The chief negotiator for Lawrence Education Assn. on Tuesday called the school board’s salary offer an insult to teachers.

Al Gyles, a math instructor at Free State High School, said the district’s proposed 3.5 percent increase in salary and benefits was insufficient to retain and attract quality educators. At that rate, he said, veteran teachers essentially would take a pay cut due to increases in the costs of health-care insurance.

“That’s an insult,” Gyles said.

A 4 percent raise in compensation from the district was the “minimum” LEA negotiators would consider, he said. Last year, teachers approved a contract with a 5 percent increase in salary and benefits.

Mary Rodriguez, the district’s director of human resources, said she wasn’t certain the board had any wiggle room.

“What we did this year … was to present what we thought was the best we could offer at this point,” she said.

She told LEA that district conferees had to meet with the school board Monday to discuss possible alteration of the initial offer.

Here’s a breakdown of the district’s proposal: 1.2 percent increase to cover higher employee health-care costs; 1.7 percent increase for employee movement on a pay scale that rewards years of service and college degrees; and 0.6 percent increase across the board for teachers.

Negotiators with LEA agreed to the health insurance and pay scale adjustments but balked at the base raise offer teachers.

Each dollar LEA adds to the compensation of teachers is another dollar the board must cut from the operating budget.

And $1.4 million the district believes can be saved annually with closing East Heights, Centennial and Riverside schools has already been eaten up by state budget cuts, increases in district insurance premiums and a board pledge to hire extra teachers to cut class sizes.

Linda Robinson, a school board member and negotiator, said the board had “gone the extra mile” to give teachers a salary increase.

She also said that in the past two years the board had closed four schools, cut millions from the budget, raised student fees and pushed a bond issue, which failed, but would have improved academic spaces for teachers.

“The offer tonight is as good as any of our competitors,” Robinson said.

“We understand that this isn’t enough. But we’re hoping we can stay in a competitive situation with surrounding districts until we see better budget days.”

Negotiators agreed to meet next at 3:30 p.m. June 3 at district headquarters, 110 McDonald Drive.