A contract agreement negotiated by Kent ISD on behalf of the service agency and nine of its member districts saved millions of dollars and kept teachers in the classroom instead of on the unemployment line.

Kent ISD Superintendent Kevin Konarska said the landmark regional contract agreement broke the ice on teachers contributing to the cost of their health care, froze salaries during a difficult financial time for school districts, and preserved jobs for scores of teachers who may have been laid off.

“Our bargaining units worked with us to negotiate a contract that would save jobs and recognize the political reality that all employees should contribute to the cost of their health care,” Konarska said of the agreement, which is the target of a lawsuit filed by the Midland-based Mackinac Center.  “We have had superintendents all across the state ask us how we were able to achieve such a groundbreaking contract, given the debate over employee-paid premiums that has been going on in Lansing for years.”

The Mackinac Center filed suit against Kent ISD and nine of its member districts – Byron Center, Comstock Park, Godfrey Lee, Godwin Heights, Grandville, Kenowa Hills, Lowell, Northview and Rockford – on December 15 because the agreement contained language indicating none of the districts would outsource non-instructional services during the duration of the one-year contract.

Konarska said the regional agreement was totally voluntary.  Each of the 20 districts within Kent ISD had the opportunity to participate if it met their needs.  Those that were considering outsourcing services within the 2010-11 school year were advised against participating in the regional template.

“Achieving the goal of bargaining unit employees contributing to the cost of their health care was a major victory for participating districts,” Konarska said.  “None of those districts was planning to pursue outsourcing in this contract year.  One of the districts named in the suit had already outsourced food service, custodial and transportation services.  It’s hard to imagine what more could be done.”

Konarska said the savings in just two member districts – Northview and Rockford – totals more than $835,000, which is roughly equivalent to the salary and benefits for 17 first-year teachers.  Rockford Superintendent Mike Shibler told reporters his district had privatized food service a number of years ago but reversed the decision when the district found it could provide better service and operate with a surplus by managing the operation itself.