After eight total bargaining sessions, two of which were in the summer, our GEA Bargaining Team and the District have reached a comprehensive Tentative Agreement (TA) for the 2026-27 contract reopeners.

This agreement is a direct result of our collective solidarity, the visibility we maintained at our sites, andthe steady work done to move the process forward. Because we stayed engaged, we were able to work through the District’s initial delays and find common ground on several long-standing contract issues, helping us secure progress for our classrooms and our compensation during this reopener cycle.

Please see below for some of the Tentative Agreement Highlights.

Compensation & Economics (Articles 2 & 36)

• Ongoing Salary Increase: An ongoing 3% salary increase for all GEA members.
• ASB teachers will have two release periods only for 26-27
• SLP Hiring & Retention: * A $5,000 hiring incentive for new Speech-Language Pathologists, distributed over their first three years.
• An SLP Retention Stipend of $5,000 after year 5, and an additional $5,000 after year 10 to help retain specialists in our district.
• Retirement Incentive: Establishment of a Conditional Supplementary Early Retirement Program (SERP) (also known as the “Golden Handshake”) any time a RIF occurs. If there is a RIF announced in spring of 2027, the district will have to explore the feasibility of a Golden Handshake and any year moving forward.

Keep in mind that the stipends outlined in Article 2 of our collective bargaining agreement are tied to the salary schedule. When a salary increase is approved, the stipends for all Extended Curricular Assignments (including coaches) will also increase by that same percentage.

Caseloads & Committees (Article 6)

• School Psychologist Caseloads: Formally established at an average of 1000:1.
• Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) Caseloads: Formally established at an average of 55:1.

Safety & Working Conditions (Article 14)

• Information Systems: To ensure classroom safety and awareness, members will now have direct access to the behavior tab for students rostered in their classes.
• Student Discipline: New language creates a structured protocol to ensure a safe transition back to class following a classroom suspension. Administration (or a designee) will attempt to hold a restorative transition meeting before the student returns.

Adult Education (Article 36)

• Full-Time Status: Adult Ed teachers will now be considered full-time at 34 hours.
• Prep Time Integration: Adult Ed prep period time has been fully rolled into the salary schedule.
• Collaboration Time: Added an additional 6 hours of voluntary teacher collaboration time that members can utilize.

Special Education (Article 37)

• Clear Definitions: Formally defined Co-teaching, Supported classes, and Education Specialists within our contract.

• Classroom Caps: Created language capping co-taught and supported classes at 35% of the total class maximum.