What’s Going On with MVEA and District 51 Negotiations?
Who We Are
The Mesa Valley Education Association (MVEA) is made up of hundreds of licensed educators in District 51 including teachers, school counselors, and school psychologists. Our members work in every building across the district and serve thousands of students every day. As educators, we are committed not only to teaching and learning, but to advocating for the kind of public school system where students are safe, supported, and given every opportunity to succeed.
Why We're Negotiating
While the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between MVEA and District 51 runs from 2023 to 2026, negotiations still happen every year. In years that are not open contract years (like this one), both MVEA and the District may reopen mutually agreed-upon topics, and each side is also allowed to bring up to two additional non-mutally agreed up issues for negotiation. This is a regular part of the process, and it ensures that urgent issues can still be addressed between full contract renewals.
While the contract is signed by both MVEA and the District 51 Board of Education, this Board has refused to attend negotiations. This is a break from common practice in Colorado. Most school boards across the state, including past D51 boards, engage directly with their educators during bargaining. Without decision-makers in the room, collaboration is difficult and the process takes longer, since District representatives can be unable to confirm or commit to proposals on the Board’s behalf.
This year, MVEA brought forward two issues that educators across the Valley have repeatedly raised: student and staff safety, and enforceable class size guidelines. These proposals were not made lightly. They were built from the ground up using data from hundreds of 1:1 conversations, surveys from licensed educators in D51, legal guidance from the Colorado Education Association (CEA), financial research and modeling, data from other Colorado district contracts, publicly available audits from District 51 and the Colorado Department of Education, and national best practices on classroom safety and staffing. The proposals reflected the real, lived experiences of educators in our schools and were designed to create clear expectations and accountability.
What Happened at the Bargaining Table
MVEA’s team, made up of educators, met with the District’s team, made up of District administration, for three days in April and May. During that time, MVEA presented language to address both of the issues we brought forward. The District rejected our proposed language, including safety protocols and class size guidelines, without offering any alternative contract language to immediately address the concerns. The District also proposed a one-time 2.3% cost-of-living stipend in place of honoring step movement on the salary schedule. Under our current system, educators move one step forward on the schedule each year (typically a 2.2% increase) to acknowledge an additional year of service. Step movement is permanent, counts toward retirement contributions, and is a foundational part of our agreed compensation structure. A one-time stipend does not offer the same long-term benefits for retirement and lifetime earnings. The District also brought two items, day leave and attendance on in-service days, but did not bring any proposed language to the table.
On May 10, after three days of little movement and without working toward a compromise, the District initiated the impasse process, officially moving the process into mediation. The District team refused tp subanstively engage with the issues at hand. MVEA proposals were not responded to in full or in detail. This marks the second year in a row that the District team became unmoveable and unwilling to engage in the language itself after initial proposals.
What Happens Now
Once impasse is declared, both parties must follow the next steps outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The first of those steps, agreeing on a neutral third-party mediator, has already occurred. The next is a planning meeting to determine what the mediation process will look like and when next sessions will take place. That meeting is scheduled for this week. MVEA has made it clear that we are ready and willing to continue negotiations through the summer. Our goal has never changed: to find a fair, sustainable agreement that improves school conditions and supports the educators who make public education possible in Mesa County.
Why it Matters
This isn’t just about a contract, it’s about creating the conditions that help students succeed. Smaller class sizes mean more individual attention and better behavior management. Clear safety protocols protect both staff and students. Honoring step movement is about respecting the time and experience educators bring to their work. Every proposal we’ve made is grounded in research, real-world need, and what we believe will move our schools forward. We know our students deserve the best, and we are committed to working through this process to make sure they get it. We’re grateful to our educators and community members who have taken time to ask questions, sign the petition, attend bargaining, and support public education.
Who We Are
The Mesa Valley Education Association (MVEA) is made up of hundreds of licensed educators in District 51 including teachers, school counselors, and school psychologists. Our members work in every building across the district and serve thousands of students every day. As educators, we are committed not only to teaching and learning, but to advocating for the kind of public school system where students are safe, supported, and given every opportunity to succeed.
Why We're Negotiating
While the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between MVEA and District 51 runs from 2023 to 2026, negotiations still happen every year. In years that are not open contract years (like this one), both MVEA and the District may reopen mutually agreed-upon topics, and each side is also allowed to bring up to two additional non-mutally agreed up issues for negotiation. This is a regular part of the process, and it ensures that urgent issues can still be addressed between full contract renewals.
While the contract is signed by both MVEA and the District 51 Board of Education, this Board has refused to attend negotiations. This is a break from common practice in Colorado. Most school boards across the state, including past D51 boards, engage directly with their educators during bargaining. Without decision-makers in the room, collaboration is difficult and the process takes longer, since District representatives can be unable to confirm or commit to proposals on the Board’s behalf.
This year, MVEA brought forward two issues that educators across the Valley have repeatedly raised: student and staff safety, and enforceable class size guidelines. These proposals were not made lightly. They were built from the ground up using data from hundreds of 1:1 conversations, surveys from licensed educators in D51, legal guidance from the Colorado Education Association (CEA), financial research and modeling, data from other Colorado district contracts, publicly available audits from District 51 and the Colorado Department of Education, and national best practices on classroom safety and staffing. The proposals reflected the real, lived experiences of educators in our schools and were designed to create clear expectations and accountability.
What Happened at the Bargaining Table
MVEA’s team, made up of educators, met with the District’s team, made up of District administration, for three days in April and May. During that time, MVEA presented language to address both of the issues we brought forward. The District rejected our proposed language, including safety protocols and class size guidelines, without offering any alternative contract language to immediately address the concerns. The District also proposed a one-time 2.3% cost-of-living stipend in place of honoring step movement on the salary schedule. Under our current system, educators move one step forward on the schedule each year (typically a 2.2% increase) to acknowledge an additional year of service. Step movement is permanent, counts toward retirement contributions, and is a foundational part of our agreed compensation structure. A one-time stipend does not offer the same long-term benefits for retirement and lifetime earnings. The District also brought two items, day leave and attendance on in-service days, but did not bring any proposed language to the table.
On May 10, after three days of little movement and without working toward a compromise, the District initiated the impasse process, officially moving the process into mediation. The District team refused tp subanstively engage with the issues at hand. MVEA proposals were not responded to in full or in detail. This marks the second year in a row that the District team became unmoveable and unwilling to engage in the language itself after initial proposals.
What Happens Now
Once impasse is declared, both parties must follow the next steps outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The first of those steps, agreeing on a neutral third-party mediator, has already occurred. The next is a planning meeting to determine what the mediation process will look like and when next sessions will take place. That meeting is scheduled for this week. MVEA has made it clear that we are ready and willing to continue negotiations through the summer. Our goal has never changed: to find a fair, sustainable agreement that improves school conditions and supports the educators who make public education possible in Mesa County.
Why it Matters
This isn’t just about a contract, it’s about creating the conditions that help students succeed. Smaller class sizes mean more individual attention and better behavior management. Clear safety protocols protect both staff and students. Honoring step movement is about respecting the time and experience educators bring to their work. Every proposal we’ve made is grounded in research, real-world need, and what we believe will move our schools forward. We know our students deserve the best, and we are committed to working through this process to make sure they get it. We’re grateful to our educators and community members who have taken time to ask questions, sign the petition, attend bargaining, and support public education.
