By Annie Goeller, Daily Journal of Johnson County staff writer

Teachers will not get raises, and four fewer teachers will be laid off after Franklin school officials and its teachers union reached a contract agreement.

The contract has been approved by the school board and comes in a year where the school district is planning to lay off as many as 45 employees because of a nearly $3 million budget shortfall.

School officials had budgeted for a raise for teachers during this school year.

Because the union agreed to no raise, the school district was able to reduce the number of teachers who will need to be laid off from 24 to 20.
The contract also includes no increase in how much teachers or the school district will pay for benefits, such as health insurance, officials said.

Jane Cragen, a Custer Baker Intermediate School teacher and president of the teachers union, said the union would release a statement today.

School officials said the school district and the union collaborated well on the negotiations during a difficult year.

"Both sides listened, its a difficult climate right now. Everybody did work to benefit everyone if possible, both sides got what they wanted in the contract," Superintendent David Clendening said.

One idea school officials plan to study is starting a health clinic at one of the buildings.

Other school districts have started clinics where school employees can go for minor illnesses, possibly saving on costs and making medical visits more convenient for employees, Clendening said.