Northeast PA Teacher Contract Comparison

Year	Step 16 MA Salary	Nominal Raise	Philadelphia CPI	Real Change	Value in 2023-24 $
2023-24 (baseline)	$99,879	— (baseline year)	4.4% (not counted)	—	$99,879
2024-25	$101,877	+2.0%	3.6%	-1.5% ⚠️	$98,337
2025-26	$103,446	+1.5%	3.2% (proj.)	-1.6% ⚠️	$96,755
2026-27	$105,670	+2.2%	2.5% (proj.)	-0.3% ⚠️	$96,425
2027-28	$108,576	+2.8%	2.3% (proj.)	+0.4% ✅	$96,849
NET (2023-24 → 2027-28)	+$8,697	+8.7%	+12.1%	-3.0% 📉	-$3,030

District	County	Starting (BA)	Starting (MA)	Max Salary (MA lane)	Steps	Avg Salary	Median	Contract & Figures
East Stroudsburg Area	Monroe	$63,385	$72,666	$98,255 MA (D $103,933)	12	—	—	Contract on file: 9/1/2024–8/31/2030; figures: 2024-25, MA lane.
Stroudsburg AreaHIGHEST MA START	Monroe	$63,382	$76,422	$85,547 MA (PhD $102,907)	12	—	—	Contract on file: 7/1/2021–6/30/2025 (expired); figures: 2024-25, MA lane.
Parkland	Lehigh	$63,065	$71,129	$92,927 MA (Doct. $112,927; M+45 $104,927)	15	—	—	Contract on file: 9/1/2022–8/31/2025 (expired; successor not on file); figures: 2024-25, MA lane.
Easton Area	Northampton	$62,930	$66,500	$96,690 MA (PhD $104,850)	15	$93,231 unsourced	—	Contract on file: 7/1/2022–6/30/2025 (expired); figures: 2024-25, MA lane.
Northampton Area	Northampton	$61,255	$64,403	$95,787 MA (M+45 $102,687)	15	$90,212 unsourced	—	Contract on file: 9/1/2024–8/31/2029; figures: 2024-25, MA lane.
Saucon Valley	Northampton	$59,182	$63,960	$86,146 MA	14	—	—	Contract on file: 7/1/2023–6/30/2028; figures: 2024-25, MA lane.
Wilson SD (Berks Co.)	Berks	$56,775	$64,214	$89,483 MA (D $99,486)	16 + ½-steps	—	—	Contract on file: 7/1/2023–6/30/2027; figures: 2024-25 (Exhibit A-2), MA lane.
Nazareth Area	Northampton	$56,253	$58,836	$101,877 MA (M+45 $103,788)	16	$87,595 unsourced	—	Contract on file: Agreement 9/1/2023–8/31/2028; figures: 2024-25, MA lane.
Bethlehem Area	Northampton/Lehigh	$51,254 (2022-23)	$55,235 (2022-23)	$87,376 MA (Doct. $95,981) (2022-23)	15	—	—	Contract on file: 7/1/2019–6/30/2023 (expired); figures: 2022-23, MA lane.
Bangor Area	Northampton	$50,000 (2023-24)	$60,000 (2023-24)	$87,219 MA (M45 $93,313) (2023-24)	18	—	—	Contract on file: 2019-20–2023-24 (expired); figures: 2023-24, MA lane.
Pen Argyl Area	Northampton	$50,000	$51,425	$87,000 MA	16	—	—	Contract on file: 7/1/2022–6/30/2028; figures: 2024-25, MA lane.

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?Strong
Retirement Benefit
Final salary+1%/yr into TSA — among the stronger retirement benefits on this list
Strong
Disability Insurance
LTD to Social Security retirement age (Bethlehem same; Northampton to 70)
Strong
Jury Duty
Full salary + explicitly keeps ALL jury pay (double benefit)
Capped
PD Hours
45-hr PD obligation (6 after-school meetings count toward it); $38/hr only for principal-called after-hours meetings
Low Cost
Health Insurance
PPO: $31.90 single–$85.13 family/pay (2024-25)
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 — 6 of 10 peers give 5 for immediate family
None
Longevity Pay
No service bonus regardless of years; 3 other districts also pay none
More Days
Work Year
189 days vs. ESASD's 184 (2024-30 contract) — 5 more days per year

🚨 Health Insurance Waiver — Nazareth Pays $0 · Northampton Pays $4,800/yr

Teachers who decline district health coverage because they have coverage elsewhere (spouse's employer, military, Medicare, etc.) save the district premium costs. Six of the ten comparison 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 (ambiguous)

Pen Argyl Area SD — clause says "monthly cash payment" beside $500; $500/yr or $500/mo unconfirmed

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 — ambiguous	CBA says "monthly cash payment" beside a $500 figure; could be $500/yr or $500/mo ($6,000/yr). Confirm with Pen Argyl before citing.
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 the district's share of 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
Pennsylvania's School Code (24 P.S. §11-1154) lets teachers moving between PA districts carry up to 25 days of accumulated sick leave; contracts can go further. A teacher with 150 accumulated sick days who switches districts keeps only 25 unless the new contract accepts more — at a $50–100/day payout value, the other 125 days are worth $6,250–$12,500. It's a powerful, often invisible retention tool.

Wilson School District's contract writes the 25-day transfer right in explicitly, mirroring the statute. East Stroudsburg's and Northampton's contracts let transferred days be used but exclude them from the retirement payout. Nazareth's contract does not address sick day transfer (the statutory 25 days still apply).

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	Sub rate or $200/day, whichever is higher	Max 220 days (20+ yrs ESASD); $200 floor new in 2024-30 contract
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 (statute: up to 25)	$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	4 days/yr	Not addressed	10% of final-year per-diem per unused day	On retirement/disability resignation; separate retirement incentive: $10,000 or $750/yr of service, whichever is higher, + up to $7,500/yr toward premiums until Medicare
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
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 this table. However, the final-salary provision (15+ yrs) is a large retirement benefit for long-tenure Nazareth teachers. Transfer In: all PA districts are subject to the statutory 25-day transfer (24 P.S. §11-1154) whatever the contract says.

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

✅ Nazareth Advantage: A 45-Hour PD Cap
The six after-school meetings (≤1.5 hr each, 9 hrs total) count toward the required 45 PD hours; they are not separately paid. Separately, principal-called after-hours instructional-support or teacher-parent meetings (48 hours' notice) pay $38/hr, rising $1/hr per year of the contract. Once a teacher completes 45 PD hours, they are not required to attend additional meetings other than those for which they receive additional compensation. 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 + 8 faculty mtgs ≤1 hr (all count toward 45 PD hrs)	Within 45-hr PD obligation (unpaid); $38/hr only for principal-called after-hours meetings	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 meeting attendance is required other than paid meetings. This is a hard ceiling that protects evenings.

📅 Work Day & Work Year

District	Work Day	Total Work Days	Student Days	In-Service Days	Notable
East StroudsburgFewest Days	7h 30m	184	180	4	2024-30 contract
Bangor	7h 40m	187 (tenured) / 189 (new), 2020-24	182	5 (tenured) / 7 (new)	Duty-free 30-min lunch; 185/187 applied in 2019-20 only
Pen Argyl	7h 30m	185	180	3 + 1 orientation + 1 closing	Last 4 instructional days: early dismissal
Stroudsburg	7h 30m (maximum)	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	Longer contractual work day
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; work day ≤7h 20m
Bethlehem	7h 30m	190	184	7 (3 Act 80 + B-Flex outside day)	B-Flex done outside regular day
Saucon ValleyUp to 192 Days	7h 30m	≤192	184	2 half-days + 2 evening events	4 emergency days built in

⚠️ Nazareth's 189-day year is 5 days more than East Stroudsburg's 184 (2024-30 contract) — representing nearly a full week of additional work annually with no additional pay. Parkland's contractual work day is ≤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 single–$85.13 family/pay (2024-25, 26×/yr) Traditional: $50.99–$133.33/pay	Low ✅	Traditional plan grandfathered for pre-2019 hires; family PPO ≈ $2,213/yr vs Northampton multiple-party $1,380/yr
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 ($70–85 from Jan 2028)	Moderate	$2,500 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 opt-out cash (ambiguous: per year or per month)
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	High ❌	Opt-out cash: $1,200–$3,600/yr; dental included

✅ Nazareth's PPO premium share is low ($31.90/pay single = ~$829/yr in 2024-25). For family coverage it is $85.13 × 26 = ~$2,213/yr, above Northampton's $1,380/yr multiple-party share. Wilson's 14–15% of premium can translate to $1,500–$2,500+/year depending on plan costs.

🛡️ Disability Insurance

✅ Nazareth: 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. Bethlehem's contract on file (2019-23) has the same duration (60% up to $5,000/mo through Social Security retirement age); Northampton's runs to age 70 (50%, max $1,500/mo).

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
Bethlehem (2019-23 contract)	Group disability (Board-provided)	60% salary, max $5,000/mo	Greater of 30 consecutive calendar days or end of accumulated sick pay	To Social Security retirement age
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 (Sun Life)	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
Bethlehem (2019-23 contract)	1.75× basic step salary (min $10,000)	Nearest $1,000	≈$122,500 before rounding to the nearest $1,000
Stroudsburg	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 Bethlehem (175%, 2019-23 contract), 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: A Large Retirement Benefit
After 15+ consecutive years at Nazareth, the district makes a non-elective TSA contribution equal to your final year's salary + 1% × years of Nazareth service. For a Step 16 / M+45 teacher earning $110,613 in 2027–28 with 25 years of Nazareth service: $110,613 + 25% = ~$138,266 deposited into retirement in a single year. Other districts' retiree benefits take different forms (Bethlehem retiree health for sick days, Pen Argyl severance plus premium help, Easton's retiree HRA); comparing their value needs premium-cost data not in the contracts. 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 public school yrs, 10 at Nazareth, 25 in PA	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
Bangor	$50/day	$50/day	Max 210 days	Attendance incentive up to $350/yr
East Stroudsburg	Sub rate or $200/day, whichever is higher	≥$200/day	Max 220 days (20+ yrs); transferred days excluded	District pays employee-only health premiums until Medicare age: age 60+ with 25 yrs service, OR age + service >83 (53/30 window) / 84 (basic plan); 15 yrs at ESASD in each case
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	10% of final-year per-diem per unused day	10% of per-diem	On retirement or disability resignation	Retirement incentive: $10,000 or $750/yr of service, whichever is higher (5 monthly installments), + up to $7,500/yr toward premiums until Medicare

📆 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 Act 80/in-service days (election-day exception); 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	2 (3rd from year 15)	Cumulative to max 5; 10% building limit	Yes — unused days paid at daily substitute rate (at separation, and days that don't carry over)	Standard restrictions

Nazareth's $100/day cash-out option provides meaningful flexibility; Wilson also pays out unused personal days, at the daily substitute rate. 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
Parkland	3 (School Code §1154; no bereavement article)	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
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; waived if unable to work due to illness	$175,000 annual district pool (may be pro-rated)
Parkland	Kutztown rate (100% toward certification/first Master's; 50% beyond Master's)	9 credits/yr (+3 if in a degree program)	Repay 50% if leaving within 1 yr; 25% within 2 yrs	Work beyond the Master's must be in an approved degree program (Master's, Doctorate, National Board)
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. Credit-based limits (e.g. Northampton and Stroudsburg's 9 ESU credits/year) track course prices instead of a fixed dollar cap.

🏅 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 the eleven districts, including Nazareth, pay no salary longevity (Nazareth, Bangor, Parkland, Stroudsburg); seven provide some form of longevity recognition, including East Stroudsburg's new tiers from 2025-26 (Saucon Valley's is a retirement-window payment rather than salary longevity).

District	Structure	Years Required	Amount
Wilson	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
East Stroudsburg	Annual compensation (from 2025-26; not pensionable)	20–24 / 25–29 / 30+ yrs PSERS service, 15 at ESASD	$1,000 / $1,500 / $2,000 per year (plus a separate $250–$750 Schedule B stipend)
Saucon Valley	3-year retirement-window payment (not salary longevity)	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. Among the other contracts on file, Stroudsburg's pays regular pay and is silent on remittance; East Stroudsburg, Bethlehem, Pen Argyl and Easton (except transportation) require the teacher to remit jury pay; Northampton and Wilson pay only the difference between jury pay and salary.

District	District Pays Full Salary?	Employee Keeps Jury Pay?	Rating
Nazareth ⭐	Yes	Yes — ALL compensation (explicit)	Favorable
Stroudsburg	Yes (regular pay without loss of benefits)	Contract silent on remittance	Unclear
Northampton	Regular rate less the county fee	Keeps only the transportation allowance	Partial
Wilson	District pays the difference between jury pay and salary	No (district pays only the difference)	Partial
East Stroudsburg	Yes	No — must pay jury compensation over to the district	Unfavorable
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
Association leave: 10 days/year (max 5 per individual); association pays substitute cost
Child rearing leave: Explicit same-position guarantee on return
Retiree health coverage: District pays 3 yrs individual coverage for 25+ PSERS yrs, 15 consecutive at Nazareth

⚠️ Nazareth Gaps

No sick day transfer clause: Contract silent — mid-career movers get only the statutory 25 days (24 P.S. §11-1154)
No longevity pay: No service-based recognition at any milestone
189-day year: 5 more days than East Stroudsburg's 184 (2024-30 contract)
Lowest flat-rate sick day payout in this comparison: $40/day 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 obligation (the 6 after-school meetings count toward it, unpaid); principal-called after-hours instructional-support/teacher-parent 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 this comparison. 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
Accepting transferred sick days helps attract mid-career teachers. State law already lets movers carry up to 25 days (24 P.S. §11-1154), and Wilson's contract writes those 25 in explicitly. Ask for: Accept more than the statutory 25 transferred sick days from any PA public school district.
Bereavement Leave Medium Priority
3 days is below average — 6 of the 10 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 this comparison vs. East Stroudsburg's 184 (2024-30 contract). 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 Bethlehem (1.75×, 2019-23 contract), 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 strong non-salary provisions. These should be protected in any negotiation.

📋 Data Sources & Methodology

Nazareth Area SD: Full salary schedules transcribed from the NAEA Agreement, 2023-24 through 2027-28 (scanned contract; term Sept 1, 2023 – Aug 31, 2028).
Northampton Area SD: 2024-29 collective bargaining agreement (Exhibits A–E salary schedules). A one-page "Hire prior to SY24-25" sheet has circulated; it carries no district name and is not part of the 2024-29 agreement, so this site doesn't use it until a Northampton-issued document confirms it.
All other districts: Salary figures and benefit terms come from each district's collective bargaining agreement on file. Five of those agreements have expired (Bangor, Bethlehem, Parkland, Stroudsburg, Easton) and their successors are not on file, so those figures may not reflect current pay. Bangor figures are 2023-24; Bethlehem's are 2022-23. East Stroudsburg's figures come from its 2024-30 agreement (in term; a scanned PDF read from its page images).
Average salary data: unsourced — verify before citing. Median values have been removed (they matched individual salary-schedule cells rather than medians).

⚠️ Important Caveats

Figures from expired contracts (see above) may understate current pay at those districts; the Overview table labels each district's contract term and figure year.
To get current 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 on file is the Agreement, 2023-24 through 2027-28. The scan on file has no signature page.
Benefit comparisons are taken from each contract's text. The district's premium costs are not in the contracts, so the dollar value of health and retiree benefits is not compared.

🔗 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

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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?