Lawrence school district teachers and education support professionals will see raises next year if Lawrence Education Association members and the school board approve a tentative agreement.
The deal, which still requires ratification, would raise teacher base salaries to $51,000 and guarantee at least a $3,000 raise for teachers across all salary levels.
Union leaders said the agreement reflects months of organizing and record participation from educators who made clear that wages were their top priority.
Along with the pay increase, the contract includes improved safety protocols, enhanced workers compensation protections, and the creation of a special education committee to continue discussions concerning workload and support.
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Meanwhile, negotiations continued Thursday for the district’s education support professionals, who have been advocating for years for higher wages and improved working conditions.
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ESPs include paraprofessionals, custodians, secretaries and other classified staff members. They initially unionized as the Personnel Association of Lawrence – Communications Workers of America in 2021, and last year they united with the LEA, the long-standing teachers union.
Over the past few years, they’ve pushed the district for wage increases to bring them closer to a living wage.
Under the proposed terms for 2026-27, the district would adopt a revised wage matrix with a minimum pay of $20 per hour and at least a $1-per-hour increase across all pay levels for ESPs. Employees who are making the current minimum of $15.46 per hour would see raises of $4.54 per hour.
In addition to wages, both sides reached an agreement on several contract articles including professional development, health and safety and workers compensation leave.
Some issues remain a concern for union leaders. The district declined proposed changes to language around involuntary transfers, raising concerns among union members about whether the district could use position changes to reduce costs and not pay professionals for their skills.
Discussions in next year’s bargaining are expected to address inclement weather policies and whether ESPs will be allowed to continue to participate in district committees.
“Even though there were a lot of hard no’s, I think we had a lot of good movement,” LEA President Emerson Hoffzales said in an interview after Thursday’s bargaining session.
Union members are expected to begin ratification voting on Friday. The agreement will require the majority of voting members and school board approval to take effect.
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Courtney Lane (she/her), staff reporter, has worked with The Lawrence Times since April 2026. She can be reached at [email protected].
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