The school year continues to move forward in Community Consolidated School District 181 as teachers and school officials try to hammer out a new contract.

The School Board and the Hinsdale Clarendon Hills Teachers Association met from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, but an agreement was not reached.

“Progress was made, but we’re not yet at a settlement,” said HCHTA President Judy Tiggelaar.

The School Board has asked the HCHTA negotiating team to present the board’s offer to its membership. Details of the Board’s offer include: 

- A three-year contract with average salary increases of 5.09 percent, 4.98 percent and 4.86 percent respectively.

- The top salary increases from $108,898 to $112,083 in year one of the contract, $115,359 in year two, and $118,729 in year three.  

- The average salary rises from $74,334 to $78,117 in year one of the contract, $82,008 in year two, and $85,990 in year three.   

- No increase in the employees’ share of health care premiums. Additional benefit extended for domestic partner coverage.

- End-of-career raises for qualified retirees provide them with 6 percent compounded salary increases for each of their final four years in the district. 

- Compression of the salary schedule from 35 to 17 steps. After Step 17, an employee enters into a longevity phase and receives a salary increase of 3.35 percent per year for the contract’s duration.

“This offer represents the limit to which the board will commit district revenues,” the School Board said in a statement issued  Wednesday, Sept. 3. “As it is, the board’s offer is projected to result in the district spending more than it receives in revenues for each of the three years of the contract. The district will use its savings, or fund balances, to address the shortfalls.”

School officials added the deficit spending may force the district to enter into short-term borrowing at the low point in a fiscal year, which occurs immediately before property taxes are received each June. One option is for the School Board to issue tax anticipation warrants.

Tiggelaar added she could not share any more from Tuesday’s meeting as negotiations are ongoing. This was the 13th meeting between the HCHTA and School Board — the second with a mediator. The teachers’ contract expired Aug. 24, but will continue until a new one has been ratified, Tiggelaar said.

Another meeting between the union and School Board has not yet been scheduled.