The board approved three related personnel and compensation measures on Oct. 16: a tentative agreement with the Riverside teachers’ association (RCTA) to increase the district’s contribution to employee health benefits, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the classified staff association (CSA), and a compensation package for managers and administrators that includes a split one-time payment and ongoing increase.

District negotiators and the union presented a chart showing the proposed health-premium changes. Staff said the district's proposed contribution for 2025 would increase by $500 per eligible employee (split as $250 ongoing and a $250 one-time payment) and that district-paid costs for the RCTA package would total about $911,000 (staff described approximately half as a one-time payment and half as ongoing). Staff also presented employee cost impacts for two plan types: for the district’s self-funded EPO option an employee share would increase about $20 per month (roughly $200 per year); staff also said a family Kaiser plan showed a higher employee cost and cited a figure of $9,146 per year (stated in the presentation), equating to roughly $914 per month as presented. The staff presentation said the district contribution for 2025 was budgeted at $305,000 and the proposed increase would add to that total.

A teacher spoke during public comment urging the board to protect health benefits, noting rising premiums and the effects on retention. Members of the public and board members discussed broader healthcare market impacts, including mention that Kaiser providers and nurses had labor actions elsewhere and that rising market costs affect district premiums.

After comment the board voted to approve the tentative agreement with RCTA; the transcript records the vote as unanimous. The board also approved the CSA memorandum of understanding (staff described the CSA payment as an annually recurring contribution with a cash component; staff said the campus-level cost varies by employee group) and the compensation adjustment for managers and cabinet-level employees (described as a $125,000 annual package split half one-time, half ongoing) — each measure passed unanimously according to the transcript.

The district said it will notify the county education office of the CSA MOU where required, and that staff will provide more detailed employee communications explaining plan choices, the effect on paycheck deductions and the district contribution.