The Prior Lake-Savage Area School Board approved the 2025-27 contract settlement with the Prior Lake Savage Education Association (PLSEA).

Members of PLSEA have been working without a contract since the previous contract expired on July 1, 2025.

Executive Director of Administrative Services Rob Cothern presented the proposed terms and conditions of the contract during the March 23 board study session. This agreement was created by the school board’s staff negotiation committee and representatives of PLSEA.

Some highlights of the agreement include salary increases for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years based on teachers’ years of experience and completed level of education. Medical and dental insurance were also increased for both school years.

The updated contract also reestablished the “meet and confer” process to meet four times each school year. Two personal leave days were approved as part of the contract, with a maximum of seven days to be used each year.

The committee also updated the calendar for the coming school year that adjusted the contact days for both students and teachers. The impact of these changes is a reduction of one student contact day for elementary and high school students. Teacher contracts will be reduced by two days, going from 185 days to 183 days for the 2026-27 school year.

Cothern said that because the students are scheduled for the minimum 165 contact days during the next school year, all inclement weather days will be e-learning days.

“Reaching this tentative agreement is the result of months of hard work, transparency, and a shared commitment to our students and staff,” Cothern stated. “Negotiations are rarely easy, but the spirit of mutual respect shown throughout this process has been outstanding.”

School board members gave unanimous approval to the new contract.