USD 231 Negotiations Meeting

The Gardner Edgerton USD 231 held its third negotiations meeting on April 21, 2026, focusing primarily on contract negotiations related to staff compensation, extra duty pay, committee work, leave policies, and salary schedules. Key procurement-related discussions included proposals to formalize extra duty pay for certified staff attending IEP meetings, negotiate pay for board-approved committees, and adjust pay rates for teachers covering additional classes due to short absences. The district presented a counteroffer of a 1.46% salary increase for returning staff, citing budget constraints and declining enrollment, and addressed supplemental pay proposals for competitive cheer coaches and pit directors. The board agreed tentatively on some items, such as extra duty pay and committee work pay, but declined to change leave coding to PTO. Due to the complexity and volume of issues, the parties agreed to reconvene in mid-June to continue negotiations, with commitments to share data and proposed language in advance.