Contract talks begin between Decorah teachers and the Decorah School District

Representatives from the Decorah Education Association met Thursday afternoon with Decorah School Board members to present the teachers' initial offer for the 2020-2021 school year.

The Decorah Education Association is proposing adding $400 to the base salary for teachers for the coming school year.

The second part of the proposal from the teachers' group involves action taken by the Iowa Legislature in 2017 to reduce a salary step increase which had been previously negotiated.  Last year the Decorah School Board agreed to restore one-quarter of the salary step taken away by the legislature.  This year the DEA is proposing that the school board restore 2/4ths of the lost salary step.

A statement from the Decorah Education Association says, "We do not hold the Decorah School Board responsible for the position teachers are in--teachers across the state of Iowa face similar situations."

The Decorah School Board will meet at 4:00 Friday afternoon with DEA representatives to make the school district's initial 2020-2021 contract offer.