06.22.2026 LJSD IBB Negotiations with the L.E.A.

The Lakeland Joint School District 272 School Board held an Interest-Based Bargaining (IBB) negotiation meeting with the Lakeland Education Association (LEA) on June 22, 2026. The meeting focused extensively on salary schedule adjustments, particularly proposing to pay master's and bachelor's degree stipends starting from the first salary cell to aid teacher recruitment. The board discussed the impact on current and new hires, with about nine teachers affected. They also deliberated on policies regarding extracurricular coaching positions, including budget constraints, payment timing, and volunteer scenarios, aiming to clarify and improve administrative procedures to avoid past misinterpretations that led to freezes in coach pay. Additionally, the board considered introducing a merit-based bonus structure for coaches tied to team performance and championships, though concerns about budget constraints and levy outcomes were raised. The discussion included the need to formalize coaching criteria and roster sizes within the negotiated agreement or district policy for transparency. The meeting also addressed dual credit program funding, concluding it is currently cost-neutral, and reviewed compliance with the new union-related "anti-UN" legislation, agreeing to include related language in the negotiated agreement pending legal review. The board emphasized ongoing collaboration, transparency, and the importance of aligning policies with budget realities and legal requirements. No formal votes on salary changes were taken, but motions to remove certain language from the negotiated agreement and to maintain current extracurricular pay structures were approved by consensus, with plans to continue working on bonus structures and policy clarifications.