Palo Alto Unified teachers and other employees will be getting a 7% raise retroactive to the start of this academic year as a result of union agreements that the school board approved on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

The board unanimously approved agreements with the Palo Alto Educators Association, which represents teachers, and the California School Employees Association, which represents other school staff, as well as the same salary increase for management and confidential/supervisory employees. The agreements were on the board's consent agenda, which is used to pass items that are considered routine in a single vote. The agreements previously came before the board at its Dec. 20 meeting.

In a separate vote, the board unanimously approved 5% raises, plus 2% one-time payments, for each of the district's six top administrators: the superintendent, deputy superintendent, chief business officer, assistant superintendent of equity and student affairs, assistant superintendent of education services, secondary, and assistant superintendent of education services, elementary.

The increases are larger than in recent years. Teachers got 3% raises, with 2% one-time payments, in each of the last two school years. In the 2019-20 school year, teachers got a 1% raise and 1.5% one-time payment. They saw a 2% raise with a 2% one-time payment during the prior year and 3% raise with a 1% one-time payment during the 2017-18 year, Chief Business Officer Carolyn Chow told this news organization.

"I think they're healthy raises that reflect the economic conditions of both the district and the marketplace," board member Todd Collins said in reference to this year's 7% increase.