BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem Area School District teachers secured raises each school year through 2028-29, thanks to early bird contract negotiations.
School directors at their Monday meeting approved the three years of raises, which start in 2026-27.
Board President Michael Faccinetto said the contract was fair to all parties affected by its terms — teachers, the district administration and community members.
He also said the district has a great partnership with Bethlehem Education Association.
“We appreciate the BEA [for] working with us,” Faccinetto said. “We don’t have the animosity that exists in some other places, it’s always very professional.”
“We appreciate the BEA [for] working with us. ... We don’t have the animosity that exists in some other places, it’s always very professional.”Michael Faccinetto, Bethlehem Area Board President
At the time of the school board vote, the collective bargaining agreement was not posted publicly. LehighValleyNews.com received a copy Wednesday.
The document shows teacher salaries will increase by $3,000 in 2026-27. The following year, salaries will go up $2,800, and then, to close out the contract, teachers will see their pay boosted another $2,800 in 2028-29.
Bethlehem Education Association President Laura Keding told LehighValleyNews.com that pay raises were the main focus of negotiations.
The new contract, she said, keeps salaries competitive.
“The association and the district worked together to accomplish an early negotiation to set us up for success as we move through the next few years in terms of supporting and maintaining our current staff, who are phenomenal, and also attracting great educators to the district," Keding said.
In 2022, the teachers’ union also secured three years of raises thanks to an early bird extension of their contract.
Salaries increased by $5,700 thanks to that contract, including a $1,800 pay boost teachers will see in the upcoming school year.
New salaries for teachers
The new contract that was approved this week will take effect July 1, 2026, and run through June 30, 2029.
In the first year of the new contract, the starting annual teacher pay will be $59,954. The top salary for teachers with a master’s degree and 45 or more credits will be $101,221. The top salary for teachers with a doctoral degree will be $104,681.
By the final year of the contract in 2028-29, the starting annual teacher pay will be $65,554. The top salary for teachers with a master’s degree and 45 or more credits will be $106,821. The top salary for teachers with a doctorate will be $110,281.
Those salaries don’t take into account longevity pay for teachers who’ve been in the district for at least 20 years.
Senior teachers get an additional sum of money added to their annual salary each July. Annual longevity pay ranges from $1,200 to $3,600 depending on the total years of service for a given teacher.
“It also gives us long term predictability for our upcoming district budgets."Jack Silva, Bethlehem Area Superintendent
Superintendent Jack Silva in an email called the terms of the contract “fair.” He also praised the teachers’ union for their “professional and responsible approach” to negotiations.
Silva said the agreement will help BASD “attract and retain the highly professional teachers that our students deserve.”
“It also gives us long term predictability for our upcoming district budgets,” Silva said.
The new contract’s approval came just a week after the school board approved a $373.2 million final budget for next fiscal year with a 4.3% tax hike.
The district also cut $3.4 million in spending and used $5.7 million from its savings to balance the budget.
Silva previously said the district already is planning for future budgets.
