A proposed contract with the Board of Education has been mailed out to members of the Frederick County Teachers Association. They will asked to vote up or down on the new agreement. The ballots must be returned by June 14th so the Board of Ed can adopt the contract on June 27th.

The contract contains a step increase for all employees, and 8% jump in insurance premiums which has been deferred until December 1st; the School Board agrees to increase its contribution by 8% beginning July 1st, 2012. The agreement also calls for the creation of a joint Board of Ed and FCTA task force to meet during the next school year to study salary scales.

"After months of bargaining and watching the often frustrating process of creating the BOE and county budgets, the FCTA Board of Directors felt that the Board of Education's  final offer should be put to a vote of our members," says FCTA President Gary Brennan, in a statement. "Teachers have been paying close attention to the debates around the budget and have been making their opinions known to the Board of Education and the County Commissioners. Now it is up to the members of the FCTA to decide if they accept what the Board has offered."

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Theresa Alban has said that a top priority is to work toward competitive salaries for the school system’s workforce. But she says there were many challenges and difficult decisions in arriving at this offer. "I believe the proposed settlement is a step in the right direction," Dr. Alban said in a statement.

Contract language from  the School System’s other two bargaining units, the Frederick Association of School Support Employees and the Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association,  is similar to the FCTA agreement in regard to salaries. Those two  units will present their contracts to their respective members for a similar ratification.