BUTLER TWP — The Butler School Board approved a new three-year contract for its professional support staff during a special meeting Wednesday night.

The contract affects about 150 employees who are health technicians, secretaries and paraprofessionals, retroactive to July 1 through June 30, 2019.

The contract will have an average 3 percent wage increase over the three years, along with increasing monthly premiums and co-pays for health insurance.

The deductible is $250 for individuals and $500 for families in year one, which will increase to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for families in the second and third years of the contract.

The employees in the contract also sets aside $11,000 for the next three years for the individuals to takes college credits, with each individual being able to take up to six credits in a year, according to Superintendent Dale Lumley.

The cost covered by the district will be no higher than the tuition rate at Butler County Community College, Lumley said.