Teachers press district to formalize AIS department leader roles, reduce clerical burden

Teachers at the bargaining table argued the district should recognize Academic Intervention Services (AIS) as part of secondary department leadership, giving AIS leaders release time and clearer duties to manage student progress monitoring, training and legal compliance.

Why it matters: AIS work includes progress monitoring and documentation that teachers said requires training and time; teachers argued lack of release time and clerical support leads to staff departures and harms student services.

Union negotiators presented administrative feedback showing that adding AIS to department leader language would increase FTE by roughly 0.8 districtwide (0.2 release at each of four secondary schools). Educators described an earlier AIS leader position that provided substantial administrative support; that role was later dissolved, and current department leaders now absorb AIS duties without extra release or training.

At the table district representatives and union members agreed that many department‑leader tasks are clerical and should be audited. The parties tentatively agreed to: (1) keep the proposed language as written for now; (2) conduct an audit of clerical duties assigned to department leaders; and (3) incorporate a review of department leader duties and mentoring in the district’s APPR (teacher evaluation) revision work led by the district and union representatives.

Union speakers stressed that department leaders provide coaching for uncertified or early‑career teachers and the specialized training needed for AIS progress monitoring; district negotiators responded that some clerical tasks may be reassigned but noted the employees association would represent those employees if clerical work shifted to another bargaining unit.

Ending: The parties recorded a tentative agreement to revisit roles and workload through an audit and APPR revision rather than immediate contract language changes; any contract language revision will be returned to the bargaining table in writing.