USD 262 board ratifies 2025–26 negotiated agreement, approves pay-scale and handbook updates; unanimous votes

The USD 262 Board of Education unanimously approved the district’s 2025–26 negotiated agreement, several salary- and handbook-related measures, supplemental contracts and a districtwide cardiac emergency response plan during its regular meeting.

The board voted 6–0 to ratify the negotiated agreement for the 2025–26 school year, approve classified and non‑negotiated salary adjustments, accept supplemental contracts for the upcoming school year and adopt staff handbook updates. The board also approved district cardiac emergency response plans tied to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and directed staff to submit those plans to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment before July 1, per statute.

Why it matters: the ratified agreement applies a 2.5% increase to each cell on the certified salary schedule, maintains step-and-column movement for eligible employees, continues a one-year pilot of the personal‑leave program and incorporates a previously agreed memorandum of understanding on board health‑insurance contribution rates into the contract language. The package includes parallel increases for classified and non‑negotiated employees and changes intended to address pay compression among long‑service classified employees.

Key details and next steps

- Salary and contract terms: The negotiated agreement applies a 2.5% increase to each salary cell on the certified schedule; step-and-column movement remains in place. District staff said the dollar increase per cell varies by placement on the schedule (one presenter estimated roughly $1,200–$1,800 per cell before step/column, but said the figure was not at hand). The board also approved a 2.5%…