Decorah teachers and school board reach tentative agreement

The Decorah Education Association and the Decorah Community School Board have reached a tentative agreement on a master contract for the 2010-2011 school year..

The two sides had been heading towards arbitration, but the latest meeting between the two sides produced an agreement calling for a 2.99 percent total package increase (a 2.34 percent increase in actual salaries), which includes a transfer of health insurance dollars into salary.

The agreement also includes some changes in teacher evaluation language and language that clarifies the extent of the school year.

A joint statement released by the two sides Wednesday afternoon stated, "The administration and the DEA worked together to generate an agreement that works for the benefit of the school district."