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RPD School Board approves 2025–26 tentative teachers’ contract with $2,000 one‑time stipend
Summary
The RPD School Board approved the tentative 2025–26 teachers’ collective bargaining agreement, which includes a one‑time $2,000 stipend, a $200 base bump for teachers holding the state early literacy endorsement, increased parental leave and no change to base salary for 2025–26. Board members raised budget and equity concerns.
The RPD School Board voted to approve the tentative collective bargaining agreement for the 2025–26 school year, adopting a one‑time $2,000 stipend for teachers, a $200 base increase for teachers who hold the state early literacy endorsement and an increase in paid parental leave from five to ten days.
Doctor Sanders presented the agreement and recommended approval, saying the district will form a committee to review extracurricular activity (ECA) schedules and propose any changes to be completed by the end of the year so adjustments could be retroactive to the start of 2025–26. Sanders said the contract keeps base salaries unchanged for 2025–26 but provides a one‑time stipend and targeted increases tied to the literacy endorsement.
The contract language changes how paid leave is charged for absences immediately before or after breaks: a reported change would mean that each half‑day taken in those circumstances counts as one paid leave day (as described in the meeting). The district also moved parental paid leave from five days to ten days.
On the literacy endorsement, district staff explained the state requires an 80‑hour professional development pathway (including Orton‑Gillingham and additional modules) to earn the endorsement, and the state offers a $1,500 stipend to teachers who complete that training. Doctor Sanders said the district pays for Orton‑Gillingham training and provides stipends for required out‑of‑school hours; the contract adds a $200 base increase for teachers who hold the endorsement.
Board members asked when stipends would be paid; Sanders said the district plans a single payout for the approved stipends after Thanksgiving or in early December and that approval for stipends for principals and support staff would be requested at the November board meeting. When asked which fund would cover the payouts, Sanders said the education fund would be used and that district officials believe there is sufficient balance; a full total dollar figure for the payouts was not provided at the meeting.
One board member expressed reservations about one‑time stipends instead of moving teachers’ pay grids, saying stipends can cause issues for long‑term compensation. Sanders responded that the stipends are a one‑time measure intended to buy time while the district works to restore base pay increases in the future.
The board approved the agreement by voice vote; the motion carried.
