Centennial School District 28J

This update provides a summary of the mediation proceedings held on February 4, 2026 between the District and the Centennial Education Association (CEA). The District remains engaged in good-faith mediation with CEA and negotiations are ongoing.

On February 4, 2026, the District and CEA bargaining teams engaged in their initial mediation session facilitated by ERB-appointed mediator, Philip Johnson. The session began with the CEA restating all of its prior proposals on open issues without modification. However, the CEA inquired whether there was a scenario where the District could agree to the Association’s proposed class size numbers and prep time requests if other financial variables were adjusted.

In response, the District presented a comprehensive package, non-binding “mediation proposal” as follows. This means the District reserves the right to revert to its prior proposal if the parties are unable to make progress under this framework. 

Article 10-Reduction in Force (accepted CEA’s proposal)

Article 11-Calendar and Work Day

1. (11.2.2.1) Five 5 late start days a year for non-professional development District-directed activities;
2. (11.2.2.3) Reasonable efforts to provide a minimum of 10 minutes passing time between any District directed meeting or PD and the start of student contact time;
3. (11.2.2.4) The day after winter break will be a non-student contact day, reserved for employee directed preparation time.  To maintain student instructional minutes, an instructional work day would be added to the licensed work year (193 day work year);
4. (11.6.3) Limit extended activities for licensed staff beyond the regular work day more than twice a month, up to a total of 5 times per year;
5. (11.6.4 & 11.10.2.4) 7.5 workday on the last workday before a holiday or break with no disruption to student instruction and supervision requirements. 

Article 16-Compensation

• 2025-26 - 2% COLA
• 2026-27 - 2% COLA
• 2027-28 - 2% COLA
• Ratification bonus - $1,500 (exceeding retro pay with above COLAs)

Article 17-Insurance - District Contribution

• 2025-26 - $1552 
• 2026-27 - $1557
• 2027-28 - $1602

Appendix E - Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Class Size, Caseload, & Individual Preps

This non-binding mediation proposal incorporated multiple CEA priorities, including specific class size thresholds for elementary, middle and high school as well as  caseload compensation for specialists, and seven provisions related to prep time, break times, and passing periods.

By adopting the CEA’s class size numbers, the District reached the practical funding ceiling associated with the staffing and operational costs required to implement those lower thresholds. Consequently, to fund the substantial operational costs associated with these lower thresholds, the District was required to adjust its Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) offer. The District's COLA proposal was reduced from the previously proposed 4.25% | 3.25% | 3.0% over the three-year term to 2% | 2% | 2%. This adjustment reflects a documented fiscal necessity to remain within the District's budget while accommodating the increased staffing and operational costs associated with the proposed class size thresholds.

Projected Impact and Next Steps

The path toward a sustainable agreement requires balancing manageable class sizes, competitive educator compensation, and the fiscal realities of the District's budget. The February 4 session demonstrated the District's willingness to make substantive concessions on class sizes and prep time, provided those costs are offset by more conservative COLA adjustments that keep the total package within the District's budget.

The session concluded with an agreement to continue bargaining on February 26 and 27. The CEA is expected to provide a substantive counter-proposal at that time.