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District briefed on state bills that could cut funding for instructional-support roles and limit on-campus union activity
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Summary
Board presenters warned House Bill 728’s new staff definitions could remove salary-based funding for many instructional-support positions (affecting an estimated 11–12 roles), and that House Bill 516 restricts use of taxpayer funds for union activities, prompting questions about contract-hour definitions and facility use.
Presenter Jake summarized a package of recent state laws and guidance and warned of possible local consequences for staffing and district policies. "The biggest thing that I want to touch on tonight is House Bill 7 28, school staff definitions," he said, explaining the state added categories that change how districts report staff.
Jess, who reviewed the state interpretation, said the new "primary employment" definition could mean certificated staff whose main assignment is instructional support will no longer count toward salary-based apportionment. "There's no place to report them on our salary based apportionment template that we have to provide the state... we will no longer receive any sort of funding for these people," Jess said. Presenters estimated the change could affect about "11 or 12 positions" in the district, including secondary PAs.
Board members asked how impacts vary by district. Jess said larger districts with more instructional-support staff will feel the change differently and noted that some positions funded by federal grants are not included in the state salary-based apportionment calculations. Jake said the district is working with state guidance and that the State Department has requested a deputy attorney general opinion on implementation.
On labor issues, Jake described House Bill 516 as prohibiting use of taxpayer funds to support union activity and restricting union activity during contract hours. "You can't do it during school hours. You can't have the deductions on the payroll," he said, adding that questions remain about facility use after hours and whether districts can recognize unions for some teachers but not others. Board members discussed clarifying contract-hour language (for example, whether lunch counts as contract time) and the practical effect on representation at personnel meetings.
Presenters said some obligations will be procedural (revising opt-in forms and policies) while other outcomes (funding eligibility for recoded positions) may require further administrative steps. The district plans to monitor state guidance, attend the IASBO webinar on the topic, and follow the deputy AG opinion before making larger staffing changes.
The meeting closed this topic with a directive to keep the board updated as guidance and interpretations arrive.
