3/10/2006 – Greetings fellow JESS Members – the Contract has been Ratified by the Union Members who voted.
Next step is for the School Board to vote to finalize and enter into the budget (likely happening Thursday)
Thank you to EVERYONE! for your participation and help!
In Solidarity –
3/4/2026-Warm greetings on this snowy day,
Your JESS Negotiation team has reached a tentative agreement on a full contract with the Juneau School District (JSD). The contract will be available to review at two upcoming meetings (TBA) where we will provide information and answers for all Bargaining Unit Members. We will then have a final meeting where all active, dues-paying members will vote on ratification.
Some highlights of this agreement include:
- a $2/hr raise for all ranges in SY26 (this year)
- Full retroactive pay for all current Bargaining Unit Members to July 1, 2025 as well as any retirees since July 1
- a 3% increase in SY27 and SY28
- A one time $200,000 lump sum payment to the APEA-AFT Health and Welfare Trust (Health Trust) to be made upon ratification of the agreement
- A one-time payment of $22,500 to the Health Trust to retroactively cover the increase to JSD health insurance contributions from July – December 2025
- Monthly health insurance contributions from JSD to the Health Trust will increase to $1,724 for January – June 2026
- Monthly health insurance contributions from JSD to the Health Trust will increase to $1,744 in SY27 and to $1,764 in SY28
The JESS Negotiations team would like to thank you all for your support over the last fifteen months of negotiations. Because of your solidarity, we have been able to negotiate from a strong, unified position. We could not have done this without you! We look forward to meeting with you and presenting more information about the contract in the near future.
In Solidarity,
The JESS Negotiation Team
Hans Snyder
Phil Buettel
Leslie Antolick
Todd Speich
Maraiya League
*********Critical Meeting – All Members Need to Attend*********** Meeting 12/6/2025 10a at JDHS Library & 12/8/2025 5p at TMMS PURPOSE: Feedback on Contract Negotiations – Polling on PRESENT memberships needs for contract including Insurance and Pay – To make your voice heard – ATTEND. ********************************************************************
PROCESS will be going forward – Negotiators will complete a Tentative Agreement with JSD/JESS. At the point where all the articles are TA’d – then the JESS membership would need to vote to approve or not – then the school district would need to vote to approve or not.
11/2025 – JESS is still in Negotiations with JSD and Mediator (not at Impasse). JESS has agreements with most articles of the contract. Two remaining articles are being worked on – as well as Wages and Health Insurance. Negotiations with mediator are being held on 11/17/2025 (8-3p) and 11/19/2025 (10:30-3p), 11/20/2025 (8a-3p), and 11/21/2025 (8-3p). There has been some improvements.
JESS and JEA are attending Board of Education Meeting (wearing blue) to help support and keep our needs in front of the BOE. Remember, you can join on Zoom even if you can’t make it in person – Please make sure your “tag” says JESS and your name (example ‘JESS – Hans’).
10/2025- JESS is still in Negotiations with JSD (Juneau School District) – Next Mediated Negotiation is set for 10/16/2025.
Union Representatives have met with the Juneau School District in Negotiations throughout the summer and into August and September. As negotiations became more complete both sides felt it might help to have a Mediator assist. First meeting with mediator was September 19th. Meetings with Mediator (and JESS/JSD) could be characterized as positive.
Info was lost during update – to be restored soon. -HRS
06/18/2025 –
JSD clarified their inputs to the money formula. They gave examples of how they do their numbers.
They clarified that that numbers are for currently hired JESS members. BCD does not include numbers for 2025.
JSD agreed to get JSD finance together for next meeting with JESS Negotiator who is helping with numbers to best align numbers/formula so that comparison would be “apples to apples”.
JSD reported they did not accept the rewording they asked for and was delivered last meeting. JSD reported they do not see a training problem. JESS reports membership feel they are held responsible for things that have not been properly communicated, taught, nor documented, during onboarding process.
JSD reports they will consider “something” but do not want to have any barriers to removing staff for “cause” – JESS reiterates that JESS members can already be removed for cause – (unsafe and illegal behavior, etc) and reaffirms JSD rights to do so.
Next meeting will be on 7/16/2025. Discussion of pay to be had in detail then. JSD still responding that they have one dollar amount only for the three year contract they want – but can break it up multiple ways between wages and insurance, etc.
JESS brought up the new bill passing with increase to BSA. JSD said some of that funding has been veto’d. JESS mentioned there is still more than there was and the rest should be restored Jan 2026. JSD reports they expect cuts to education that will more than offset (reduce) the total amount available to the district. JSD reports they believe they will have less money in budget next year FY2026, than FY2025. Adjourn.
Next meeting with JSD – 7/16/2025.
06/11/2025 –
JESS was prepared to attend scheduled negotiations today. JSD contacted our Lead Negotiator and requested a recess for today, and resume meeting next Wednesday; to allow them more time for JSD to finish their response.
The hope is, by allowing the district this additional time, we get a great counter offer from the district.
06/04/2025 – Negotiations were held with JSD and JESS.
JESS asked about the two articles that JSD had agreed with the concept of the changes and that were needed – but has not responded with alternate language. This would increase recruitment and retention. JESS was informed that they are not prepared to come back with language despite being asked the last two weeks for same.
A few other articles were reviewed – a training check-off list provided by JESS – was reviewed to favorable comments from JSD negotiators.
By the end of the meeting two articles were temporarily agreed (TA) upon by both JSD and JESS.
A plan was agreed upon by JDS AND JESS lead negotiators to:
1. Review 3 articles
2. JSD will submit their preferred language for consideration, as requested by JESS for 3 negotiation meetings.
ALSO: JSD was asked (again) about Paraeducators’ classification information from the district; JSD replied they were waiting for a response from Student Services Director.
05/28/2025 – Negotiations were held with JSD and JESS.
JSD agreed to TA articles agreed upon with JESS – these included articles that were kept “book” (did not change), as well as articles that JSD offered changes we agreed to, and articles that JESS offered changes to that JSD agreed with. Approximately 33 out of 40 articles were agreed and TA’d this meeting. Three articles that JESS submitted newer changes were given to JSD to review. JSD was requested to submit to JESS what the responsibilities of the Paraeducators would be under the consolidation.
5/27/2025 – JESS negotiators met to discuss verbiage on several Articles and to confirm all articles that were ready for TA (Tentative Agreement) this would be generally be articles that keeps the status quo, does not overtly cause challenges for JESS members, or are “word/language changes” that make the contract stronger and more enforceable/clearer for JSD and JESS.
05/21/2025 – JESS and JSD negotiations meeting.
JSD offered two new plans with the same amount of money – it was clarified that the instead of a large increase – there would be a total of a specific amount to be carved up – one option was to bump the Health coverage share costing with JSD – but was not stacked. District still wants to consolidate most paraprofessionals and is not providing new language on duties. Same as current, but now for all — JESS identified that there were challenges not limited to some were 0.9 and some were contracted 1.0 and additionally – a Literacy Paraprofessional may not at this time be trained to care for high behavioral or medical needs. More conversations surrounding the need to have training that is more robust to help staff be effective and safe in the workplace.
At this meeting JSD asked for a rewrite of several articles that they “agree are good ideas, but don’t like JESS new language”. JESS asked that JSD work on language as well that may be more acceptable in order to come closer to an agreement that would help both negotiating parties. JESS again asked for a TA of agreed on articles to continue forward movement towards a contract and to allow a reasonable amount of time to work on the articles where JESS and JSD were furthest apart.
5/14/2025 – Negotiations were held on Wednesday 5/16/2025 with JESS and JSD.
Jess shared their return proposal with JSD. Since we did not yet have the information on how consolidation would work yet, and related expectations – our initial proposal has the same structure as the current contract with a bigger ask for wages than was offered by JSD.
JESS countered with a set amount the first year and increased percentages the following two year, which more equitably treats both low paid starting/newer para-educators and those with longer service. Additionally, there were requested changes to language in several differ articles to address challenges and avoid misunderstandings. Providing protections to JESS workers, giving those who continue to gain skills have a potential for increase in wages.
Details are still being worked out and there are some limitations within negotiations on what we can share mid process.
JSD has acknowledged that they see recruitment and retention as important. JESS is highlighting better communication and working with staff instead of the perception of ultimatum with little sympathy for the effects on the worker. We are proposing JSD be more intentional with their transfers.
We have worked to strengthen support in the contract for training for new staff and supporting the ongoing education needed to keep staff and students safe and learning.
Bigger Picture: At this time JSD has a bowl fed the challenges to larger mixed room of special needs and is instead working to have more groupings based on needed services or students (example – Vision impaired students might be together). It is much easier to support a smaller group at each school (by the Principal or other means) then to have larger classes with (less staff) that are unsustainable, unsafe, and burdens Para Educators and other JESS staff at a single school.
5/07/2025 – Yesterday afternoon we met with the JSD Representatives for Negotiations – We came prepared with some articles we preferred to be book (left the way they are – that benefit the union).
Unexpectedly (never has been seen by our negotiation group), JSD gave full proposal, instead of negotiating one article at a time – “take it all or leave it”.
In JSD’s proposal were raises, but not at the level membership asked for, there was a difference in increases with newer staff getting more of a raise, and those longer serving members getting less of a raise. There was a complication as well with the proposal’s language on health insurance.
Lead negotiators were able to locate some documents needed by JESS for preparing for further negotiation. JSD decided not to review the articles we came prepared with, and instead requested a full proposal.
Next meeting for negotiations will be next Wednesday, 5/14/2025.
4/25/2025 – Negations scheduled with JSD and JESS for Wednesday May 7th and is expected to continue each Wednesday afternoon.
4/14/2025 – Negotiations scheduled for Friday 4/18/2025 were put out a bit further due to Family Emergency. This page will update for the when the time is rescheduled.
4/1/2025 – Negotiations held today between JESS and Juneau School District. Ground rules were reviewed, negotiated, and agreed on. Next date set for 4/18/2025.
3/31/2025 – Negotiations with Juneau School District will be tomorrow, April 1st. Topics are to include next meeting dates, a plan for negotiations, and negotiation framework.
3/19/2025 – First date of negotiation will be April 1st. 2025.
3/12/2025 – As of noon today Negotiations committee is still waiting on JSD for dates to meet in negotiations. Negotiations Committee continues ongoing review of the contract while waiting for response from JSD.