Williston Basin 7 board ratifies teacher contract, approves flexible summer professional development MOU

The Williston Basin School District No. 7 Board of Trustees ratified the negotiated agreement with the Williston Education Association and approved a one‑year memorandum of understanding (MOU) that lets teachers opt to flex a summer professional‑development day.

Mister Renes, a district staff member who reviewed the contract for the board, summarized the key changes and said, “I think that works for both parties,” highlighting adjustments to sick‑leave verification, licensure grace periods and compensation schedules.

The agreement tightens sick‑leave provisions that previously required five consecutive contracted days before a doctor’s note could be requested; the negotiated language is intended to reduce misuse, according to Renes. The contract also adds a 30‑day grace period for lapsed teacher licenses; if a license remains lapsed beyond 30 days it may be deemed a material breach and could disqualify a teacher from unemployment eligibility, the board was told.

Under working‑conditions changes, in‑house substitution pay is clarified as based on daily base salary, using a $48,000 base for the current calculation example. The contract keeps a provision for extra compensation when multi‑grade classrooms are required, though both sides agreed no such situations currently exist districtwide.

The agreement adds a $500 stipend to be used for classroom materials when a teacher is involuntarily reassigned to a different building or grade because of enrollment changes; the district must first engage in a direct conversation with the impacted teacher to discuss alternatives, the contract language says.

On pay, the board accepted the union’s second financial proposal: a 0.5% increase to the base salary (the prior base cited was $48,000) for the 2025–26 year, with an overall 3.186% increase applied across most columns and steps. The contract keeps a 186‑day work year for both years covered. The extra‑duty schedule will follow the base increase and incorporates recommendations from the district’s extra‑duty committee.

The approved MOU lets a teacher opt out of one of two district professional‑development dates (examples listed were Jan. 2 and April 6) and instead use the time for classroom work, grading or approved coursework. The MOU is on a trial basis: teachers must request the flex date by May 16 and submit documentation by Aug. 8 showing they completed approved work. The board was told the board meeting in April 2026 will revisit whether to continue or modify the MOU.

Leah, identified in the meeting as a Williston Education Association representative, participated in negotiations that produced the agreement and the MOU.

The board approved the agreement and the MOU by roll call vote; board members recorded aye votes and the motion passed.