The contract between Mars Area School District and its teachers’ union is set to expire Tuesday, June 30. However, there is still a notable divide on salary increases and health insurance.

Both sides said they hoped to have an agreement before students and staff return at the end of summer; but after a bargaining session held June 25, the Mars Area Education Association said in a news release sent out the next day that “critical” issues remained unresolved between it and the board.

The school board and the union have held 20 bargaining sessions over the past year.

“At the most recent bargaining session held yesterday afternoon, district representatives ended negotiations after just 90 minutes, with no substantial movement toward resolving critical issues necessary to reach a fair agreement for educators and the students they serve,” the news release said. “While the union has remained committed to bargaining in good faith and working toward a settlement that values and respects the professionals in our classrooms, the district’s actions continue to raise concern about their seriousness in reaching an agreement any time soon.”

Representatives of the Mars Area Education Association also met with the district’s negotiating team June 11. Hollie Meckler, president of the education association, along with members of the school board, said at the time some concessions and agreements had been made by both sides. But disagreements regarding teachers’ compensation and benefits remained.

Differing stances included what annual salary increases, health insurance coverage and the length of the overall contract should look like.

At a previous board meeting, board member Jennifer DiCuccio said the board was proposing 3.5% wage increases for the 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years.

Meanwhile, the teachers are proposing a 6% increase in 2026-27, 5.5% in 2027-28 and 2028-29, 5.25% in 2029-30 and 5% in 2030-31.

With all details considered, DiCuccio previously estimated the district’s proposal would cost $1.8 million over three years. She estimated the union’s proposal would increase district spending by about $5.4 million over five years.

The union has pointed to other districts when advocating for higher wage increases, saying the board’s current proposal would “leave us falling behind.” It claims that Mars teachers have an average salary of $74,096 for the 2025-26 year.

That compares to $95,235 at North Allegheny, $90,636 at Pine-Richland and $97,175 at Seneca Valley.

“Over the last five years, the district has approved salary increases averaging between 4.3% and almost 5% for both the superintendent and assistant superintendent, while currently proposing only a 3.5% increase for the educators who work directly with the students every day,” the news release said. “In reality, the most experienced educators have received less than a 1.25% increase in their salaries over the same time period.”

Meckler said Monday, there were no additional updates on the state of negotiations. She said the next bargaining session is planned on July 7.

Members of the Mars Area school board could not be reached for further comment by the Eagle.