The Bethlehem Township Board of Education (BTBOE) is pleased to announce that collective negotiations have successfully concluded and an agreement has been reached with the Bethlehem Township Education Association (BTEA) for the period July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2020.
On June 7th, the agreement was signed by both parties. The agreement will be retroactive to July 1, 2017.
The Bethlehem Township School District has the benefit of highly qualified, dedicated and experienced educators always willing to challenge our students to maximize their individual potential. The BTBOE would like to continue to attract such educators to maintain this high standard.
A change in healthcare providers from the School Employees Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) to the School Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), will provide cost savings to both the BTBOE and its employees and benefits equal to or better than the previous coverage. Also, the parties agreed that one instructional day will be added to the school calendar. Extracurricular stipends and other cost items will remain unchanged.
The three year aggregate salary increase is 9.50% over three years. Including changes in employee health benefit contributions, the aggregate increase in cost to the board is 10.55%. Providing an excellent, state of the art education without imposing an undue tax burden on the community remains a delicate balancing act. The Board was fiscally responsible in maintaining a zero percent budget this year with no added school tax increase for the residents of Bethlehem Township.
Our district is committed to continually improving the education offered to the students of Bethlehem Township while continuing to be fiscally responsible to our residents. The BTBOE thanks everyone for their continued support of our students, staff and schools.