Salina Public Schools, NEA-Salina open 2026-27 contract talks

Salina Public Schools and NEA-Salina have officially begun negotiations for the 2026-2027 school year, with both sides presenting their opening proposals during the first round of contract talks.

According to a media release from Salina Public Schools, the USD 305 Board of Education and NEA-Salina met and agreed to ground rules before exchanging proposals covering staff leave, classroom safety, work assignments, compensation and other contract language.

Among the proposals from NEA-Salina were changes to the blackout day policy for clarity and consistency, updates to the duty-free lunch requirement, and amendments to the safety in classrooms provision for employees receiving medical care for work-related injuries so they would not lose personal leave time.

The union also proposed adding a formal requirement for staff feedback in the administrator appraisal system, updating the dress code policy, adding two additional days of PTO leave, and creating a new section addressing staff responsibilities for communication outside the duty day. NEA-Salina also requested several non-substantive structural changes to parts of the agreement for clarity.

The Board of Education’s proposals included removing language in the hours and amounts of work sections to clarify that a home district assignment could occur at any time after hire. The board also proposed changes to the blackout day policy so employees working in non-Salina districts would follow the calendar of the district where they are assigned.

Additional district proposals included adding elementary music teachers to the special salary provisions and adding a supplemental contract provision for elementary marathon coordinators.

Both sides are scheduled to meet again from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16, in the second-floor library media center at Central High School, 650 E. Crawford, to continue negotiations.