Board hears summary of Fargo Education Association negotiations; committee reports key contract changes

Melissa (negotiations lead) reported to the Fargo Board of Education that district negotiators and the Fargo Education Association reached agreement on May 17 after multiple bargaining sessions.

Melissa summarized 11 substantive changes to the negotiated agreement. She highlighted a revision to the parental‑leave bank to encourage donations and increase available days, streamlined vacancy postings through the district’s online application system, removal of cumbersome secondary‑level teaching‑assignment notification language, clarifications to the substitute‑and‑leave policy (referencing administrative policies), and adjustments to work‑day and personal‑leave procedures to make building principals the approving authority.

On compensation and overload, Melissa said the overload-calculation method will be standardized by tying overload pay to a single cell on the salary matrix (the change will take effect in 2026 so current commitments are honored). She said the district will reduce a previously approved special‑education stipend from $6,000 to $3,000 annually. For staff at the top of lanes with no further steps, the agreement provides retention bonuses in 2025–26 and 2026–27; Melissa described the first‑year retention amounts as ranging from $269 to $412 and the second‑year amounts from $539 to $826.

Melissa thanked bargaining team members and said the Fargo Education Association “was truly lovely to work with” and professional throughout the process. The board report summarized the agreement; the transcript does not record a separate board motion or roll-call vote adopting the negotiated agreement during this meeting.