Teachers’ Union Continues Negotiations as East Lansing School District Braces for Change

The East Lansing school board met Monday, Aug. 11, for the first time since district’s teachers’ union, the East Lansing Education Association, voted against a proposed new contract.

Superintendent Dori Leyko updated the board on the negotiations, saying they “continue to bargain in good faith.”

“The two parties have worked together to sign a letter of agreement for the first semester of the ’25-’26 school year calendar,” she said.

ELEA President Ross Gorman told ELi his members were polled after the narrow defeat of the contract, showing three primary areas of concern: salary, prescription drug coverage under the chosen health plan, and a sick bank, which Gorman said the union has been trying to add for nearly a decade.

“[It’s] the ability for us to pool some of our sick days to help out colleagues who have, unfortunately, unforeseen accidents or illnesses in their families or for themselves that they don’t have the sick days to cover,” he said. 

The contract that was voted down would have required every member to pay in one sick day each to get the bank started. Gorman said a panel would be created to approve requests for use of the bank and that the panel would include administrators. 

“Teachers felt that the panel gave administration the keys to the sick days that they had paid into the bank themselves,” he said.

As for the salary concern, Gorman told ELi that everyone wants to see more than the 1% raise guaranteed in the previous tentative agreement, especially those who have maxed out on seniority, or “steps.”

ELHS English teacher Tim Akers spoke to the board during public comment about his own experience.

“It has taken me 18 years to move 13 steps on the pay scale,” he said, “and the five steps I’ve lost [due to] pay freezes, etc., have cost me over $100,000 in lifetime earnings which is substantial. Last year I finally got to the top of the pay scale and to see that all I stand to get next year was a percent and a half, which comes out to just around $1,400, which after taxes comes out to about $27 a week. To do that to your senior teachers, that’s why the vote went the way it went.”

Akers went on to say that administrators received at least a 3% increase to cover inflation, which his proposed 1.5% would not cover. He encouraged the district to look at its fund balance to better compensate its teachers.

Gorman said he was optimistic about negotiations and thought it was possible a new tentative agreement could be reached before the first day of school on Aug. 25.

Free lunch program at risk, athletic fees to be reinstated due to funding constraints.

The rest of the short school board meeting was primarily dominated by announcements from Leyko about the future of popular programs in the district.

Athletic participation fees will return, the superintendent said, albeit looking quite different.

“Since [the] Covid-19 [pandemic],” she said, “the East Lansing Board of Education has taken action to pause participation fees for high school student athletes in an effort to reengage students and promote wellness post-pandemic.”

Leyko said this was possible because of one-time federal funds to support students during the pandemic. However, those funds have been depleted. For the 2025-2026 school year, the district will charge high school athletes $75 per sport and middle school athletes will pay $50 per sport.

Prior to the pandemic, athletic fees were $200 for high school students.

“We understand that every family’s financial situation is unique,” she said. “If you are in a position to contribute the full fee, we appreciate your support in helping us sustain high quality athletic programming.”

However, she said no student athletes will be turned away if their family is unable to pay. Families may pay the whole amount, contribute a smaller amount “that feels manageable for your family,” pay nothing, or make an additional donation to help cover other students.

She said this one-year pilot program will be reevaluated at the end of the school year.

Another popular policy has been free breakfast and lunches for Michigan public school students, passed in 2023 by the state government. Leyko informed the board the Michigan legislature has not yet approved a budget for the new fiscal year and that current funding for the free meal program expires at the end of September. She said the district would share information with district families as it becomes available.

The next meeting of the school board will be Monday, Aug. 25 in the MacDonald Middle School Auditorium as construction continues on the new administrative building and the high school.

This story was updated to include the pre-pandemic high school athletic cost.