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Paradise Valley board approves 2025-26 bargaining agreements that raise starting pay and give minimum 3% increases
Summary
The Paradise Valley Unified School District Governing Board unanimously approved six bargaining agreements for 2025-26 after district and union negotiators reached terms that include a minimum 3% raise for all employee groups, a $50,000 starting teacher salary next year and other targeted increases.
The Paradise Valley Unified School District Governing Board on Thursday approved collective bargaining agreements covering certificated and classified employee groups for the 2025-26 school year, endorsing pay increases and other changes negotiated jointly by district leadership and union representatives.
The agreements provide a minimum 3% compensation increase for all employee groups, district officials said. The certificated (teacher) agreement adds a 2.5% increase to every base salary, an additional $1,050 drawn from classroom site funding, and a 10% increase to the district’s priority service (longevity) credit. Together those changes average about a 4.5% increase for certificated employees, negotiators said. The new teacher starting salary for next year was confirmed at $50,000.
Heather Schmidt, president of the Paradise Valley Education Association (PVEA), said the certificated agreement was ratified by members at 95.5%. “This agreement adds 2 and a half percent to every certified base salary, an additional $1,050 to the base salary from classroom site fund, and a 10% increase to our priority service credit,” Schmidt said during public comment. Michelle Courtright, president of the Paradise Valley Support Employee Association (PSEA), said her group also ratified its agreement at 95% and highlighted pay adjustments for hard-to-fill positions and increased professional-growth reimbursement from roughly $200 previously to $1,500.
Board members, negotiators and the superintendent described the result as the outcome of prolonged interest-based bargaining. Dr. Holmes and district bargaining staff presented the agreements and noted the rises are mostly compensation-focused. Superintendent Reynolds said the district secured the funding in part because of prior “right-sizing” and other budget decisions, but cautioned that continuing declines in enrollment will require future fiscal choices.
Board members praised the outcome. Dr. Lim and others said raising the starting salary should help teacher recruitment; board members also pointed to targeted wage increases for difficult-to-fill roles such as transportation and other support positions.
The board approved the package by roll-call and the vote was unanimous.
Votes at a glance: the governing board approved the six bargaining agreements (PVEA, PSEA, ESS, PVP principals, COA administrators and cabinet) presented for 2025-26 by unanimous vote.
Why it matters: The packages change base pay and longevity calculations and allocate recurring dollars for teacher pay increases and support-staff competitiveness, actions the district and unions said aim to improve recruitment and retention amid state funding constraints.
What’s next: District leadership said implementation details (pay schedules, addenda for extra duties and supervision plans) will be distributed to employees as part of standard payroll processes; the board signaled it will monitor long-term budget impacts as enrollment and state funding evolve.
