Richmond Public Schools recently negotiated agreements with four collective bargaining “units” that will result in increased salaries, compensation and benefits for those employees. The RPS school board was the first in the state to pass a collective bargaining resolution last December since the Virginia Supreme Court banned such agreements for public sector employees 45 years ago.

The four units represented teachers, instructional assistants, care and safety staff and nutrition staff. The agreements, negotiated between the units and representatives from RPS and the Richmond Education Association, are a contract for three years.

Highlights of the agreement for staff units include: a 40 percent raise in instructional assistants’ salaries over the next three years to $30,000 by the 2025-2026 school year; a 10 percent increase in pay for supervisory roles and a 14 percent raise for all other care and safety staff; a 25 percent raise for school nutrition workers to nearly $19 an hour by the 2025-2026 school year, and health care benefits for the first time.

Teachers will receive a minimum 12 percent raise over the next three years, and $55 per hour compensation for covering another teacher’s class or performing testing duties during a planning period.

In announcing the agreement, Super- intendent Jason Kamras said the school division’s goal is to become known as “Teacher Town, Virginia,” a place that attracts teachers and keeps them. And teacher compensation has been a focus for him during his time at RPS.

“That means since becoming superin- tendent I have been able, with the support of the board, to in- crease teacher pay by nearly 35 percent,” he said. As an example, teachers who earned $60,000 in 2018 will be paid $80,000 by the 2025-2026 school year.

Reaching the agreement has been several months in the making.

“We met with all four units in August and came to an agreement on the topics,” says Michelle Hudacsko, chief of staff for RPS. “Over the last three months, we’ve had multiple meetings per month, came to an agreement and then the agreements were voted on.”

Boaz Young-El, lead negotiator for the REA, said legislation passed by former Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration helped Virginia workers gain collective bargaining rights.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a differ- ent result, such as top-down rules where workers have no say,” Mr. Young-El said in a phone interview with the Richmond Free Press. “Research shows that scores go up and [teacher] retention goes up with collective bargaining, two things RPS desperately needs.”

He said he spoke with Mr. Kamras about bringing employees to the table when talking about policy. Mr. Kamras agreed and said he believes teacher retention and improved student outcomes will take time, but these negotiations will help improve both.

“We really wanted to embrace this to show how much we value what our teachers and staff do,” he said in a phone interview with the Free Press. “I’m really proud that with collaboration with the REA, we are able to lead the commonwealth on this.”

Kenya Gibson, vice chair representing the RPS third district said in a statement: “Unions make our democracy stronger and they make our schools better,” she said. “We’ve still got work to do but I’m thrilled about the progress we’ve made.”

The RPS School Board will review the agreements at its Jan. 5, 2023 meeting. Mr. Kamras will submit a budget proposal that includes these salary and benefits changes to the School Board on Jan 17.