FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The Fort Wayne Community Schools Board has approved a new contract deal with teachers and union employees.

A press release issued by the school district this morning says 2-year contracts between the district, the Fort Wayne Education Association, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees were approved Monday night and will run through June 30th, 2019.

The renegotiated FWEA contract includes:

• The establishment of a career ladder, which includes a pilot mentoring program to begin in the 2019-20 school year. Experienced teachers will receive $3,050 to mentor teachers who are new or new to the District.
• The creation of Curriculum Collaborators, teachers who are willing to write and pilot new curriculum at a rate of $45 per hour for additional hours worked.
• A one-time stipend of $1,500 for all teachers rated effective or highly effective based on their performance during the 2017-18 school year.
• An additional one-time stipend of $1,100 for teachers at the top of their salary schedule who were rated effective or highly effective based on their performance during the 2017-18 school year.
• A commitment agreement stipend for teachers in one of 20 schools identified by FWCS as being complex. Teachers who sign a commitment agreement to work at the school from 2019 through 2022 will receive a one-time bonus of $1,500.
• In addition, teachers at the 20 complex schools will receive $2,000 per year as a retention bonus through 2022.
• A one-time stipend of $3,500 for teachers who complete the coursework necessary to teach a dual-credit course.

The two-year AFSCME contract provides a 4 percent increase in wages effective at the start of the 2018-19 school year