Clarkston teachers started the school year Tuesday with new two-year contracts, including an approximately 2.5 percent pay increase.

Classified employees, including classroom assistants and crossing guards, also received a 2.5 percent increase.

The contracts, approved Monday by the Clarkston School Board, go into effect Tuesday.

Clarkston Education Association President Christy Simons, a social studies teacher at Lincoln Middle School, said negotiations with the school district went smoothly, with teachers "overwhelmingly" ratifying the agreement last week.

"It went well, it went very well," Simons said.

Clarkston School District Superintendent Tim Winter agreed that discussions with the unions were constructive.

"There were times where we disagreed and times where we had to have some serious discussion, but I think it really was a great process," Winter said. "We have great staff, our teachers and our classified (employees). It really was a team effort from both sides."

Clarkston's negotiations were conducted later than usual this year because the Washington Legislature didn't wrap up until mid-July, working through three special sessions in large part to hash out education funding. For the first time in six years, the teachers will get a cost-of-living increase - 3 percent over two years - from the state. During the years the Legislature did not grant a cost-of-living increase, Simons said, teachers did get some pay bumps from the Clarkston district.

"They have done small increases through that time," Simons said.

Under pressure from the state Supreme Court, she said, the Legislature could still come through with more.

Even with the additional funding allocated this year, the high court levied a per-day fine of $100,000 on the Legislature earlier this month for failing to adequately fund public education as directed in the McCleary decision, a court case filed by parents, teachers and education groups.

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Stone may be contacted at mstone@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2244. Follow her on Twitter @MarysSchoolNews.