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Jesup teachers’ union seeks 6.45% package; district offers 3.13% in opening 2025–26 talks
Summary
At an open May 6 session, the Jesup Education Association proposed a 6.45% total-package increase and multiple benefit changes for 2025–26; the Jesup Community School District proposed a 3.13% package increase and a smaller base raise. Initial proposal documents are available at the district office.
The Jesup Education Association presented an initial bargaining proposal calling for a 6.45% total-package increase and several benefits changes, while the Jesup Community School District offered a 3.13% total-package increase during an open negotiations session on May 6, 2025 at the district’s central office.
Mark Strabala, identified in the record as the JEA chief negotiator, delivered the association’s opening statement. The JEA asked for a one-year aging schedule step, a half-step for staff at the end of their lane, $3,000 added to the base salary, elimination of half-steps on the salary schedule, two additional paid holidays, one additional personal day in the handbook, and the restoration of permissive handbook language into the collective bargaining agreement. The union recorded the total-package cost increase at 6.45%.
Superintendent Chad Kohagen presented the district’s opening position. Kohagen said the district also supports a one-year aging schedule step but proposed $700 added to the base salary, anticipated a 3.01% increase in insurance costs, and calculated a total-package increase of 3.13% for 2025–26.
The public notice for the session listed ISEA representative Ray Feuss, negotiator Mark Strabala, Keri Griswold, Maria Youngblut, Superintendent Chad Kohagen and Business Manager Sherry Kilby as attendees. The meeting record shows the session began shortly after the posted start time and concluded at 6:30 p.m.; full copies of both initial proposals were made available for review at the Jesup Community School District Central Office.
The notice appended to the meeting record reminded participants that this first bargaining session is open to the public and subject to public-access rules, and it cited Iowa Code § 20.17(3) to note that subsequent negotiations meetings may be exempt from Chapter 21 of the open meetings law.
There were no formal motions or votes recorded during this session. The proposals on the table will frame follow-up bargaining sessions between the association and the district.
