Akron Public Schools' teachers union members will receive raises in each of the next three school years, under a new contract finalized by the union and the Akron Board of Education Monday.
The staff represented by the Akron Education Association will receive a 3% raise in the 2025-2026 school year, 2% in the following school year and 3% in the year after, the union confirmed after the board voted Monday. At the same time, the contract does include increased employee costs for the healthcare plans offered by the district. The union represents roughly 2,700 educators, support staff and other employees.
The contract comes as the district has cut staff, including 52 teaching positions in 2024 , and cut back on other staff and expenses in 2025. The school district has said more cuts will be needed over the next five years to avoid running out of money.
The board and the union welcomed the agreement in previous statements about the tentative approval of the contract, which was signed by 99% of Akron Education Association members.
“AEA remained steadfast in advocating for a contract that respects the professionalism of Akron educators and supports the needs of students and families across the district,” Akron Education Association President Pat Shipe said in a July 24 press release. “This agreement is a direct result of the persistence and commitment of the AEA team in collaboration with the board’s team. Our members stood together throughout this process, and their unity made it possible to secure a fair contract that addresses critical priorities for our schools and classrooms.”
Superintendent Mary Outley also welcomed the tentative agreement in a July 16 press release.
“This tentative agreement is a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together with a shared vision for student success,” Outley said.
Negotiations on the union's last contract turned tense in 2022, with teachers needling the district about student behavioral issues and pay. Public tensions between the union and the administration were markedly absent this time around. The union still has more than a dozen outstanding grievances filed with the district and several unfair labor practices it's filed with the state, however many are related to former Superintendent Michael Robinson's tenure. The union had previously accused his administration of "union busting" on multiple occasions.
The board meeting Monday was punctuated by two notable departures: Chief Financial Officer Stephen Thompson will be leaving the district for a job at Riverside Local Schools, along with Tamea Caver, the assistant superintendent and chief academic officer, who will be leaving for Warrensville Heights City School District.
