Teachers in the Andover school district voted overwhelmingly Wednesday evening to reject a contract proposal from the school district.

There were 333 votes, and only eight teachers voted in favor of the contract.  The vote represented an 80.6 percent turnout.

Pay has been the big issue in the contract talks, and the proposed agreement was created with the help of a federal mediator.   The proposal included a $500 increase in base pay and an extra day off.

The school district issued a statement saying that compensation remains an important priority, and “We acknowledge and respect our teachers’ vote today. We will continue to work in good faith with Andover Education Association representatives to develop a contract that is mutually agreeable to our educators and the district.”