Montclair Schools Finalize Deal With Teacher Union, Budget Uncertainty Still Swirls

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Montclair Board of Education and the Montclair Education Association (MEA) announced the successful ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement on Thursday.

The school board and the union – which represents more than 1,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians and other staff members – reached the deal after months of negotiations.

According to district administrators, the contract began on July 1 and ends June 30, 2028. Base salaries of the MEA will increase by 3 percent on July 1, by 3.7 percent on July 1, 2026 and by 3.8 percent on July 1, 2027.

In addition, paraprofessionals will become eligible for the existing group dental insurance program on July 1, 2026. Paraprofessionals will receive a medical insurance waiver payment of $750 starting July 1, 2027.

Board of Education President Mfreke Inyang, Superintendent Ruth Turner and MEA President Daniel Marcketta released the following joint statement about the deal:

“This agreement is a testament to what can be accomplished when we come together with mutual respect and a shared vision. Our focus throughout these negotiations has been on creating the best possible conditions for teaching and learning in Montclair. We are proud to have reached an agreement that honors the commitment of our educators, while ensuring the sustainability of the district. Most importantly, this contract puts students first by strengthening the foundation for high-quality, equitable education across our schools.”

The MEA has criticized the district’s finances over the past few years, including a budget gap that led to dozens of job cuts in 2023.

After the district’s new, incoming administrative team announced that they inherited a new, $11 million budget gap earlier this summer – a deficit that has since grown to $18 million – the union alleged that it has been raising concerns about “poor financial oversight, late reporting and mismanagement” for years.

In August, the union called for the New Jersey Department of Education to appoint a state fiscal monitor in Montclair, a step that has taken place in other nearby school districts after they experienced financial woes.

• See Related: NJ Appoints State Monitor In Nutley Schools Amid Financial Struggles
• See Related: State Monitor Removed From Belleville Schools, Officials Cheer

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