WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) – Teachers in the Wausau school district have a new contract.

The school board ratified a state mediator’s agreement Monday that calls for a one percent pay raise in the first year for the most experienced teachers and a one percent pay raise in the second year for teachers still in the salary schedule.

Board president Dale Lawson abstained from the vote because his wife is an elementary school teacher in the district.

The teacher’s union approved the offer February 28th.

The overall increase in the first year of the contract totals 3.4 percent while the second year totals 3.77 percent. Over both years of the contract, the total averages out to 3.5 percent.

Board members said they could not release details of the deal prior to the vote because of ground rules they agreed to with the union.

The board agreed to the mediator’s offer because the union likely would have won had the case gone to an arbitrator, said board member Pat Keefe.