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Board ratifies union contract, approves ICE policy, calendar, night-school waiver and other items
Summary
At its Feb. 26 meeting, the Lawrence board approved several administrative policies, a three-year contract for school safety officers, the 2025–26 student calendar, a competency-determination policy and a student-learning-time waiver for a night program. Minutes were approved with two abstentions.
At a meeting of the Lawrence Alliance for Education on Wednesday, Feb. 26, the board approved a package of policies, a three-year union contract for school safety officers, the 2025–26 student and family calendar, a local competency-determination policy for diplomas and a Department of Education waiver allowing a pilot evening program at RISE Academy to count toward student learning time.
The motion to update the district’s policy governing responses to Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests — described in the meeting packet as a revised section E of Student Support Services and reviewed by the district’s legal counsel — passed on a roll call vote. Superintendent Carrero told the board the revisions remove outdated 2016 contextual language, add links to attorney-general guidance and clarify practices such as parental consent and judicial warrants. "We will post it on our website, both in English and [Spanish], to let our families know and reassure them that we are here for them," Carrero said during the presentation.
The board also ratified a three-year contract with Laborers International Union Local 175 for the district’s safety officers, retroactive to July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027. The administration said the agreement includes a 4% increase in each contract year, with an additional 2% market-rate adjustment effective July 1, 2024, and that salary increases are contingent on satisfactory performance evaluations. Human-resources staff told the board the market analysis was performed to align pay with surrounding districts.
Other formal approvals included the student-and-family calendar for school year 2025–26 and a student-learning-time waiver the district will submit to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to allow a RISE Academy evening pilot to meet required hours. The waiver covers a pilot for approximately 40 night-program students and was presented as a second-semester pilot; district staff said they will submit a separate waiver for next school year if the program continues.
Facility rentals and two facility-use requests were approved under the district’s updated rental policy, which requires liability insurance and payment for custodial, safety and technology personnel as appropriate. The board approved minutes from the Dec. 11, 2024 meeting; two members abstained from that vote because they said they had not reviewed the minutes.
Votes at a glance
- Add agenda item: Add discussion and vote on the Lawrence Public Schools Competency Determination Policy — motion to add carried (vote not specified on the record).
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy update — Motion to approve revised Student Support Services section E (immigration/ICE) — Roll call recorded: Dr. Dolores Gala (yes); Arlene Garcia (yes); Juana Matias (yes); Maria Mueller (yes). Outcome: approved.
- School year 2025–26 Student and Families Calendar — Motion to approve calendar as presented — Roll call recorded: Dr. Torres Kalaf (yes); Arlene Garcia (yes); Juana Matias (yes); Maria Mueller (yes). Outcome: approved.
- Safety officers union contract ratification (Laborers International Union Local 175) — Three-year contract, retroactive to 7/1/2024–6/30/2027; 4% annual increases plus a one-time 2% market adjustment effective 7/1/2024; increases contingent on satisfactory performance — Roll call recorded: Dr. Dolores Gala (yes); Arlene Garcia (yes); Juana Matias (yes); Maria Mueller (yes). Outcome: approved.
- Lawrence Public Schools Competency Determination Policy — Motion to adopt district competency determination language (see separate article for fuller discussion) — Roll call recorded: Dr. Dolores Gala (yes); Arlene Garcia (yes); Juana Matias (yes); Maria Mueller (yes). Outcome: approved.
- Student learning time waiver for RISE (night) Academy — Motion to approve waiver for second-semester pilot so evening instruction and structured asynchronous/work/volunteer hours count toward DESE-required hours — Roll call recorded (as read into the record): Arlene Garcia (yes); Juana Matias (yes); Maria Mueller (yes). Outcome: approved.
- Facilities rental requests (Weatherby gym and a district venue for an external dance recital) — Motion to approve pending required insurance and fees; district staff confirmed custodial/tech/safety charges apply and school events take precedence — Roll call recorded: Jojo Lores Galaf (yes); Arlene Garcia (yes); Juana Matias (yes); Maria Mueller (yes). Outcome: approved.
- Minutes, Dec. 11, 2024 — Motion to approve minutes. Roll call: Joce Dolores Galaf (yes); Arlene Garcia (abstain — had not read); Juana Matias (abstain — not present); Maria Mueller (yes). Outcome: approved (with abstentions).
Why it matters: The votes finalize several operational decisions that shape the coming school year, employee compensation and short-term program pilots. The ICE policy revision is meant to clarify how the district responds to federal requests and to reassure families; the union contract and rental approvals have budgetary and operational implications; the RISE waiver and the competency-determination policy affect diplomas and alternate pathways for students.
What’s next: Staff said the ICE policy will be posted on district sites in English and Spanish. The RISE pilot will be implemented this semester and a separate waiver will be filed for the next school year if the program continues. The district will advertise the new competency-determination transcript-audit option for alumni and will accept requests for individual transcript reviews.
