Chandler Unified board approves employee raises, free student eye exams MOU and $4.9M contract increase

Chandler Unified School District's Governing Board on Feb. 20 unanimously approved a package of personnel and procurement actions including employee pay increases for the 2025–26 school year, a memorandum of understanding to provide free student eye exams and glasses, and an increase to a job-order construction contract tied to bond-funded school improvement projects.

The board approved a compensation recommendation the district said was developed by its SuperQ and budget committees: a 2.4% increase for classified (support) staff, a 2.0% increase for certified staff and administrators, $500,000 to offset higher health insurance premiums, a $600 Journey 2025 stipend, and a 1.25% increase to the entry-level certified/support/administrator salary schedule to allow contracts to be prepared for signature.

Superintendent Kevin Narducci and district staff presented the compensation package as the result of committee work and financial planning. "We'd like to recommend for support staff 2.4% increase, for certified staff and administrators a 2% increase, and $500,000 toward the increase of health insurance premiums," a district presenter said during the meeting. The board voted to approve the recommended compensation so staff contracts could be prepared.

Also approved was a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the district and the Arizona Lions Vision and Hearing Foundation. Under the MOU the foundation will provide a doctor, an eye exam and, when needed, glasses free of charge at a site when at least 30 students have parent or guardian consent. The district will provide classroom space for the program. Dr. Fletcher presented the MOU and the board moved and approved the partnership.

Separately, the board approved an additional $4,914,662.65 to increase an existing job-order contracting agreement with a general contractor (Concord General Contracting) to a new contract total of $7,914,662.62. The district said the increase covers rollover costs for four completed "reimagining" projects (Conley, Sanborn, Frye and Hull elementary schools) and funds work at Shumway Elementary and remaining fiscal-year needs. The district stated the funding source for that contract increase is the 2019 bond.

The meeting also included routine business: the consent agenda was approved unanimously.

Votes at a glance - Consent agenda — Motion to approve consent agenda; outcome: approved (unanimous unanimous approval recorded). - MOU: Chandler Unified School District and Arizona Lions Vision and Hearing Foundation — Motion to approve MOU as presented; outcome: approved (unanimous). Note: MOU provides free eye exams and glasses for sites with at least 30 students with parental consent; district to provide space. - Employee compensation package for 2025–26 — Motion to approve recommended compensation from SuperQ and budget committee (2.4% classified; 2% certified & admin; $500,000 for health premiums; $600 Journey 2025 stipend; 1.25% increase to entry-level schedule); outcome: approved (unanimous). The district will prepare contracts for board review where required. - Contract increase (Job Order Contract 1GPA 23-15 PV-03) — Motion to approve additional $4,914,662.65 to bring contract total to $7,914,662.62 for rollover of reimagining projects and Shumway Elementary; funding source: 2019 bond; outcome: approved (unanimous).

The board did not record individual roll-call tallies in the meeting transcript for these items; minutes state unanimous approval where noted. The board directed staff to proceed with contract and contract-document preparation as required.

Ending: The approvals allow the district to finalize staff contracts for next year, begin scheduling the eye exam clinics where consent thresholds are met, and proceed with the approved bond-funded projects covered by the increased contract allocation.