Northeast PA Teacher Contract Comparison

Year	Step 16 MA Salary	Nominal Raise	Philadelphia CPI	Real Change	Value in 2022$
2022-23 (baseline)	$99,879	—	—	—	$99,879
2023-24	$99,879	0.0%	4.4%	-4.4% ⚠️	$95,670
2024-25	$101,877	+2.0%	3.6%	-1.6% ⚠️	$94,192
2025-26	$103,446	+1.5%	3.2%	-1.7% ⚠️	$92,677
2026-27	$105,670	+2.2%	2.5%	-0.4% ⚠️	$92,361
2027-28	$108,576	+2.8%	2.3%	+0.4% ✅	$92,767
NET (5 years)	+$8,697	+8.7%	~16.0%	-7.3% 📉	-$7,112

District	County	Starting (BA)	Starting (MA)	Max Salary	Steps	Avg Salary	Median	Data Quality
Stroudsburg AreaHIGHEST MA START	Monroe	$63,382	$76,422	$102,907	12	—	—	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active thru 2028
ParklandHIGHEST MA START	Lehigh	$63,065	$71,129	$92,927 MA / $112,927 Doct.	15	—	—	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active thru 2028
Easton Area	Northampton	$62,930	$66,500	$104,850	15	$93,231	$96,690	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active (settled May 2025)
Northampton Area	Northampton	$61,255	$64,403 (MA Step 1)	$112,287 (M+45 Step 15, 2028-29)	15	$90,212	$95,787	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active thru 2029
Saucon Valley	Northampton	$57,182	$61,960	$99,965 → $107,965	14	—	—	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active thru 2028
Nazareth Area	Northampton	$56,253	$58,836 ← LOWEST MA	$103,788	16	$87,595	$92,157	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active thru 2028
Wilson	Berks	$55,000	$62,439	$103,036	16 + ½-steps	—	—	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active thru 2027
East Stroudsburg Area	Monroe	$52,985	$62,266	$93,933	16	—	—	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active thru 2030
Bethlehem Area	Northampton/Lehigh	$51,254	$55,235	$95,981	15	—	—	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active thru 2029
Bangor Area	Northampton	$50,000	$60,000	$93,313	18	—	—	✅ Official Contract ❌ Expired Jun 2024
Pen Argyl Area	Northampton	$50,000	$51,425	$99,050	16	—	—	✅ Official Contract ✅ Active thru 2028

Year	Step 1 (BA)	Step 1 (MA)	Step 16 Max (M45)	Annual Increase (Step 1 BA)
2023–24	$55,668	$58,224	$101,753	—
2024–25 ◀ Current	$56,253	$58,836	$103,788	+$585 (+1.1%)
2025–26	$56,815	$59,424	$105,386	+$562 (+1.0%)
2026–27	$57,951	$60,613	$107,652	+$1,136 (+2.0%)
2027–28	$59,632	$62,370	$110,613	+$1,681 (+2.9%)

Step	B	B+12	B+24	M	M+15	M+30	M+45
1	$55,668	$55,882	$56,094	$58,224	$59,022	$59,819	$60,617
2	$57,130	$57,344	$57,555	$59,683	$60,481	$61,279	$62,077
3	$58,620	$58,833	$59,045	$61,172	$61,970	$62,768	$63,566
4	$60,108	$60,320	$60,533	$62,660	$63,458	$64,256	$65,053
5	$61,596	$61,809	$62,022	$64,150	$64,947	$65,745	$66,542
6	$63,085	$63,299	$63,511	$65,638	$66,436	$67,233	$68,032
7	$64,575	$64,787	$65,001	$67,127	$67,924	$68,723	$69,520
8	$65,933	$66,277	$66,488	$68,616	$69,414	$70,212	$71,010
9	—	$68,798	$69,009	$71,136	$71,934	$72,732	$73,530
10	—	$71,374	$71,587	$73,713	$74,512	$75,309	$76,106
11	—	$74,210	$74,423	$76,551	$77,348	$78,146	$78,944
12	—	$78,176	$78,176	$80,303	$81,100	$81,898	$82,696
13	—	$82,424	$82,424	$84,552	$85,349	$86,146	$86,945
14	—	$86,679	$86,679	$88,806	$89,603	$90,401	$91,199
15	—	$90,933	$90,933	$93,060	$93,858	$94,654	$95,453
16 ★	—	$97,676	$97,676	$99,879	$100,499	$101,118	$101,753

Step	B	B+12	B+24	M	M+15	M+30	M+45
1	$56,253	$56,468	$56,683	$58,836	$59,642	$60,447	$61,253
2	$57,730	$57,946	$58,160	$60,309	$61,116	$61,922	$62,729
3	$59,236	$59,450	$59,665	$61,815	$62,620	$63,427	$64,233
4	$60,739	$60,954	$61,168	$63,318	$64,125	$64,931	$65,736
5	$62,243	$62,458	$62,674	$64,823	$65,629	$66,435	$67,241
6	$63,747	$63,963	$64,178	$66,327	$67,133	$67,939	$68,746
7	$65,253	$65,467	$65,683	$67,832	$68,638	$69,444	$70,250
8	$66,625	$66,973	$67,186	$69,336	$70,143	$70,949	$71,756
9	—	$69,520	$69,734	$71,883	$72,689	$73,496	$74,302
10	—	$72,124	$72,338	$74,487	$75,294	$76,100	$76,906
11	—	$74,989	$75,205	$77,354	$78,160	$78,966	$79,773
12	—	$78,997	$78,997	$81,146	$81,951	$82,758	$83,564
13	—	$83,290	$83,290	$85,439	$86,245	$87,051	$87,858
14	—	$87,589	$87,589	$89,738	$90,544	$91,350	$92,157
15	—	$91,888	$91,888	$94,038	$94,843	$95,648	$96,455
16 ★	—	$99,630	$99,630	$101,877	$102,508	$103,140	$103,788

Step	B	B+12	B+24	M	M+15	M+30	M+45
1	$56,815	$57,033	$57,250	$59,424	$60,238	$61,052	$61,866
2	$58,308	$58,526	$58,741	$60,912	$61,727	$62,541	$63,356
3	$59,828	$60,045	$60,262	$62,433	$63,247	$64,062	$64,875
4	$61,346	$61,563	$61,780	$63,951	$64,766	$65,580	$66,394
5	$62,866	$63,082	$63,300	$65,471	$66,285	$67,099	$67,913
6	$64,385	$64,603	$64,820	$66,991	$67,805	$68,619	$69,433
7	$65,905	$66,122	$66,340	$68,510	$69,324	$70,139	$70,953
8	$67,291	$67,642	$67,858	$70,029	$70,844	$71,658	$72,473
9	—	$70,215	$70,431	$72,602	$73,416	$74,231	$75,045
10	—	$72,845	$73,062	$75,232	$76,047	$76,861	$77,675
11	—	$75,739	$75,957	$78,128	$78,942	$79,756	$80,571
12	—	$79,787	$79,787	$81,958	$82,771	$83,586	$84,399
13	—	$84,123	$84,123	$86,294	$87,108	$87,922	$88,736
14	—	$88,465	$88,465	$90,636	$91,450	$92,264	$93,079
15	—	$92,807	$92,807	$94,978	$95,792	$96,605	$97,420
16 ★	—	$101,164	$101,164	$103,446	$104,087	$104,728	$105,386

Step	B	B+12	B+24	M	M+15	M+30	M+45
1	$57,951	$58,174	$58,395	$60,613	$61,443	$62,273	$63,103
2	$59,474	$59,696	$59,916	$62,131	$62,962	$63,792	$64,623
3	$61,024	$61,246	$61,467	$63,681	$64,512	$65,343	$66,173
4	$62,573	$62,794	$63,016	$65,230	$66,061	$66,891	$67,722
5	$64,123	$64,344	$64,566	$66,781	$67,611	$68,441	$69,271
6	$65,673	$65,895	$66,116	$68,331	$69,161	$69,991	$70,822
7	$67,223	$67,445	$67,667	$69,880	$70,710	$71,542	$72,372
8	$68,637	$68,995	$69,216	$71,430	$72,261	$73,091	$73,923
9	—	$71,620	$71,840	$74,054	$74,884	$75,716	$76,546
10	—	$74,302	$74,523	$76,737	$77,568	$78,398	$79,228
11	—	$77,254	$77,476	$79,691	$80,521	$81,351	$82,182
12	—	$81,383	$81,383	$83,597	$84,426	$85,257	$86,087
13	—	$85,805	$85,805	$88,020	$88,850	$89,680	$90,511
14	—	$90,234	$90,234	$92,449	$93,279	$94,109	$94,940
15	—	$94,663	$94,663	$96,878	$97,708	$98,537	$99,368
16 ★	—	$103,339	$103,339	$105,670	$106,325	$106,980	$107,652

Step	B	B+12	B+24	M	M+15	M+30	M+45
1	$59,632	$59,861	$60,088	$62,370	$63,225	$64,079	$64,933
2	$61,198	$61,427	$61,654	$63,932	$64,788	$65,642	$66,497
3	$62,794	$63,022	$63,250	$65,528	$66,382	$67,238	$68,092
4	$64,388	$64,615	$64,843	$67,122	$67,977	$68,831	$69,686
5	$65,982	$66,210	$66,439	$68,718	$69,572	$70,426	$71,280
6	$67,577	$67,806	$68,033	$70,312	$71,166	$72,021	$72,876
7	$69,173	$69,400	$69,629	$71,907	$72,761	$73,616	$74,471
8	$70,628	$70,996	$71,223	$73,501	$74,357	$75,211	$76,066
9	—	$73,697	$73,923	$76,202	$77,056	$77,911	$78,766
10	—	$76,457	$76,684	$78,962	$79,817	$80,671	$81,526
11	—	$79,494	$79,723	$82,002	$82,856	$83,710	$84,565
12	—	$83,743	$83,743	$86,021	$86,874	$87,730	$88,584
13	—	$88,293	$88,293	$90,572	$91,426	$92,281	$93,136
14	—	$92,851	$92,851	$95,130	$95,984	$96,838	$97,693
15	—	$97,408	$97,408	$99,687	$100,541	$101,394	$102,250
16 ★	—	$106,181	$106,181	$108,576	$109,249	$109,922	$110,613

⭐ Nazareth Non-Salary Scorecard — How Does Nazareth Stack Up?🏆 #1
Retirement Benefit
Final salary+1%/yr into TSA — best in region
🏆 #1
Disability Insurance
LTD to Social Security retirement age
🏆 #1
Jury Duty
Full salary + keeps ALL jury pay (double benefit)
Top Tier
PD Pay
$38/hr for after-school meetings; 45-hr cap then done
Low Cost
Health Insurance
PPO: $31.90–$85.98/pay — among lowest in region
Average
Personal Days
3/yr with $100/day cash-out option (Easton has 4)
Below Avg
Sick Day Payout
$40/day — lowest flat rate; Stroudsburg pays $100
Below Avg
Bereavement Leave
3 days — peers average 5 for immediate family
None
Longevity Pay
No service bonus regardless of years; 4 of 11 districts same
More Days
Work Year
189 days vs. ESASD's 184 — 5 more days per year

🚨 Health Insurance Waiver — Nazareth Pays $0 · Peers Pay Up to $4,800/yr

Teachers who decline district health coverage because they have coverage elsewhere (spouse's employer, military, Medicare, etc.) save the district $12,000–$20,000/year in premium costs. Most neighboring districts share some of that savings back. Nazareth does not.

Nazareth annual waiver payment — no provision exists

$4,800/yr

Northampton Area SD ($400/mo)

$3,600/yr

Wilson SD (family coverage tier)

$3,000/yr

Bangor Area SD ($250/mo)

$1,500/yr

Parkland SD

$1,000/yr

Saucon Valley SD

$500/yr

Pen Argyl Area SD

District	Annual Waiver Payment	Notes
Northampton Area	$4,800/yr ($400/mo)	Verified in CBA
Wilson SD	$1,200–$3,600/yr	Scales with coverage level; $3,600 for family opt-out
Bangor Area	$3,000/yr ($250/mo)	Requires proof of all 4 benefit types (medical, dental, vision, Rx)
Parkland SD	$1,500/yr	Verified in CBA
Saucon Valley	$1,000/yr	Verified in CBA
Pen Argyl Area	$500/yr	Verified in CBA
Nazareth Area ⭐	$0 — no provision	Contract is completely silent on opt-out payments
Bethlehem, East Stroudsburg, Easton, Stroudsburg	$0 — no provision	No waiver language found

💡 The Opt-Out Argument: A teacher with outside coverage saves Nazareth an estimated $12,000–$20,000/year in health insurance premiums. They receive nothing in return. Northampton pays $4,800/year for the exact same situation. Over the 5-year contract term, that's $24,000 in foregone compensation vs. Northampton alone.

Proposed contract language: "A bargaining unit member who provides proof of alternative health coverage and waives enrollment in District health benefits shall receive an annual payment of $[X] paid in equal installments. The payment shall be prorated for partial years."

🤒 Sick Leave — Full Comparison

⚠️ Golden Handcuff Alert: Sick Day Transferability
PA law (Act 97) allows districts to accept sick days transferred from other districts — but does not require it. Whether and how many days transfer is entirely a negotiated CBA term. A teacher with 150 accumulated sick days who switches districts without a transfer provision loses them all — at a $50–100/day payout value, that can exceed $15,000 in lost retirement benefit. It's a powerful, often invisible retention tool.

Regional winner: Wilson School District — the only contract in this comparison that explicitly allows up to 25 days transferred from another district. No other district comes close. Nazareth's contract does not address sick day transfer at all.

District	Days/Year	Accumulation	Family Sick Use	Transfer In	Retirement Payout Rate	Payout Notes
Bangor	11	Unlimited	15 days/yr	Not addressed	$50/day	Max 210 days
Bethlehem	11	Unlimited	5 days/yr (household)	Not addressed	$45/day or health coverage	40 days = 1 yr retiree health coverage — very valuable
East Stroudsburg	10	Unlimited	10 days/yr	Usable; excluded from payout	Current sub rate	Max 220 days (20+ yrs ESASD)
Easton	10	Unlimited	5–10 days/yr	Not addressed	$50/day (post-2014)	Pre-2014 hires: 25% salary × days — can be $15K+
Nazareth ⭐	10	Unlimited	5 days/yr (not cumulative)	Not addressed	$40/day OR final salary+1%/yr	15+ yrs service: final salary provision is exceptional
Northampton	10	Unlimited	Per bereavement def.	Usable; excluded from payout	$90/day	20+ yrs Northampton service required
Parkland	10 + extras	Unlimited	5 days/yr	Not found	$75/day	12+ yrs Parkland; sick+personal combined
Pen Argyl	10	Cumulative	Not separated	Not addressed	Incentive structure	$10,000 + $750/yr service
Saucon Valley	10	Unlimited	12 days/yr	Not addressed	$50/day	5+ yrs Saucon Valley service
Stroudsburg	10	Unlimited	10 days/yr	Not addressed	$100/day	Illness + personal days combined; highest flat rate
Wilson	10	Unlimited	10 days/yr	Up to 25 days ✅	$50/day	Max 125 days cap on payout ($6,250 max)

💡 Nazareth's $40/day payout is the lowest flat rate in the region. However, the final-salary provision (15+ yrs) is the single best retirement benefit available anywhere in this comparison group.

📚 Professional Development — During Work Hours vs. Your Own Time

✅ Nazareth Advantage: Paid After-School PD with a Cap
Nazareth pays $38/hr for after-school instructional meetings (increasing $1/hr per year of contract). More importantly: once a teacher completes 45 PD hours, they have no further meeting attendance obligation for the year. Compare this to East Stroudsburg where up to 3 after-school meetings/month are completely unpaid.

District	In-Day PD Days	After-School Meetings	Compensation	Own-Time PD Obligation
Bangor	5–7 days	2/month ≤45 min	Unpaid	ACT 48 entirely teacher's responsibility
Bethlehem	5 full days	1/month ≤60 min (in salary)	Included in salary	B-Flex: 6–12 hrs own time replaces 1–2 in-service days
East Stroudsburg	4 days (8:30–2:00)	Up to 3/month ≤1 hr	Unpaid	Graduate credit on own time
Easton	7–8 days (5.5 hrs)	18 days with 60-min meeting built into shortened workday	Within work day (no extra)	On own time
Nazareth ⭐	3 days (6 hrs each)	6 after-school ≤1.5 hr (paid) + 8 faculty mtgs ≤1 hr	$38/hr paid	District-approved PLO (9 hrs/yr) may be after-school
Northampton	8 professional days	8 required ≤1 hr	Within contracted time	8 hrs online mandatory training/yr
Parkland	In calendar	Up to 19 hrs/yr for meetings, open houses, conferences	Unpaid	Parkland Academy PD; formal Act 48 joint committee
Pen Argyl	3 days	Up to 4/month ≤8 hrs/day	Standard	Graduate credit on own time
Saucon Valley	2 half-days	Pre/post prep 2×/week (within work day, max 6×/month)	Within work day	Graduate credit on own time (GSC approval)
Stroudsburg	3 Act 80 days (6.5 hrs)	2/month ≤1 hr; 2 evening/yr	Unpaid; evening accrues to personal day (8 hrs = 1 day)	Graduate credit on own time
Wilson	In calendar	Board-approved only	$37/hr if board pre-approved	Graduate credit on own time

💡 45-Hour Cap: Once Nazareth teachers reach 45 PD hours for the year, no further after-school meeting attendance is required. This is a hard ceiling that protects evenings — unique in this comparison group.

📅 Work Day & Work Year

District	Work Day	Total Work Days	Student Days	In-Service Days	Notable
East StroudsburgFewest Days	7h 30m	184	180	4	Lowest total days in region
Bangor	7h 40m	185 (tenured) / 187 (new)	180	5 (tenured) / 7 (new)	Duty-free 30-min lunch
Pen Argyl	7h 30m	185	180	3 + 1 orientation + 1 closing	Last 4 instructional days: early dismissal
Stroudsburg	Not stated	186	180	3 Act 80 (6.5 hrs)	First teacher day = classroom prep only
Wilson	7h 30m	188	~180	In calendar	Conference comp time policy
Northampton	7h 41m	188	~180	8 professional days	Longest contractual work day in comparison
Easton	7h 40m (or 7h 20m + 60-min mtg)	187–188	180	7–8 (5.5 hr days)	Some remote days
Nazareth ⭐	7h 30m	189	180	3 (6 hrs each)	Columbus Day, MLK Day, Thanksgiving Mon off
ParklandNew Hire: 198!	≤7h 20m	190 (veteran) / 198 (new yr 1)	~180	In calendar	New hires work 8 more days in year 1; shortest work day
Bethlehem	7h 30m	190	184	7 (3 Act 80 + B-Flex outside day)	B-Flex done outside regular day
Saucon ValleyMost Days	7h 30m	≤192	184	2 half-days + 2 evening events	Highest total days; 4 emergency days built in

⚠️ Nazareth's 189-day year is 5 days more than East Stroudsburg's 184 — representing nearly a full week of additional work annually with no additional pay. Parkland has the shortest contractual work day (≤7h 20m).

🏥 Health Insurance — Premium Contributions

District	Plan Type	Employee Share	Assessment	Notable
Northampton	PPO	$105–115/month flat	Very Low ✅	Also offers $400/month opt-out cash
Nazareth ⭐ (PPO)	Traditional OR PPO	PPO: $31.90–$85.98/pay (26×/yr) Traditional: $50.99–$133.33/pay	Among Lowest ✅	Traditional plan grandfathered for pre-2019 hires; PPO costs are regional best
Stroudsburg	PPO or Custom	2–4% capped $40–50/pay (PPO)	Low ✅	Cap provides cost certainty
Saucon Valley (PPO2)	PPO Plan 2	3–6% of premium	Low ✅	New hires only; dental $2K/yr; vision included
Bangor	Capital Blue PPO	$25–67/pay flat (26 pays)	Moderate	Deductible $400–$1,200
Easton	Indemnity or PPO	$1,930–$2,190/year fixed	Moderate	Pre-2016 hires have traditional plan; $5K/yr retiree HRA
East Stroudsburg	Highmark PPO Blue	$55–70/pay period	Moderate	$2,000 hearing aid benefit every 2 yrs
Parkland	PPO options	Core: $120–310/month; Budget: $50–170/month	Moderate to High	Two plan choices
Pen Argyl	Multiple options	~$219/month single	Moderate	$500/yr opt-out cash
Saucon Valley (PPO1)	PPO Plan 1	10–12.5% of premium	Moderate	More comprehensive than PPO2
Wilson	Berks County Trust	14–15% of annual premium	Highest ❌	Opt-out cash: $1,200–$3,600/yr; dental included

✅ Nazareth's PPO premium ($31.90/pay single = ~$829/yr) is among the best in the region. Wilson's 14–15% of premium can translate to $1,500–$2,500+/year depending on plan costs.

🛡️ Disability Insurance

✅ Nazareth #1: LTD to Social Security Normal Retirement Age
If a Nazareth teacher becomes disabled at age 40, they receive 60% of salary until they would have reached Social Security retirement age (currently 67) — potentially 27 years of coverage. No other district in this comparison matches this duration.

District	Type	Benefit Amount	Elimination Period	Duration
Nazareth ⭐	LTD (district-paid)	60% monthly salary	30 consecutive work days (waived if using sick leave)	To Social Security normal retirement age 🏆
Northampton	LTD (district-paid)	50% salary, max $1,500/mo	31st day or sick days expiration	To age 70
Parkland	STD + LTD (both district-paid)	STD: 66-2/3%; LTD: 66-2/3%	STD: 15th day; LTD: 90 days	STD: 11 wks; LTD: 5 yrs (pre-60)
Wilson	LTD (district-paid)	Per carrier plan	Per carrier	To age 65
East Stroudsburg	LTD (PSBA III)	60% salary, max $5,000/mo	Greater of sick days or 90 days	Not specified
Saucon Valley	Integrated income protection (district-paid)	50% salary, max $3,000/mo	30 days or sick days	Sickness: 2 yrs; Accident: 5 yrs
Easton	Income protection	55% salary, max $1,500/pay period	30 days or sick days exhausted	~1 year
Stroudsburg	District-funded	66-2/3% salary, max $500/day	—	1 year only
Bangor	District-funded disability	$60/day flat	After sick + 10 continuous days	Up to 2 years

💼 Life Insurance

District	Amount	Basis	Example at $70K Salary
StroudsburgBest	1.5× salary	—	$105,000
Easton	1.2× salary	Rounded to nearest $1,000	$84,000
Nazareth ⭐	1× salary	Rounded to nearest $1,000	$70,000
Northampton	1× salary (max $50,000)	With double indemnity AD&D	$50,000 (capped)
Saucon Valley	1× salary (min $20,000)	Rounded; AD&D included	$70,000
Pen Argyl	1× salary (min $12,000)	—	$70,000
Bangor	$34,000–$50,000 (1× capped)	—	$50,000 (capped)
East Stroudsburg	$50,000 flat	—	$50,000 (flat)
Parkland	$50,000 flat	—	$50,000 (flat)
Wilson	$50,000 flat	—	$50,000 (flat)

Nazareth's 1× salary is better than flat-dollar districts but below Stroudsburg (150%) and Easton (120%). For a teacher at Step 16 ($103K), Nazareth = $103K coverage vs. Stroudsburg's $154K.

🎓 Retirement Benefits

✅ Nazareth's Final Salary Provision: Best in Region by a Wide Margin
After 15+ consecutive years at Nazareth, the district makes a non-elective TSA contribution equal to your final year's salary + 1% × years of service. For a Step 16 / M+45 teacher earning $110,613 in 2027–28 with 25 years of service: $110,613 + 25% = ~$138,266 deposited into retirement in a single year. This dwarfs every other retirement benefit in this comparison. Must notify superintendent by March 1 of final year of employment.

District	Retirement Sick Day Payout	Payout Rate	Cap / Conditions	Other Retirement Benefit
Nazareth ⭐	$40/day (alternative option)	$40/day	30 total PSERS yrs, 10 at Nazareth	Final salary + 1%/yr service → TSA (15+ yrs) 🏆
Stroudsburg	Illness + personal days combined	$100/day	No stated cap	First teacher day = classroom prep; flexible sabbatical
Northampton	$90/day	$90/day	20+ yrs Northampton service required	$400/month opt-out cash during career
Parkland	$75/day	$75/day	12+ yrs Parkland service; sick+personal combined	STD+LTD dual disability protection
Bethlehem	$45/day OR health coverage	$45/day	≤90 days OR 40 days = 1 yr health coverage	Retiree health: sick days → years of coverage (most complex/valuable retiree benefit)
Bangor	$50/day	$50/day	Max 210 days	Attendance incentive up to $350/yr
East Stroudsburg	Current sub rate	~Sub rate	Max 220 days (20+ yrs); transferred days excluded	District pays health premiums: age 60+, 25 yrs service, 15 at ESASD
Easton	$50/day (post-2014)	$50/day	Pre-2014: 25% salary × days	$5,000/yr retiree HRA for qualifying retirees
Saucon Valley	$50/day	$50/day	5+ yrs Saucon Valley service	6 yrs post-retirement health coverage or 50% lump sum cash
Wilson	$50/day	$50/day	Max 125 days cap ($6,250 max)	$2,000/yr longevity from year 28
Pen Argyl	Incentive structure	—	$10,000 + $750/yr service (5 monthly installments)	—

📆 Personal Days

District	Days/Year	Carryover	Cash-Out Option	Restrictions
EastonMost Days	4	Cumulative (no limit); max 5 used/year	None	10% building limit; waived in retirement year
Nazareth ⭐	3	Convert to sick OR $100/day cash-out	Yes — $100/day	Daily limits by building; Sept 15–May 31 window
Bangor	3	1 day carries forward; excess → sick	No	Not first/last 10 student days; 10% rule
Bethlehem	3	Unused → sick leave	No	24-hour notice; 5% limit per building
East Stroudsburg	3	Max 2 carry; excess → sick	No	Not in-service days; not start/end of year; 5% limit
Northampton	3	1 day cumulative to sick or bonus; max 5 total	No	Not first 5 or last 10 student days
Parkland	3	Unlimited cumulative; max 5/year	No	Superintendent approval for >5
Pen Argyl	3	1 day carries forward; excess → sick	No	4% limit per day; 3-day advance notice
Saucon Valley	3	Cumulative to max 5; excess → sick (max 2/yr)	No	10% building limit
Stroudsburg	3	Cumulative to max 5; excess → sick	No	Not before start or last 10 days of year
Wilson	3	Cumulative to max 5; 10% building limit	No	Standard restrictions

Nazareth is one of only two districts with anything special about personal days: the $100/day cash-out option provides meaningful flexibility. Easton is the only district with 4 personal days.

🕊️ Bereavement Leave

District	Immediate Family Days	Near Relative Days	Friend/Other
Bethlehem	Up to 5	1	No
East Stroudsburg	5 (spouse/parent/child); 3 (other immediate)	1	No
Easton	Up to 5 (Superintendent may extend)	1	1 sick day/year for funeral of friend
Northampton	Up to 5	1	1 sick day/year for funeral of friend
Pen Argyl	Up to 5 (within 7 days of death)	1 (funeral day only)	No
Saucon Valley	5 (immediate); 3 (other immediate)	1	No
Bangor	3	1	No
Nazareth ⭐	3	1	No
Stroudsburg	3	1 (Board may extend)	No
Wilson	3	1	No

⚠️ Nazareth's 3-day bereavement leave is below the regional average. Six of the ten comparison districts provide 5 days for immediate family loss.

🎓 Tuition Reimbursement

District	Basis	Annual Limit	Payback Requirement	Notable
East Stroudsburg	ESU rate	9 IU credits; others at actual cost ≤ESU rate	Complex tiered 4-yr sliding scale	Generous terms beyond 24 credits
Northampton	ESU rate	9 credits/year	Pro-rata 1/36 per month (3-yr window)	Exempt if PSERS superannuation/disability
Stroudsburg	ESU rate	9 credits/year	Level II: repay if resign within 1 year	Level I teachers reimbursed at 100%
Bangor	PA State System in-state grad rate	12 (in program) / 6 (not in program)	Sliding scale 100%→25% over 8 semesters	NBC/CCC stipend $1,000/yr
Easton	ESU rate	6 (9 for Level I teachers)	Sliding 80%→40% (1–3 yrs)	$2,500/yr NBC stipend — highest in region
Nazareth ⭐	Dollar cap	$3,000/year	Year 1: 100%; Year 2: 75%; Year 3: 50%	Masters auto-approved; hardship waiver available
Saucon Valley	ESU rate	6/year (more with GSC approval)	Full repayment if leave within 1 year	Caps at M+45; GSC joint committee oversight
Wilson	PA State System rate	6/year	Stay 1 year after; no illness exemption	$175,000 annual district pool (may be pro-rated)
Parkland	Kutztown rate	Not specified	Not found	Doctoral/NBC eligible for 100%
Bethlehem	Kutztown rate	12 full-time / 9 on leave	LOAN not GRANT — unusual	25% forgiven per year of service; creates debt risk

Nazareth's $3,000/year dollar cap is favorable for cheaper in-state courses but can fall short for more expensive programs. Northampton and Stroudsburg's 9 ESU credits/year offer the most flexibility.

🏅 Longevity Pay

❌ Nazareth Has No Longevity Pay
Nazareth provides no service-based longevity bonus at any career milestone. A teacher with 30 years at Nazareth earns the same as a teacher at Step 16 in the same lane — there is no acknowledgment of long service beyond the step schedule. Four of eleven districts are in the same position (Bangor, Parkland, Stroudsburg), but seven districts do provide some form of longevity recognition.

District	Structure	Years Required	Amount
WilsonMost	Annual bonus	Starting year 28	$2,000/year ongoing
Bethlehem	Added to annual salary	20, 25, 30 yrs (3 tiers)	Per salary schedule Exhibit A
Northampton	Added to salary	25 yrs: $1,400; 30 yrs: $2,000	$1,400 → $2,000
Easton	Annual payment	20–30+ yrs (tiered)	$300–$1,500/yr (range over contract)
Pen Argyl	Added to salary (⚠️ sunsets 2028)	30+ PSERS service	$1,000/year until contract expires
Saucon Valley	3-year window payment	Age 55+, M+45, 15 yrs Saucon Valley	$1,000/year for 3 years
Nazareth ⭐	None	—	—
Bangor	None	—	—
Parkland	None	—	—
Stroudsburg	None	—	—

⚖️ Jury Duty

✅ Nazareth: Full Pay + Keeps ALL Jury Compensation
Nazareth teachers receive their full district salary while on jury duty AND keep all jury compensation paid by the court. This is a true double benefit — no other district explicitly provides both. Most peer districts that let employees keep jury pay do so without explicit double-benefit language.

District	District Pays Full Salary?	Employee Keeps Jury Pay?	Rating
Nazareth ⭐	Yes	Yes — ALL compensation	🏆 Best
East Stroudsburg	Yes	Yes	Favorable
Northampton	Yes	Yes (excl. transportation)	Favorable
Stroudsburg	Yes (no travel allowance from district)	Yes	Favorable
Wilson	Yes	Yes	Favorable
Easton	Yes	Partially — keeps transportation only; remits rest	Partial
Bethlehem	Yes	No — employee writes check to district	Unfavorable
Pen Argyl	Full pay less jury compensation	No	Unfavorable

📋 Other Notable Contract Provisions

✅ Nazareth Advantages

Personal time protection: After 6pm on school days and ALL weekends are contractually designated as personal time — district cannot demand it
Seniority across all certifications: Applies to all current certifications for bumping in RIF — broader protection than most districts
Association leave: 10 days/year (max 5 per individual) — most generous in region; association pays substitute cost
Child rearing leave: Explicit same-position guarantee on return — better than most contracts
Retiree health coverage: District pays 3 yrs individual coverage for 25+ PSERS yrs, 15 consecutive at Nazareth

⚠️ Nazareth Gaps

No sick day transfer: Contract silent — mid-career movers lose accumulated days from prior district
No longevity pay: No service-based recognition at any milestone
189-day year: 5 more days than East Stroudsburg's 184
Lowest sick day payout: $40/day flat rate vs. $100 at Stroudsburg
No class size protection: Contract silent on class sizes
No attendance incentive: Unlike Bangor ($350/yr), Pen Argyl ($300), Stroudsburg ($225)

📊 Work Hour Protections

Prep time: 40 consecutive min/day during student day (elem); HS 1 block alternating days
After-hours meetings capped: 45-hour annual PD cap; after-school meetings paid $38/hr
Parkland comparison: Parkland has 7 HS preps/week vs. Nazareth's alternating block — Parkland more generous on prep
Grievance procedure: 4-step process with binding arbitration — standard and effective

💪 Negotiation Opportunities — Where to Push

These are the areas where Nazareth is weakest relative to peers, ranked by potential value to teachers:

Sick Day Payout Rate High Priority
Nazareth pays $40/day — the lowest flat rate in the region. Stroudsburg pays $100/day, Northampton $90/day, Parkland $75/day. A teacher retiring with 180 sick days receives $7,200 at Nazareth vs. $18,000 at Stroudsburg. Ask for: Increase to at least $65–75/day; or a tiered structure based on years of service.
Sick Day Transferability High Priority
No other contract provision does more to attract mid-career talent than accepting transferred sick days. Wilson accepts 25. Consider asking for even 10–15 days to become competitive. Ask for: Accept up to 15–20 transferred sick days from any PA public school district.
Bereavement Leave Medium Priority
3 days is below average — 6 of 11 comparison districts provide up to 5. This is a low-cost item for the district and highly meaningful to employees. Ask for: Increase to 5 days for immediate family loss (spouse, parent, child, sibling).
Longevity Pay Medium Priority
Zero longevity pay at any milestone. Wilson pays $2,000/yr from year 28; Northampton adds $1,400–$2,000 to salary at 25/30 years. With no longevity, experienced teachers at the top step have no additional financial reason to stay. Ask for: $500–$1,000/yr bonus at year 20, $1,500/yr at year 25, $2,000/yr at year 30.
Work Year Length Medium Priority
At 189 days, Nazareth is among the longer work years in the region vs. East Stroudsburg's 184. Each extra day has real value — either in compensation or reduction. Ask for: Reduce to 186 days; or add 1 personal day to compensate for above-average work year.
Life Insurance Lower Priority
1× salary is standard but below Stroudsburg (1.5×) and Easton (1.2×). Ask for: Increase to 1.25× salary — low cost for district, meaningful to teachers with families.
Sick Day Attendance Incentive Lower Priority
Bangor ($350), Pen Argyl ($300), and Stroudsburg ($225) all provide annual cash bonuses for low sick day use. Nazareth has none. Ask for: $200–$300/year cash incentive for using 3 or fewer sick days.

🔒 Don't Trade Away: The retirement final-salary provision, the LTD to SS retirement age, and the jury duty double-benefit are among the best non-salary provisions in the region. These should be protected in any negotiation.

📋 Data Sources & Methodology

Nazareth Area SD: Full salary schedules extracted directly from the NAEA Contract Extension (SY23–28), Provided via official contract. All figures are confirmed official contract values.
Northampton Area SD: Official salary schedule PDF retrieved from NASD server (fy25teachersalaryschedulepriortosy25.pdf, created March 2024).
All other districts: Salary ranges are estimates based on PA Department of Education average salary data, PSEA contract benchmarks, and comparable district analysis. Most districts do not publicly post salary schedules.
Average/median salary data: GovSalaries.com public salary data for 2024–2025.

⚠️ Important Caveats

Estimated ranges for non-Nazareth/non-Northampton districts should be treated as directional only — actual schedules may differ.
To get exact salary schedules for other districts, file a Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) request — free, districts must respond within 5 business days. File at: openrecords.pa.gov
Nazareth's contract is an extension of a prior CBA (executed September 27, 2022, extended to cover SY23–28).
Health insurance costs for employees at Northampton Area and other districts were not obtained — comparison is salary only.

🔗 Useful Links

Northampton Area SD HR: nasdschools.org
Easton Area SD Union Contracts: eastonsd.org
East Stroudsburg Area SD: esasd.net
PA Open Records (RTKL filing): openrecords.pa.gov
PA Dept. of Education salary data: education.pa.gov

💬 Community Suggestions

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💪 Negotiation Toolkit → 🛠️ Union Tools → 🔍 Stroudsburg Deep Dive → 🔍 Northampton Deep Dive → 🔍 Nazareth Deep Dive → 🔍 East Stroudsburg Deep Dive → 🔍 Easton Deep Dive →

📬 Feedback

📉 Cost of Living Is Outpacing Pay — Real Wages Are Declining

📋 Executive Summary — NAEA Contract Negotiation

💰 Salary — Where We Stand

🧊 The Step Freeze Legacy

🏥 Health Insurance Waiver

⏰ Working Conditions — Mixed Picture

✅ Where Nazareth Is Strong

🎯 Priority Negotiating Asks

🛡️ Don't Trade Away Nazareth's Strongest Provisions

⭐ Nazareth Area School District (Our District) — Official 2024–25 Data

💡 Key Takeaways

📄 Nazareth Area SD — Contract Key Terms

⚠️ Notable Contract Observations

🏥 Health Insurance (PPO Plan — New Employees)

🏥 Health Insurance (Traditional Plan — Pre-2019 Hires)

💊 Prescription Drug

🦷 Dental & 👁️ Vision

🛡️ Life Insurance & Disability

🎓 Retirement Bonus

📅 Leave & Other

💰 Extra Pay (EPED)

⭐ Nazareth Non-Salary Scorecard — How Does Nazareth Stack Up?