GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) -- Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) and the Grand Rapids Education Association (GREA) have reached a tentative agreement that includes historic wage increases for both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years. The tentative agreement must be ratified by both the Board of Education and the GREA bargaining unit before it becomes effective.
Through this tentative agreement, GRPS teachers and ancillary staff will see a substantial increase in the starting wage and overall improvements to the salary schedule, including providing wage increases with each year of service. If approved, employees would receive their wage increase retroactively to the beginning of the 2025-26 school year.
GRPS estimates that this two-year contract represents an additional $10.4 million investment in educators, an increase of 11.8%. Raises for individual employees range from $2,000 to more than $10,000 based on years of service and education level. You can review the proposed salary schedule here.
“This milestone agreement reflects our deep belief that educators shape the future of our community and reinforces that GRPS is the district of choice for top educators in West Michigan,” said Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby. “We are confident this agreement will help retain our exceptional teachers and staff, while also attracting new educators to our district.”
The tentative agreement was reached with the assistance of the state-appointed mediator.
In addition to increased wages over two school years, the parties also reached tentative agreements over the following issues:
- Increased elementary planning time and monetary stipends
- Teacher evaluation
- Teacher discipline
- Increased insurance contributions
- Increases to retirement payout
- Increases to class overload payments
- Improvements to paid bereavement leave
- Reduction in contractual parent-teacher conference time
If you are interested in joining GRPS, you can apply for current openings at grps.org/careers.
