KUNA Joint District board approves negotiated agreement and adopts revised FY25 and proposed FY26 budgets

Trustees of the KUNA JOINT DISTRICT approved a negotiated agreement with the district teachers’ association and adopted a revised fiscal 2025 budget and the proposed fiscal 2026 budget following a presentation on how state funding units and recent legislation affect pay and benefits.

The negotiated agreement presented by Melissa Nelson, president of the Kuna Education Association (KEA), includes a district-funded 16% increase in employee health-insurance costs for employees (dependents pay the higher share), a 6.8% increase for one dental plan, and a 2% increase for another dental plan. “We have agreed to a 16% increase, for regions, which will be covered by the district for employees,” Nelson said during the presentation. CFO Stedman explained the district budget adjustments needed to cover the negotiated items and other cost increases: “The purpose of today's presentation is to approve the revised fiscal 25 budget which is ending this month and also approve the proposed budget fiscal 26 for next year.”

Nut graf: Why it matters — State changes to minimum salaries and career-ladder funding required districts to rework pay schedules midnegotiation. That, combined with higher insurance costs and negotiated staffing and stipend changes, changed the district’s expense picture and required trustees to adopt an updated budget now rather than wait until fall.

Most significant details and supporting facts - Benefits and stipends: The agreement raises employee share responsibilities for dependents and adds or changes benefits and stipends. The parties negotiated a $100 stipend for certified staff required to attend three evening open-house events (kindergarten and specified grade-level nights). The district also agreed to an increase in substitute pay (from $95 to $110 on weekdays, and higher on Mondays and Fridays) and added a stipend line for JROTC activity work. - Salary schedule and state legislation: Nelson and staff explained that new state legislation changed minimum pay requirements and added a funding increment (described in the meeting as a $63.59-per-teacher minimum adjustment and a subsequent 5% funding increase tied to that baseline). Nelson summarized the effect bluntly: “they told us that even though it's not codified, we have to add that $63.59 to our minimum.” Trustees were presented detailed examples of how the district’s career-ladder and certification steps interact with the state’s unit-based funding. - Budget votes: After the presentations and discussion, a trustee moved to approve the revised fiscal 2025 budget and the proposed fiscal 2026 budget “as presented.” Trustees cast voice votes in favor; the motion carried.

Discussion vs. decisions - Discussion: Trustees and staff discussed how the state calculates funding units (midterm and best 28-week measures), how unit protections can affect local revenue, and the tradeoffs of raising minimums now versus longer-term goals for a fuller career-ladder implementation. - Direction given to staff: Trustees approved the negotiated agreement and directed staff to issue contracts per the timeline presented (contracts to be sent June 16 with return by July 1). - Formal action: Board approved (1) the negotiated agreement/contract changes as described and (2) the revised fiscal 2025 and proposed fiscal 2026 budgets.

Ending: Trustees indicated they will continue follow-up work on remaining bargaining items (class-size guidance, dependent premium relief, classification reimbursements) and will implement the approved budget assumptions while monitoring enrollment and attendance units that drive state revenue.