The Montgomery County School Board will discuss its collective bargaining agreements with the county’s Education Association, review a state proposal for $1,500 employee bonuses and examine school facility needs during its Tuesday meeting.
Currently, state law allows individual school boards to decide whether to enter into collective bargaining agreements with employees.
Now, in SB 378 and HB 1263, the General Assembly has proposed expanding public sector collective bargaining to include requiring school boards to bargain with certified unions, beginning in 2028.
However, Gov. Abigail Spanberger has proposed amendments, including a delay on mandatory bargaining until 2030. Lawmakers will reconvene Wednesday to act on the governor’s vetoes and amendments.
In 2023, Montgomery County’s school board voted 5-2 to allow collective bargaining agreements, effective in 2024.
The school board will receive a presentation on how the agreements have affected schools. It states that the agreements benefit continuity of instruction, with fewer vacancies and substitutes; have reduced special education caseloads; ensure consistent scheduling for lunch periods across the division; and have established clearer expectations for duties, work hours and conditions.
However, it states, the pacts may limit flexibility for professional development and required meetings.
A staff survey was conducted with 540 respondents, and 72% were instructional staff and 20% were support staff.
Results included:
- 66% agreed that the agreements have improved overall working conditions.
- 63% agreed that they have positively impacted morale.
- 51% agreed that they have improved communication between staff and administration.
- 56% agreed that they support student success.
- 47% agreed that they support employees’ reasons to stay in the school system.
- 60% agreed that they make work schedules predictable and clearly communicated.
- 54% agreed that they improved employees’ ability to do their jobs effectively.
- 22% said that they create unnecessary rigidity or limit flexibility.
- 22% said that they add complexity to daily operations.
- 5% said that their drawbacks outweigh their benefits, while 7.6% said the drawbacks significantly outweigh benefits.
The financial impact of collective bargaining agreements is projected to be $158,000 across the fiscal year.
The presentation notes that there are remaining gaps and inconsistencies between board policy and what employees are entitled to under the agreements.
It recommends clearly featuring the agreement provisions in job postings, interview materials and elsewhere to strengthen recruitment and onboarding; providing workforce data details to better understand the demographic effects; and updating board policies to reflect all aspects of the agreements.
Retention bonus to be discussed
The school board will receive a presentation on a state budget provision that will provide a one-time pay incentive for all state-funded school Standards of Quality positions.
In March, Spanberger proposed an amendment to the two-year proposed state budget that would make this a one-time $1,500 bonus. School divisions would be required to certify that they will provide the bonus, with the understanding that it will require local matching funds.
The presentation recommends agreeing to provide the bonus with matching funds, but it does not include a cost estimate for county schools.
Capital project dollars to be requested
The school board will review a proposal to ask the county board of supervisors to appropriate nearly $1.9 million from interest earned on bonds for a massive Christiansburg High School construction project.
More than $1.82 million would be used for the first phase of an HVAC upgrade at Auburn High School, aiming for completion in summer 2027.
The board will convene a work session including a closed session at 5:30 p.m. to discuss student matters and personnel in the school board office, conference rooms A/B, 750 Imperial St., Christiansburg. The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the county government center, 755 Roanoke St., Christiansburg. View the agendas for both meetings here.
