Bargaining teams tentatively agree to adjusted sick-day buyback percentages (Article 17)

Bargaining representatives tentatively agreed on revised sick-day buyback terms under Article 17 after several rounds of negotiation. The union proposed adding intermediate buyback tiers and changing the flat $125 sell-back to the current school-year substitute rate; district staff signaled that replacing a fixed amount with the current sub rate is acceptable and that parties could keep the year‑bands and percentages intact.

Key points: The tentative compromise moves the 10–19 years buyback to 33% and the 20–29 years band to 66%, while maintaining 30+ years at 100% of unused eligible days. Parties also agreed to language that would reference "the current year's substitute pay" rather than a fixed dollar value for the per-day sell-back amount, a change negotiators said better tracks prevailing pay and retirement calculations.

Why it matters: The change targets recruitment and retention of veteran teachers by improving the financial value of unused sick leave at retirement and aligns buyback pay with year-to-year substitute pay. District staff characterized the agreement as tentative and said final textual language and cost projections will be drafted for review before any ratification vote.

Next steps: Staff will draft formal contract language reflecting the percentages and the 'current year's sub pay' wording and provide financial estimates; parties did not finalize Article 21 (separate retirement dollar additions) and agreed to table that item pending broader affordability analysis.