GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) – GRPS is pleased to announce that bargaining representatives from the district and the Grand Rapids Education Association (GREA) have finalized the 2025–26 school year calendar and reached four additional tentative agreements.
The finalized calendar is available to view below. Compared to last year’s calendar, it includes three fewer contractual workdays for GREA employees while maintaining the same rate of pay.
The four additional tentative agreements reached provide additional benefits to the GREA and individual teachers:
- GRPS agreed to coordinate a sick day donation program with the GREA to enable bargaining unit employees who cannot work due to a disability to obtain additional paid leave time to avoid financial hardship. GRPS will be one of only a handful of school districts in the state who provide this benefit.
- GRPS agreed to use the District’s Human Resources department to administer GREA dues deductions from bargaining unit employees’ paychecks who “opt in” to the dues deduction. GRPS is one of the few school districts from the region who provide this service to employees.
- The GREA has proposed that GRPS offer professional development to GREA employees and count the professional development days towards the state requirement of 180 instructional days as permitted under Michigan law. GRPS has agreed to establish a committee to explore this option for the 2026-27 school year. GRPS recognizes the importance of professional development but also believes that maximizing instructional time is key to scholar growth.
- The parties agreed to a procedure for assigning teachers and filling vacant positions.
GRPS is thankful that the mediation process has resulted in four tentative agreements and a much-needed agreement on the 2025-26 calendar.
In September, GRPS also proposed an increased salary proposal. Because mediation is a confidential process, GRPS is prohibited from sharing its current salary proposal. GRPS is considering a proposal that the mediator presented to both parties in an attempt to resolve all outstanding issues.
GRPS is grateful for the mediator’s hard work to provide an independent review of the outstanding issues and attempt to find a path to settlement.
2025-2026 Final Calendar
October 31: Half Day
November 4: No School (Election Day)
November 26 - 28: No School (Thanksgiving break)
December 17 - 19: Half Day (Exams)
December 22 - January 2: No School (Winter Break)
January 19: No School (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
February 16 - 17: No School (Mid-Winter Break)
April 3 - 10: No School (Spring Break)
May 25: No School (Memorial Day)
June 1 - 2: Half Day (Exams)
June 3: Half Day (Last Day of School)
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the finalized state budget impact the 2025-26 GRPS budget?
The 2025-26 GRPS budget approved by the Board of Education was based on a state Foundation Allowance of $10,000 per pupil. The final state budget increased the Foundation Allowance to $10,050 per pupil, generating an additional $672,400 based on an enrollment of 13,448 scholars.
However, the state budget also eliminated Section 147a(1) funding for the Michigan Public School Employees' Retirement System (MPSERS), resulting in an estimated $1.17 million reduction in funding for GRPS.
As a result, total unrestricted state funding for the 2025-26 school year is projected to be approximately $37 per pupil less than originally forecasted in the district’s budget.
Is it true that GRPS has a general fund balance of $40 million?
No. The district’s audited general fund balance was $30.9 million on June 30, 2025. The district currently projects a fund balance of $17.4 million on June 30, 2026.
Why hasn’t the latest GRPS proposal been shared with the community?
GRPS and the GREA are using the services of a state-appointed mediator, at no additional cost to the district or GREA, to assist the parties with reaching a consensus on the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. The negotiations that happen during mediation are confidential.
The final district proposal made before mediation is available to view here.
What is the teacher retention rate at GRPS?
95% of teachers from the end of the 2024-25 school year returned to the district for the start of the 2025-26 school year.
How does instructional spending at GRPS compare with other area districts?
GRPS ranks second among traditional school districts in Kent County on expenditures for instructional programming per pupil, according the Michigan Department of Education’s 1014 Bulletin published in February 2025.
What budget cuts has the district made?
The district reduced spending by millions of dollars in the 2025-26 budget by implementing several district-level reductions, including:
- Eliminated 25 districtwide positions, including two Cabinet-level roles.
- Instituted a salary freeze for all non-union staff for the 2025-26 school year.
- Reduced multiple department budgets.
- Paused out-of-state conference travel unless fully covered by external or grant funding.
