On March 11, 2026, the Board of Education voted to approve a new four-year teacher contract.
The agreement demonstrates value to our extraordinary teachers while maintaining strong financial stewardship, supporting both the current and future success of our students and school community.
Highlights include:
- An estimated average earnings increase for teachers of 21% over the four-year contract, reflecting an average 25% increase to base salaries over that same time period.
- Improvements to benefits including increased District contributions toward health insurance, increased sick days and other leaves, and increased District contributions toward retirement benefits.
- Workplace enhancements such as improved clarity around planning time and new opportunities for increased staff input into administrative decisions.
Costs associated with salaries and benefits in the new contract are approximately $55 million over four years, which accounts for approximately 60% of projected operating expenditures during the four years.
Please find more information in the summary of contract terms and the full contract.
Community members are welcome to attend the Board of Education at 7pm on April 7, 2026, at Roosevelt, which will include a presentation of the key contract elements.
The new contract will go into effect immediately, with adjustments pertaining to the 2025-26 school year made retroactively over the coming months.
The contract was ratified by the River Forest Education Association (RFEA), the local teachers’ union, on March 5, 2026. It reflects the Tentative Agreement reached on February 20, 2026 by negotiation teams representing the District and the RFEA.