Rio Rancho board approves ratified union agreement with 4% pay increase and new leave pilot

The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education approved a ratified negotiated agreement for the 2025-26 school year with the Rio Rancho School Employees Union on June 23.

Mike Chavez, executive director of human resources, and union president Billy Hieland presented the agreement, which the union membership ratified before coming to the board. "We are pleased with the 4% increase over the current base salary for all bargaining unit employees as was passed by the legislature earlier this year," Hieland told the board during the presentation.

The agreement updates salary schedules and introduces a pilot allowing employees to convert up to two sick leave days into personal days for the 2025-26 year. It also requires that employees be informed of the basis of any investigations tied to disciplinary actions, a transparency change the presenters described as protecting employee rights.

Why it matters: District and union leaders described the process as collaborative and said the changes aim to improve compensation predictability, work-life balance and transparency. Superintendent Lisa Cleveland and board members thanked both teams for reaching a timely agreement before the school year.

Vote: Jeff Morgan moved to approve the ratified negotiated agreement; Gary Tripp seconded. The board voted in favor and the motion carried.

Implementation: The agreement is finalized for the upcoming school year; district staff indicated HR and payroll will implement the salary changes and leave pilot ahead of the next school year.