Board negotiators and human-resources staff presented a negotiated contract for education assistants that the board approved by voice vote.

Highlights of the agreement include a longevity structure that replaces a prior career-increment approach (steps at year 12 through year 25), added phase-retirement language to match teacher provisions, revised sick-leave language to avoid STAT-2-specific contract language, and a clarified insurance contribution timing tied to last day worked. The contract also consolidates several low-paid classifications into a single B2.1 classification and ensures employees temporarily performing supervisory roles retain their supervisory pay.

Finance staff presented cost estimates: the three-year package represents an approximately 11% total increase over the contract term, with a year-one impact of roughly $84,000 above current budgeted amounts and a three-year total cost of about $1.1 million across funds. Administrators noted most costs fall in Fund 1; the immediate fund-balance impact was reported to be 0.26 percent of reserves for year one, absent other settlements.

Board action: motion to approve the education-assistant contract; second recorded and the motion carried (voice vote).