted 6-0 to approve the contract Wednesday. Board member Melissa Kelley Black was not present for the vote. The contract was also approved by the Naperville Unit Education Association, which represents more than 1,500 educators in the district.
According to a news release from the district, the contract provides a combined base and average step increase of 5.92% this school year and 4.46% for the 2026-2027 school year. Base increases in years three and four will be determined by the consumer price index, but they cannot be lower than 2%. The average step increase will be 2% in those years.
In a news release, the Naperville Unit Education Association noted that base salaries will increase by 3.85% this school year and by 2.5% next school year. The union noted that step increases have long been established and are awarded for longevity.
Additionally, the new contract removes any language referring to the controversial Innovative School Experience proposal, which would have introduced block scheduling at the high school and middle school levels and adjusted start and end times across all grade levels. The contract, however, does give the board authority to determine the class schedule and the student attendance day.
“Together with the community, we ensured that our students will continue to benefit from the school day structure that has long supported both learning and our community, maintaining the consistency and support our teachers provide,” NUEA President Ross Berkley said. “Our efforts also secured more competitive wages for our hard working educators who are committed to building strong students, strong schools and a strong community.”
The new contract also increases hourly rates for professional learning, summer teaching and curriculum development by $3 to $11 an hour. The rate for internal substitutions also increases from $29 to $48 an hour.
School board President Charles Cush noted the contract provides competitive wages and keeps District 203 teachers among the highest-paid in the state.
“Our teachers play a critical role in making us an exemplary school district,” he said. “I believe this agreement directly reflects how highly we value our educators … and it ensures our students will continue to receive the world class education they deserve.”
Representatives from the NUEA and the district began negotiations for a new contract in February. The former contract expired at the end of June, and teachers started the school year without a new contract.
Both sides reached a tentative agreement on Aug. 22, just days before an Aug. 26 strike date.
“We are so happy to see our educators be respected and valued with this contract,” Naperville parent Colleen Myerscough said in a news release from the NUEA. “Now they can fully concentrate on what they do best: educating our kids.”
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