More districts approve 'resource' deal

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Five additional school boards Monday approved a collaborative agreement to manage costs as schools look to preserve programming in light of the state's budget situation.

The Kent Intermediate Superintendents Association and Kent County Education Association are behind the deal.

"The collaborative agreement between superintendents and our districts' bargaining units introduces new cost controls to deal with unprecedented budget cuts resulting from inadequate school funding at the state level," Kent ISD Superintendent Kevin Konarska said in a news release. "We extend our thanks to the Kent County Education Association for agreeing to this unique approach to bargaining."

Rockford, Godfrey Lee, Kenowa Hills, and Lowell joined the Byron Center, Comstock Park, Godwin Heights, Grandville, Kent ISD and Northview districts in support of the plan.

The deal would require each bargaining unit employee to contribute toward the cost of his or her health care premiums, increase employee co-pays for doctor visits and freeze base wages for the 2010-11 school year.

"We recognize that all of us -- teachers, support staff and school administrators -- need to work closely together to maintain quality programming for students," said MEA Uniserv Director Bill Dungey, of the KCEA. "All of us are working together toward the same goal of providing a world-class education for students to help Michigan's economy grow out of the decade-long recession we’ve suffered."

The regional agreement is the first of its sort in Kent ISD and likely the state, said Konarska. The news release stated while superintendents and associations endorsed the concept and encouraged its development, it was never intended to meet the needs of every school district, as all have unique contracts and individual needs to address in their collective bargaining agreements.

"Among the lessons we've learned over years of developing collaborative agreements among districts is that one size does not fit all," Konarska said. "Our focus is, and has always been, to develop favorable frameworks for collaboration that provide higher levels of service, increase student achievement, and allow districts to operate with greater efficiency."