With the help of a federal mediator, a tentative agreement was hammered out Wednesday between the Coeur d'Alene school board and the local teachers union.

The details of the proposal were not released to the public through The Press.

"Like last year, we will honor the idea of allowing each side to present the details of the agreement to their constituents, and not 'advertise' it to the public through the media," wrote Superintendent Matt Handelman in an email sent to The Press. Members of each side's negotiating teams - Trustees Tom Hearn and Christa Hazel; Coeur d'Alene Education Association President Derek Kohles; CEA lead negotiator Tim Sandford; CEA Vice-President Bruce Twitchell and the district's lead negotiator, Human Resources Director Kelly Ostrum - were copied on the email message.

Collective bargaining broke down in late June, after five meetings that included negotiations focused on teacher salaries and benefits for 2015-16.

During the final negotiating session on June 23, Handelman said the board was not prepared to offer the teachers more money than was already on the table.

The board's last offer included teacher salary hikes ranging from 3-7 percent, depending on experience. For some teachers who also earn additional education credits, the increase could be from 3 to 11.75 percent.

The boost would be less for the district's most highly educated, experienced teachers, who have maxed out on the district's salary grid. Those who have taught for 15 years and earned a master's degree will receive a 1.7 percent pay increase.

The school district has already agreed to absorb the cost of a 3 percent insurance premium hike, about $300,000 for all district employees.

Teachers union negotiators countered the board's proposal with a request for additional funds for salaries.

The tentative agreement reached Wednesday must be ratified by the teachers union members and the school board before it becomes official. The groups are expected to meet for ratification voting sometime next week.

Teacher contract negotiations in Post Falls reached an agreement without the help of a mediator.

The proposed settlement includes a base salary increase of 2.75 percent and funding increments for experience and education. Its total cost, which comes after eight meetings during the past three months, is $789,000.

"We are always excited to provide an increase to our valuable and hard-working staff members," said Superintendent Jerry Keane.

In some previous years, an agreement has been reached before the end of the school year in June.

"This year our negotiations took longer than usual because of new funding mechanisms from the state, along with the typical difficulties in assembling a large group for a meeting," said Jake Smulkowski, chief negotiator and vice president of the Post Falls Education Association. "We clarified language in several existing articles, including updating for new technologies and software."

The salary increases are across-the-board for full-time certified employees. There are no increases planned outside of the negotiated agreement such as cost-of-living hikes.

Teachers received a 1 percent base salary increase last year along with the increments. Last year was the first year since the recession that the steps were fully restored.

Midway through the negotiations, the district had proposed a 2.15 percent base salary increase and funding the increments that would have cost a total of $649,800. Meanwhile, the PFEA had floated a 5.4 percent increase with the steps for a total cost of $1.2 million before both sides closed the gap to reach the agreement.

The agreement also includes unfreezing staff who were hired between 2010 and 2013.

No changes were made to the employee insurance plan.

Full-time support and classified staff, who are not included in the agreement with the PFEA, will have salaries increased by 3 percent. The total cost for the bump is $91,543.