Portland teachers returned to the classroom Wednesday morning with a new contract.
During a Tuesday night meeting at Casco Bay High School, the Portland Board of Public Education voted to approve a new three-year agreement with the Portland Education Association.
The school board first came to the agreement with the association this past summer.
It includes a 1 percent salary increase in the first year, and a 2.5 percent increase in the second and third years.
The current starting pay for teachers in Maine is $30,000.
In a statement, school board chair Roberto Rodriguez said this decision shows how both groups support Maine teachers and want to bring the best to the district.
“This Board values and supports our teachers,” Rodriguez said. “We are happy we were able to find much common ground with the Association and we firmly believe this agreement will lead to better educational outcomes for Portland students and help us to further the ‘People’ goal in the Portland Promise.”
The new contract is in effect through August 2022.