LAGUNA BEACH

The negotiating teams for the district and the teachers union reached a tentative salary agreement for this year at a five-hour meeting Wednesday.

The agreement, a 6% raise for teachers with a 1.9% increase in health benefits and a $270 stipend for optional staff development days, all retroactive to July, came after seven months of negotiations.

Previously, the district had offered a 5% salary increase with $100,000 put aside for teachers who attend optional staff development days.

The teachers union was asking for a 6% raise with fully paid staff development days, but agreed to accept the smaller stipends after the district upped its raise offer.