After months of negotiations, the Gateway School District has reached a multiyear contract with its teachers.

The district announced a five-year deal with the Gateway Education Association in a press release Aug. 20. The contract grants 2 percent pay increases for the first two years, a 1.75 percent increase for the third year, and 2 percent increases in the final two years, in addition to step pay increases.

The new contract requires teachers to work at least 80 days in one school year to advance on the salary scale.

A teacher with at least a bachelor's degree at the first step will receive $42,804. One at the maximum step of 18 with a master's degree will receive $85,609 and one with a doctorate will get $93,313.

Of 325 teachers in the district, 47 are at the highest step.

The contract also updates language in the previous contract so that it is in compliance with the Family Medical Leave Act, new tax code regulations and some leaves of absence.

It continues to provide medical benefits and longevity pay to teachers, but each benefit comes with new provisions.

Teachers will pay 5 percent of the district's premium, capped at $30 per month for individuals and $65 for more than one person, for the first two years of the contract. They will pay 6 percent of the premium the final three years of the contract but maintain the same caps.

The premiums are an increase of $10 per month from the last contract. Teachers with fewer than 18 years of experience will no longer receive longevity pay.

Tuition will be reimbursed at the same rate -- one half of up to $368 per graduate credit, with the remainder paid upon receipt of a master's or doctorate. But teachers must repay the reimbursement in full if they leave the district less than one year after receiving the degree.

If they leave in one to two years, they pay back 66 percent, and in two to three, it's 33 percent.

Teachers also are required to complete monthly professional development sessions, and the use of personal days is now limited to 10 percent of teachers at a school building.

"The Gateway School District is very pleased that we have reached, what we consider, a contract which meets the needs of both sides and will continue to keep the mission of Gateway School District at the core as we continue to serve the educational needs of our 4,300 students," said Superintendent Cleveland Steward Jr..

"We are happy to have reached a new contract agreement and ratified it with our collective bargaining unit. I congratulate both sides as we get set to start another great year at Gateway," said Mark Spinola, president of the Gateway Education Association.

The new contract went into effect Monday.