A new two-year contract was approved last week for the Yakima School District.

Teachers will receive a 6 percent pay increase for this school year, and an additional 5 percent the following year.

Substitute teachers will now also be placed on the regular teacher salary schedule after 30 days of work in the district.

Superintendent Jack Irion says this new contract will give new teachers incentive to keep working in the Yakima School District.

Further incentives include an additional $200 for middle and high school teachers' school supply budgets, and $300 more for elementary teachers -- to help ensure educators aren't spending money out of pocket for their classrooms.

School psychologists will also now be able to receive national certification to allow them to get the same financial benefits as board-certified teachers.

One issue not yet addressed in the contract is large class sizes in elementary schools, which the district hopes to improve by introducing co-teaching.

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