Teachers are typically working under new contracts by this time of year — but it’s an unusual year for De Soto teachers, who are still working to finalize contracts with the district.

The USD 232 Board of Education, the De Soto Teachers Association and both of their negotiation teams met Tuesday to continue discussions for this year’s contracts. In the meantime, teachers are working under their 2025-26 contracts.

While teachers understand the district is only able to provide minimal raises — which they say doesn’t match the rise in the cost of living — they’re willing to bear that, along with paying more out of pocket for health insurance, so long as the district gives them something in return, De Soto Teachers Association President Dandra Arter told the Post last week.

What they want is time back during the school year.

“We understand that it’s not the fault of the district,” Arter said. “We are not going to fight them on those monetary issues. They’ve been very honest. They’ve opened the books and we’ve had a chance to look at all of those things. We very much appreciate the position they’re in and the honesty that they’ve shown.

“We did ask in response to that monetary offer,” Arter continued, “that they choose to give us back some time as a way to show their appreciation in terms of compensating teachers for their time.”

The teachers are asking for two things:

• reduce the number of contract days from 187 to 186,
• and reduce the number of required attendance at out-of-school events throughout the year from three to two.

Those concessions have been the holdup for the district since August, though a culmination of factors have ultimately delayed the timeline to finalizing contracts, like waiting for 2027 insurance cost predictions and scheduling conflicts.

“The biggest thing for everyone to know is that we’re all attempting to work together in a collaborative manner moving forward,” Superintendent Cory Gibson told the Post on Monday. “I hope it’s not a view of ‘us versus them’ because that’s certainly not the goal. 

“Our teachers deserve to be valued and compensated fairly,” he added. “And our students and taxpayers deserve a district that remains fiscally strong, using the resources that have been afforded to us. Those aren’t competing priorities. It is our responsibility to find a sustainable way to do both, and that’s really where we’re at right now.”

How did we get here?

While the negotiation process starts with the turn of the year, negotiations themselves typically don’t start until later in the spring or early summer. For USD 232, contracts are usually wrapped up over the summer or by early fall.

This year, however, the teachers union asked in May to delay negotiating over the summer to receive additional information on what the changes to health insurance might look like come January. 

It’s expected to rise 10% this year, Arter said, on top of last year’s 13% increase. While teachers understand the district can’t afford those costs, the proposed raises — ranging from 2.1% to 2.8% — aren’t enough to offset the rise in insurance costs.

“So not only will teachers not receive a cost-of-living increase in their wages,” Arter said, “but they’ll also have to pay out of pocket for a portion of their medical insurance.”

Now set with predicted forecasts, and the understanding of the district’s financial constraints, the teachers asked to reduce their contract days by one and required attendance at out-of-school events from three to two. 

Negotiation meetings started back up in August, after the pause for insurance predictions, and the two groups have been going back and forth since.

Teachers packed the Oct. 5 board of education meeting, with many addressing concerns regarding their contracts. Board Member Chad Philhour later responded to teacher concerns.

“The board supports you guys,” Philhour said at the meeting. “We want to work with you, and that is what we are trying to do. This whole combative attitude that’s going on with us and them — this board is not that. We want to do what we can to help you guys and take as much friction out of your day.”

Tuesday’s meeting

The latest negotiation meeting occurred Tuesday, with the board conceding on one less contract day by removing a day at the end of the school year. Teachers had initially requested removing a professional development day, potentially in January or April.

By removing a day at the end of the year — when teachers still have grades to finalize, classrooms to clean and even some students still coming in — teachers said that’s largely unhelpful, as they’d have to do the work anyways. A day off at the end of the year likely means doing work off contract.

The board also reduced the number of hours required at out-of-school events from eight to five, maintaining that teachers must attend three throughout the school year.

The teachers union also objected to this, stating that it’s not about the hours of events, but the number of events — attendance at three out-of-school events, even with the reduction in required hours — still means staying after school and contracted hours, likely working, until the event starts. 

Ultimately, that counteroffer was rejected by the union.

With that, the district’s negotiation team made the decision to reconvene with the DTA at a later date. District negotiation team lead, Attorney David Cunningham, who’s with the Kansas Association of School Boards, said he’ll meet with the board of education to discuss other solutions.

That special board meeting was scheduled for Thursday morning, with the intent to enter executive session to discuss negotiations. The next negotiation meeting, which is open to the public, is set for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the board chambers at 35200 W. 91st St., De Soto.