St. Cloud teachers approve new contract

An official with the teachers union office in St. Cloud says teachers voted to approve the new contract Thursday. The school board ratified the contract during an evening meeting.

Negotiations between teachers and the St. Cloud school district began last year. Teachers have been working under their old contract for more than a year.

The new deal includes a 2 percent pay raise for teachers in each of the next two years. Teachers at the top the pay scale will receive a 2.5 percent raise.

The contract also increases benefits by about 7 percent.

The St. Cloud school district still faces a $250,000 penalty, for not settling the contract by a state-mandated Jan. 15 deadline.

The statewide teachers union Education Minnesota says 13 Minnesota districts still haven't ratified teacher contracts.