Teachers ratify tentative 2025–26 one-year contract; board to consider formal approval Jan. 27

Papillion La Vista Community Schools negotiators and the Papillion La Vista Education Association (PLEA) reached a tentative one-year agreement for 2025–26 that the teachers’ bargaining unit ratified “overwhelmingly” the night before the Jan. 13 board meeting, district officials said. The board received the tentative agreement and staff said they will present it for formal board action at the Jan. 27 meeting.

District Director of Human Resources and Student Services Dr. Katie Settles described the agreement as a one-year contract that raises the base salary by $950, moving the district base to $40,750 (a 4.2% base increase). When vertical and horizontal movement and other changes are included, she said the total package increase equals 4.69%. The district’s benefits costs increased by 5.49; Dr. Settles said the combined average employee increase under the package would be $2,590.27 (about $215 per month on a 12-month spread).

Key provisions and negotiated changes described by Dr. Settles include: - One-year term (the parties chose a single year because of legislative uncertainty). - Base salary increase of $950 (new base $40,750). - Total compensation package increase of 4.69% (includes salary steps and insurance change). - Insurance premiums: district reported a 5.49% increase in the insurance pool; district continues to pay 100% of single coverage and 93% for other tiers; Dr. Settles calculated an average monthly employee increase of about $8 for health and dental premiums. - Extra-duty and activity pay reorganized by school level (high school, middle school, elementary), by season and with an FTE column for transparency; activity pay was set to $20 per event and plan-time (blue sheet) pay moved from $32 to $33 per hour. - Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) team stipend: individuals assigned to CPI teams would receive 2% of base per person to recognize interruptible duties; elementary team leader positions at 2% of base were added for district-level roles. - Nurses: creation of a separate nurse salary schedule (Appendix A2) to allow credit for required continuing education and to align compensation. - Accumulated leave: personal days that previously counted as three of the 12 accumulated leave days would be four; bereavement leave for spouse/child/domestic partner was increased from five paid days to 10 paid days. - Other changes: speech-language pathologist days increased from 190 to 192; the parties discussed short-term disability options and other voluntary benefits such as pet insurance.

Dr. Settles said the negotiating teams conducted multiple sessions beginning in late October and that membership on the PLEA negotiating team included representatives from elementary, middle, high school, special education and specialist positions. PLEA President Austin Bolton and the PLEA negotiators were present at the board meeting.

Budget implications: Assistant Superintendent Brett Richards told the board the tentative increase will push the district above a 3% threshold that triggers the need for a board supermajority to access additional funds, and he said the district has cash reserves it could use. No formal board vote on the contract was taken on Jan. 13; Dr. Settles said the board will likely be asked to take action on Jan. 27.

PLEA ratified the tentative agreement; district staff will present a clean copy of the contract and the board will have the opportunity to vote at a future meeting.