Nine Minnesota schools districts still haven't reached agreement with their teachers' unions, as most students around the state prepare to return to school.

The Brainerd Dispatch says the Brainerd district, along with BOLD, Carlton, Grand Rapids, Lincoln, Lake of the Woods, Minneapolis, Northland Community Schools in Remer and Winona, are still negotiating with teachers.

St. Cloud reached a settlement this week, freezing the salary schedule but still adding additional costs of $2.5 million, or 3 percent, for the two-year agreement, the paper said.

The Brainerd district and its teachers are in mediation over a contract for the past school year and this coming year.

The paper said the district's latest offer to the teachers would cost an addition $1.37 million, including:

• 2.37 percent increase for eligible teachers to receive step increases;
• 3.06 percent average increase in all eligible teachers to receive lane changes;
• an additional $1 per hour, or a 4 percent increase, for teachers who receive hourly rates of pay;
• a $500 stipend for both 2009-10 and 2010-11 for teachers at the top of the salary step schedule;
• a maximum 6.7 percent increase in district contributions to a teacher's 403B retirement account.
• Also, there's wording on paid time off used for teachers' union purposes and an additional sick day for teachers who use two or less sick days within the contract school year.

The paper said the Brainerd district received a $200,000 state aid penalty for not settling with its teachers by Jan. 15; St. Cloud lost $225,000 for missing the deadline.