Shall the School District vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Hampton School Board and the Seacoast Educational Association covering a three-year period from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028 which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing levels:
Year Estimated Increase
2025-26 $ 707,131
2026-27 $ 786,626
2027-28 $ 807,444
and further raise and appropriate the sum of $707,131 for the 2025-26 fiscal year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at current staffing levels in accordance with the most recent collective bargaining agreement? (Majority vote required.)
Recommended by the School Board 5-0-0. Recommended by the Municipal Budget Committee 8-0-0.
What it Means: The costs represent the negotiated agreement between the SAU 90 officials and the Teacher’s union. Staff members who are at the top step (43 out of 118 teachers) will receive a 2.27% increase. The “top step” has been affected by a compressed salary schedule due to a restructuring from 12 down to 11 Bachelors steps, and from 14 down to 13 Masters steps. The remaining staff (below the top salary level – about 64% of the 118) will receive a raise of 2.27%-5.9% depending on their position within the pay scale. Note that there is no compounding of increases, or of the cost to the taxpayer.
Those in favor say: SAU 90 is trying to adjust the salaries to be more competitive with SAU 21. Hampton Teacher salaries are significantly less than area school districts (Seabrook, Hampton Falls, North Hampton, South Hampton, Winnacunnet, Exeter, Portsmouth, and Stratham). This contract strives to make Hampton teacher salaries more competitive with neighboring towns by the third year of the contract, 2027-2028 (rather than attempting to catch up all at once). The proposed contract has moderate increases each year, and balances the needs of the taxpayers and those of the teachers.
Those opposed say: No one spoke against the negotiated agreement at the SAU 90 Deliberative Session.
Fiscal Impact: In the first year, the increased cost for the average home valued at $650,000 would be $117.00 (cost per thousand of .18). In the two subsequent years, the costs would become part of the Default budget.