Los Angeles teachers voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new three-year contract with the Los Angeles Unified School District.

More than 97 percent of the 25,407 educators who cast ballots voted to support the contract.

The agreement includes a 10 percent raise over two years. Educators will see a 4 percent increase retroactive to July 1, 2014; a 2 percent increase retroactive to Jan. 1, 2015; and two prospective bumps of 2 percent on July 1, 2015, and Jan. 1, 2016. They also have the right to negotiate an additional pay increase in the third year of the contract.

Los Angeles educators had not received a raise in eight years and had agreed to temporary salary reductions during the 2008 recession. Thousands of educators and other district employees were also laid off at that time.

In addition to the pay increase, the agreement provides funding to reduce class size, and schools may get more school counselors. The union and the district also agreed to design a new teacher evaluation system by the fall of 2016.

“The collective-bargaining agreement is good for educators and students,” said Alex Caputo-Pearl, the president of United Teachers Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Times, May 8