Geary County Schools and teachers' bargaining unit continue contract talks; mileage reimbursement tentatively agreed

Negotiators for Geary County Schools and representatives of the Geary County Education Association met April 29, 2025, and reached a tentative agreement on mileage reimbursement and on Article 13(a), while other contract items remained unresolved.

Union negotiators pressed for protections on planning time, limits on secondary teaching loads and a new article addressing student and staff safety, saying classroom behavior has become traumatically severe in some instances. “These incidents are traumatic, not just for staff, but for students who deserve emotionally and physically safe learning environments,” Representative 3 said while presenting the union’s safety proposal. The union also proposed language saying, “If the district vehicle is available, employees will be asked in advance to use the district vehicle in place of a personal vehicle,” to clarify mileage practices.

Why it matters: bargaining outcomes affect teacher workload, leave and safety procedures across the district, and tentative agreements reached at the table must still be finalized and, if required by local…