🔍 Stroudsburg Contract Deep Dive

Stroudsburg Area Education Association (SAEA) · Stroudsburg Area School District

Current Contract: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2027 Executed January 17, 2024 Active Through 2027

💪 Toolkit Stroudsburg Northampton Nazareth E. Stroudsburg Easton

📄 Source: All data on this page is extracted from the full SAEA–Stroudsburg Area School District CBA, July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2027, executed January 17, 2024. Salary schedules, benefits, and working conditions reflect the complete ratified agreement.

📋 Contract Status: ACTIVE — July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2027. Executed January 17, 2024 with retroactive application. Step movement each year across all 6 years. Two-track salary schedule introduced July 1, 2023 (Schedule 1: 9-credit increments for new hires/column movers; Schedule 2: grandfathered 6-credit increments).

📊 At a Glance — 2025-26 (Current Year) · Final Year: 2026-27

$65,283

BA Starting Salary
2025–26 (New Hire Schedule)

$74,682

BA Top Step (Step 12)
2025–26

$78,715

MA Starting Salary
2025–26

$88,113

MA Top Step (Step 12)
2025–26

12 steps

Steps to Top Salary
(fastest in region)

$42/hr

Extra Duty Rate
Curriculum writing, IEPs, etc.

150%

Life Insurance
of annual salary

$100/day

Sick Day Payout
at retirement

💰 Salary Schedules (2024–25 Base · Schedule 1 — New Hire / Column Movers)

Two-Track System: As of July 1, 2023, new hires and column movers use Schedule 1 (9-credit increments: B, B+9, B+18, B+27, M, M+9, M+18, M+27, M+36, M+45, M+54, M+60, PhD). Employees hired before 2023-24 who haven’t moved columns remain on grandfathered Schedule 2 (6-credit increments). Column movement limited to 2 per year with preapproval — apply by October 15 for retroactive credit. Grade of B or better required. Apply 3.0% COLA + step for 2025-26 and 2026-27 values.

Step	B	B+9	B+18	B+27	M	M+9	M+18	M+27	M+36	M+45	M+54	M+60	PhD/EdD
1	$63,382	$64,507	$65,632	$68,887	$76,422	$78,072	$79,722	$82,017	$84,492	$86,967	$89,442	$91,612	$93,782
2	$63,917	$65,042	$66,167	$69,422	$76,957	$78,607	$80,257	$82,552	$85,027	$87,502	$89,977	$92,147	$94,317
3	$64,452	$65,577	$66,702	$69,957	$77,492	$79,142	$80,792	$83,087	$85,562	$88,037	$90,512	$92,682	$94,852
4	$64,987	$66,112	$67,237	$70,492	$78,027	$79,677	$81,327	$83,622	$86,097	$88,572	$91,047	$93,217	$95,387
5	$65,522	$66,647	$67,772	$71,027	$78,562	$80,212	$81,862	$84,157	$86,632	$89,107	$91,582	$93,752	$95,922
6	$66,057	$67,182	$68,307	$71,562	$79,097	$80,747	$82,397	$84,692	$87,167	$89,642	$92,117	$94,287	$96,457
7	$67,132	$68,257	$69,382	$72,637	$80,172	$81,822	$83,472	$85,767	$88,242	$90,717	$93,192	$95,362	$97,532
8	$68,207	$69,332	$70,457	$73,712	$81,247	$82,897	$84,547	$86,842	$89,317	$91,792	$94,267	$96,437	$98,607
9	$69,282	$70,407	$71,532	$74,787	$82,322	$83,972	$85,622	$87,917	$90,392	$92,867	$95,342	$97,512	$99,682
10	$70,357	$71,482	$72,607	$75,862	$83,397	$85,047	$86,697	$88,992	$91,467	$93,942	$96,417	$98,587	$100,757
11	$71,432	$72,557	$73,682	$76,937	$84,472	$86,122	$87,772	$90,067	$92,542	$95,017	$97,492	$99,662	$101,832
12 (Top)	$72,507	$73,632	$74,757	$78,012	$85,547	$87,197	$88,847	$91,142	$93,617	$96,092	$98,567	$100,737	$102,907

Key Advantage — Only 12 Steps: Teachers reach top salary in 12 years — the fastest in the region. Compare: Northampton has 15 steps, East Stroudsburg has 16. A teacher hired here at Step 1 reaches maximum pay 4 years earlier than an East Stroudsburg teacher.

📈 Contract Salary Increases (2021–2027)

Year	Increase	Type	Note
2021–22	1% + step	COLA + step	Contract effective July 1, 2021; executed January 2024 with retroactive pay
2022–23	2.5% + step	COLA + step	Effective 1st pay of school year
2023–24	2.75% + step	COLA + step	Schedule 1 introduced (9-credit increments for new hires and column movers)
2024–25	2.75% + step	COLA + step	New dept chair stipends: $4,300 (10+ members) / $3,300 (<10 members)
2025–26	3.0% + step	COLA + step	Rate increases from 2.75% → 3.0%
2026–27	3.0% + step	COLA + step	Final year of contract (expires June 30, 2027)

🏥 Health Insurance & Benefits

🩺 Medical Plans — Two Options

Employee Option Base PPO (Highmark BCBS): 4% of premiums, capped at $50/pay (2024-25+); In-network deductible $250/$750; coinsurance 10%; OOP max $500/$1,500; OV copay $15/$30; UC $30; ER $100 waived if admitted
Custom Design Plan: 5% of premiums, capped at $75/pay (2024-25+); In-network deductible $250/$750; $0 coinsurance in-network; OV $10/$20; UC $30; ER $75 waived if admitted
Both plans through Employee Benefit Trust of Eastern PA (EBTEP) · Association has right of approval of carrier
Premium share history — PPO: 2% cap $40 (2022-23) → 3% cap $45 (2023-24) → 4% cap $50 (2024-25+)

🛡️ Life Insurance BEST IN REGION

150% of salary

At $78,715 (MA Step 1, 2025-26): $118,073 coverage
At $88,113 (MA Top, 2025-26): $132,170 coverage
Board pays full premium
Compare: Northampton = $50K max; East Stroudsburg = $50K flat

🦷 Dental & 👁️ Vision

Dental: Pennsylvania Blue Shield Dental Care Supplement Basic + 50% prosthetics + 80% periodontics + ortho 50% rider ($1,200 max/family member)
Vision: Pennsylvania Blue Shield Pennvision II, Option 2
Board pays full premiums for both
Dental: dependent children to age 23 (full-time student)
Medical (PPO/Custom Design): dependent children to age 26

💊 Prescription Drug

Three-tier plan (Highmark BCBS)
Retail: Generic $10 · Preferred $30 · Non-preferred $50
Mail order (90-day): $20 · $60 · $100
Board pays full premium

♿ Disability Insurance

66-2/3% of monthly salary
Maximum: $500/day
Maximum duration: 1 full year
FMLA runs concurrently during first 12 weeks
Board pays full premium

📚 Tuition Reimbursement

100% of tuition at ESU rate for up to 9 credits/year
Must be preapproved degree, cert program, or Instructional I courses
Grade of B or better required
Repayment required if you leave within set timeframes
Sabbatical leave: reimbursement at same rate

🗓️ Leave, Absences & Time Off

🤒 Sick Leave

10 days/year, cumulative (no limit)
May use up to 10 days/year for immediate family illness
Physician certificate at District's discretion
Compare: Northampton offers 10 days/year

📅 Personal Days

3 personal days per year
Unused days accumulate to max of 5 total
Excess beyond 5 rolls into sick leave
Not granted first 5 or last 10 days of school year
Limited to 5% of employees on any given day

⚰️ Bereavement

Immediate family: 3 days
Near relative: 1 day (day of funeral)
Immediate family = father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, spouse, parent-in-law, son/daughter-in-law, grandchild, household member
Board may extend with or without pay at its discretion

⏰ Work Day, Calendar & Workload

🕐 School Day

Maximum day: 7 hours 30 minutes
Includes 30-minute duty-free lunch
Teachers arrive 15 min before students, leave 15 min after (inclement weather days)

📅 School Calendar MOST DAYS

186 total teacher working days (most in region)
Includes 1 extra professional development day vs standard 185
School year ends on or before June 30
First day may not be used for meetings/in-service

🌙 Evening Meetings FEWEST IN REGION

After-school meetings: 2/month, max 1 hour each
Evening meetings (non-contiguous): max 2 per year, 1 hour each
Parent conferences NOT included in meeting count (treated as professional courtesy)
Credited meeting time accumulates as professional compensatory leave
When credited time = 8 hours → becomes a personal day

📝 Preparation Time

All levels: 1 instructional period/day
Elementary: 40 minutes minimum
Lost prep → compensated at $42/hour
Exception: field trips, inclement weather, Act 80, emergency drills

📚 Teaching Load

Max average: 6 classes/day
Overload (7th class): compensated at 1/8 per diem rate/day
Online/cyber class limits governed by Schedule G (Virtual Learning Agreement)
Department chairs: 6 teaching assignments (same as classroom teachers)

📋 Department Chairs

Dept with 10+ members: $4,300/year (eff. 2024-25)
Dept with fewer than 10 members: $3,300/year (eff. 2024-25)
Stipends increase 2% annually starting 2025-26
Paid: 50% in December, 50% in June
Max 5 additional workdays beyond school year at per diem rate
6 teaching assignments; relieved from duty for dept work

🏁 Retirement & Long-Term Benefits

💼 Sick Day Payout at Retirement

$100/day

Eligible upon PSERS retirement (no years-of-service minimum stated in this CBA)
Paid as lump sum into employee's 403(b) plan
All unused personal illness + personal leave days × $100
Bonus: Any year with zero personal/family illness days = prorated $225 bonus (186-day basis)
Compare: Northampton = $90/day; East Stroudsburg = current sub rate (much lower)

🏥 Retiree Healthcare

Eligibility: 30 years PA service + 15 years SASD
Single coverage only, until Medicare eligibility age
Same premium contributions as active employees
If migrating to PSERS HOP Plan or other plan: District contributes same dollar amount it would have paid toward the plan
Dental COBRA available (not paid by District)
Vision not included in retiree coverage

⚠️ No Health Opt-Out Payment

No cash in lieu of health coverage
Compare: Northampton offers $4,800/year opt-out (highest in region)
If you have VA/spouse coverage, you cannot monetize that benefit here

📜 Key Contract Provisions (Direct Contract Text)

Schedule B §6 — Extra Pay Rate:
"Professional employees shall be compensated at the rate of forty-two dollars ($42.00) per hour for all administratively approved professional duties performed outside school hours. This clause shall not apply to those duties specifically named in Schedule B, Section 10 under Meetings, Extra Hours."

Schedule D §3 — Sick Day Retirement Payout:
"The Board shall compensate a retiring employee with an amount of money equal to the number of unused personal illness days and personal leave days multiplied by one hundred dollars ($100.00) per day... Payment shall be made in a lump sum into a 403(b) plan."

Schedule D §17 — Life Insurance:
"For the duration of this Agreement, term life insurance for each employee will be provided in an amount equal to 150% of salary." This is the highest life insurance benefit of any district in the comparison set.

Schedule D §18 — Medical Insurance Premium Share Schedule:
Employee Option Base PPO: 2% cap $40/pay (2022-23) → 3% cap $45/pay (2023-24) → 4% cap $50/pay (2024-25+).
Custom Design Plan: 4% cap $65/pay (2022-23) → 5% cap $65/pay (2023-24) → 5% cap $75/pay (2024-25+).
All deductions mandatory pre-tax through Section 125.

Schedule B §8 — Evening Meetings:
"Members of the bargaining unit shall attend a maximum of two (2) evening meetings of one (1) hour duration or one (1) evening meeting of two (2) hours duration. The meetings shall not be contiguous to the regular school day." Open House and Parent Orientation credited time — when accumulated to 8 hours, becomes a personal day automatically.

Schedule B §3 — Credit Compensation (2-Track System):
Effective July 1, 2023: new hires and column movers use new Schedule 1 (B, B+9, B+18, B+27, M, M+9...M+60, PhD). Up to two column movements per year permitted with preapproval. Existing employees not advancing columns remain on grandfathered 6-credit schedule.

⚕️ Special Education & Support Services

Schedule B §5 — Special Education Teachers:
Special education teachers, guidance, nurses, reading specialists, speech therapists, educational consultants, and librarians may be assigned additional workdays beyond the basic year (before the first teacher day). Special education teachers get up to 2 summer workdays for IEP preparation (paid at per diem). IEP meetings outside the 7.5-hour day: compensated at $42/hour. IEP meetings during prep time: also compensated at $42/hour. Three (3) IEP meetings per semester given as professional courtesy.