Missoula trustees unanimously ratify two-year teachers' contract with MEA-MFPE

The Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees unanimously ratified a two-year collective bargaining agreement with the Missoula Education Association (MEA-MFPE) during a regular board meeting. The administration recommended approval and the trustees moved and seconded the ratification before a unanimous voice vote in favor.

The agreement provides a $2,100 increase to each salary step for both the 2025–26 and 2026–27 school years, a $25-per-employee increase to the district insurance contribution for eligible staff, and an expansion of personal leave from two to three days annually. The contract also establishes a longevity stipend structure: $750 for employees with 20 years' service, $1,000 for 25 years, and $1,500 for those with 30 years or more. The full negotiated document is available on the district website and is roughly 74 pages, the administration said.

Superintendent Hill framed the financial components as an attempt to balance recruitment and retention while managing district budget constraints. Hill described limits on "horizontal movement" (salary increases tied to additional educational credits or degrees) as a budget-control measure: the district negotiated a cap of 15 eligible moves for the current year and 12 for the following year to avoid rapid salary growth that could reduce funds available across the bargaining unit.

The contract includes language to comply with state STARS requirements on starting teacher pay. Superintendent Hill said the district will report annually on teacher salaries and will apply a "safety valve" if the district falls below the statutory minimum for starting pay relative to the district average. Hill said the district's current starting teacher salary is $50,100 and estimated the district is "sitting right around 68 or 69 percent" of the district's average teacher salary, meaning the safety valve is unlikely to be triggered in the immediate term.

MEA leaders who addressed the trustees during the public-comment portion endorsed the agreement. Scott Shook, president of the Missoula Education Association, thanked negotiators and said the package represented compromise: "Was it everything we wanted? No. Was it more than the district wanted to give? Probably." Shannon Judge, MEA lead negotiator and a second-grade teacher, highlighted language in the agreement establishing a safety committee and new priority dependent-enrollment options for teachers.

Trustees asked questions about how the district will allocate limited horizontal-movement slots and about progress toward the state's STARS (Maintain a Quality Educator) benchmarks. Hill said horizontal moves are handled on a first-come, first-served basis and that budget planning for horizontal movement had increased from about $100,000 in prior years to around $350,000, necessitating stricter annual limits.

The board voted to ratify the two-year agreement by unanimous voice vote. The administration and MEA leaders said they considered the package a negotiated compromise that balances staff compensation and district budget constraints.

Trustees and district staff said the administration will publish the full agreement on the district website and continue follow-up through the district's insurance committee and usual budget processes.