Oak Harbor teachers will have salaries comparable to other local school districts after getting a pay bump under a tentative contract agreement between Oak Harbor Public Schools and the teacher’s union.

The two-year agreement would raise pay 7.25 percent the first year and 4.5 percent the second. The total 11.75 percent raise would compensate certificated staff at a similar rate to teachers at South Whidbey and Coupeville School Districts, according to a district release.

The Oak Harbor School Board was expected to approve the contract Tuesday night. The results of the vote weren’t available before press time.

School Board President Christine Abbott described teachers as “the most important resource when it comes to student progress.”

“We owe it to them and our community to provide fair and commensurate compensation,” she said.

Oak Harbor’s teacher pay has ranked among the lowest in the north Puget Sound region. Both the union and district officials acknowledged finding and keeping qualified teachers has become increasingly difficult. School districts all over the state are snapping up the best teachers after the state reduced class sizes and made full-day kindergarten mandatory last year. Oak Harbor’s rural location makes it harder to hire teachers. The district routinely loses teachers who have a military spouse.

The union and district officials began negotiations in April. Kathy Ridle, president of the Oak Harbor Education Association, described the process as “collaborative.” The process went smoothly, she said, and the nearly 350 union members voted unanimously to ratify the contract June 9.

“We knew there had to be some changes in pay so we can retain our current teachers and recruit new ones,” Ridle said.

The district plans to pay for the salary raises with income generated from state programs and federal Impact Aid earmarked for growing student enrollment.

District officials said they would not use money from the 2013 voter-approved levy to pay for the salary bump or reduce operational funding.

“It clearly demonstrates appreciation for teachers, balanced with what’s fiscally responsible for the district to support,” said superintendent Lance Gibbon.