PORTLAND — The School Board approved a new, three-year contract with the teachers union at its Sept. 24 meeting. The vote confirms a tentative agreement reached this past summer.

Highlights of the contract include a 1% increase in salary the first year and a 2.5% increase in the second and third years, among other provisions.

“Both parties believe the new contract will provide stability and continuity so the district can focus on achieving the goals of the Portland Promise, the district’s strategic plan,” the School Department said in a press release.

Superintendent Xavier Botana said the new contract would also help the district to “attract, support and retain talented and diverse staff. “It keeps our teacher pay regionally competitive, allowing us to continue to attract the best and the brightest. At the same time, this agreement provides predictable costs for the next three years.”