Bloomington reaches agreement on new teacher contract

Bloomington Public Schools and the Bloomington Federation of Teachers (BFT) have reached an agreement on a new two-year contract - 2023-24 and 2024-25 - for the district’s 950 licensed staff.

BFT members overwhelmingly approved the contract, which includes a salary and benefit increase of 4.0 percent for 2023-24 and 5.0 percent for 2024-25, for a total pay increase of 9.0 percent over two years. The School Board is expected to ratify the contract this month.

The salary increase is in addition to the annual step (years of service) and lane (educational attainment) increases. The contract also includes:

• Payment for new teachers participating in back-to-school week
• Tax sheltered annuity (403b) match starting at year four of service
• Two years of catastrophic leave
• Personal day buyback option for each of the next two years

Superintendent Dr. Eric Melbye praised the district and BFT negotiating teams, and the Education Minnesota representative for the time and effort put into reaching an agreement.

“This settlement with our teachers underscores our commitment to valuing their dedication and hard work, while ensuring fiscal responsibility and sustainability for our district,” said Melbye. “Together, we will navigate these financial constraints with a shared dedication to providing the best education for our students.”