ADAMS TWP — Months after Mars Area School District and its teachers’ union missed its previous contract expiration date, teachers are now working under a contract agreed to by both sides.

Mars’ school board approved a collective bargaining agreement with the Mars Area Education Association at its Tuesday, Nov. 10 meeting. The agreement covers the time period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030.

Debbie Brandstetter, the board’s secretary and district business manager, said at Tuesday’s meeting Mars teachers would see their new pay totals in their Nov. 24 paycheck.

“I’m thankful this is getting across the finish line. It’s been a long process,” said Kevin Hagen, board vice president. “It’s good to see it’s complete.”

The contract agreement comes two months after the school board voted at its Sept. 9 meeting to approve a fact-finding report, which effectively brought an end to the contract dispute between the district and teachers. The MAEA also approved the fact finding report.

Board President John Kennedy was the only no vote when the board agreed to the fact finding report in September. On Tuesday night, Kennedy was again the lone no vote.

The contract agreement marks an end to a monthslong dispute caused by differing stances between the district and the MAEA’s negotiating teams over what annual salary increases, health insurance coverage and the length of the overall contract should look like.

The board had proposed 3.5% wage increases for the 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years. Meanwhile, the teachers proposed a 6% increase in 2026-27, 5.5% in 2027-28 and 2028-29, 5.25% in 2029-30 and 5% in 2030-31.

District officials previously estimated it’s proposal would cost $1.8 million over three years, coming in at less than the union’s proposal, which would have increased district spending by about $5.4 million over five years.

MAEA leadership cited other districts’ average salaries when advocating for higher wage increases, saying the board’s proposal would “leave us falling behind” compared to local districts like North Allegheny, Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley.

Ultimately, the report recommended a four-year agreement with a salary increase of 4.75% in each of the four years.

The salary schedule will be reduced by one step to 19 at the start of the 2027-28 school year and reduced by one more step to 18 at the start of the following year.

Kennedy previously highlighted the steps reduction as his only point of disagreement with the report.

“I will say that I’m just not warm and fuzzy about losing those two steps, still,” Kennedy said Tuesday night.

The report also proposes changes in the district’s health insurance contributions. The district would contribute 30% in 2027-28 academic year and 25% in the following years.