Marana Unified board approves 5% raises, budget and multiple agreements at special meeting

The Marana Unified School District Governing Board approved a package of financial and policy actions at a special meeting, including a 5% salary increase for staff, tentative collective-bargaining agreements, the proposed fiscal year 2026 expenditure budget and several policy and personnel actions.

School Superintendent Doctor Streeter told the board that, “without the passage of a budget by the Arizona State Legislature, discussions with employee groups related to compensation for the 25‑26 school year have been completed based on an estimated and expected 2% increase to the budget,” and presented a recommended increase of 5% to multiple staff groups.

The approved package included a 5% raise for certified staff, support staff, exempt and professional non‑teaching staff and administrators; a one‑step increase on coaches’ and extracurricular contracts for current employees; retention stipends of up to $500 (dependent on available funds) and continued coverage of the lowest single health insurance premium. The board voted to approve the employee compensation package as presented.

The board also unanimously approved tentative agreements with the Marana Education Association (MEA) and with the Marana Education Support Professionals (MESP). The MEA agreement includes salary increases and the continued single‑lowest premium health coverage, and minor changes to Policy GCL (professional staff schedules and calendars) and Policy IIB (class size). The MEA-related class size changes reduce kindergarten class limits from 25 to 23 and first‑ and second‑grade limits from 30 to 28.

Thomas Bogart, business manager, presented the proposed FY26 expenditure budget and highlighted major-fund totals: maintenance and operations (M&O) projected at $123,000,000; capital at $9,500,000; and federal and state projects at $14,900,000. Bogart said the district’s proposed tax rates compare favorably with last year and that, following passage of the voter-approved override (Prop 411), the district is “actually potentially seeing a tax decrease for our citizens.” The board approved the proposed FY26 expenditure budget.

Other approvals included new high‑school math course proposals to be offered at Marana Vista (integrated Math 1 and Math 2), an intergovernmental agreement to join the Arizona Assessment Collaborative, recommended updates to multiple district policies (including AC, ACA, GBK, IHA, JII and JLIF), authorization to add new staff positions to serve an increase in adaptive cluster students, and a field placement agreement with the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona to continue student‑teacher placements.

Board motions and votes recorded in the meeting transcript were procedural and brief; most items were moved, seconded and approved without extended discussion. Specific vote tallies by named member were not recorded in the public portion of the transcript for the majority of items.

The board set future meeting dates (Aug. 14, Sept. 11 and Oct. 2) and adjourned the special meeting following the approvals.

Votes at a glance (items as recorded in the meeting agenda): - J‑1: Approval of 2025–26 employee compensation package (5% across categories; one‑step coaches/extracurricular; retention stipends; continued lowest single health premium). Motion: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved. - J‑2: Approval of tentative agreement with Marana Education Association (MEA) (salary changes, single‑lowest health premium, changes to GCL and IIB including kindergarten and K–2 class‑size reductions). Motion: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved. - J‑3: Approval of tentative agreement with Marana Education Support Professionals (MESP) (salary changes and health premium coverage). Motion: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved. - J‑4: Approval of proposed FY26 expenditure budget (M&O $123,000,000; capital $9,500,000; federal/state projects $14,900,000). Motion: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved. - J‑5: Approval of new high‑school course proposal (integrated Math 1 and Math 2 at Marana Vista). Motion: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved. - J‑6: Approval of intergovernmental agreement with the Arizona Assessment Collaborative. Motion: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved. - J‑7/J‑8: Approval of recommended policy revisions (AC, ACA, GBK, IHA, JII and other policy updates recommended by ASBA and legal counsel). Motion: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved. - J‑9: Approval of new staff positions to support adaptive cluster students and enrollment increases (list below). Motion: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved. - J‑10: Approval of field placement agreement with the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona (student teaching/practicum placements). Motion: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved.

Key staffing additions approved for 2025–26 (as presented): 1 resource teacher; 3 adaptive cluster aides; 1 fifth‑grade teacher; 1 middle‑school teacher; 1 counselor; 1 special‑education teacher; 1 behavior cluster aide; 2 teacher assistants; and 1.375 FTE crossing‑guard (positions to be funded through M&O). The administration said these are new positions and do not currently exist in position control; some may be filled by transfers.

Policy changes approved included updates tied to state guidance and ASBA recommendations: clarifications in nondiscrimination/harassment language following the rescission of the 2024 Title IX final rule, refinements to Policy IHA (basic instructional program) to align curricular content with student maturity and age appropriateness, and updates to Policy JLIF to reflect Arizona Revised Statute 13‑3825.

No formal board motion to take additional immediate action on school safety protocols was recorded during the approvals; the public comment on safety (see separate article) requested more transparent communication with families.

The board provided no detailed per‑member roll call vote totals in the public transcript for most items; motions were routinely moved, seconded and approved with the meeting audio recording showing “Aye” responses and no recorded formal “No” votes for the items presented.