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Board narrowly approves memorandum of understanding with Higley Education Association, 3-2
Summary
After multiple board members expressed concern about partisanship and bargaining process, the governing board approved a one-year memorandum of understanding with the Higley Education Association by a 3-2 vote.
The Higley Unified School District governing board voted 3-2 to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the district and the Higley Education Association (HEA) for the 2025'26 fiscal year.
Board member Anna Van Hook and another board member said they oppose the MOU because they view the union as partisan and questioned its influence. Board members who supported the MOU defended the district's history of working with HEA through meet-and-confer processes and said the relationship supports staff retention and collaborative problem-solving.
One speaker said she is a district employee and a member of the Higley Education Association; she described the association as focused on supporting educators across political lines and on collaborative meet-and-confer processes with administration.
President Wade called the motion to approve the MOU; the motion passed with three "aye" votes and two "nay" votes. The transcript records the vote as "Motion carries 3 2." The board did not provide text of the MOU in discussion during the meeting beyond confirming that the document was attached to the agenda materials.
Supporters of the MOU said the agreement has helped retain experienced staff and that that retention benefits students and continuity in classrooms. Opponents said they had seen what they described as partisan behavior by some HEA members and prefer negotiations without a formal MOU.
The board did not detail financial or contract provisions in the public discussion beyond confirming the MOU covers the 2025'26 fiscal year and was presented for approval as part of action item 8.2.
