The Bainbridge Island School District arrived at a collective bargaining agreement with one of the unions at its schools at a special session July 8.

BI Educational Support Professional Association, an affiliate of the statewide public school employee’s union, represents bus drivers, mechanics, paraeducators, food service workers, custodians, technology technicians, secretarial staff, nurses, maintenance personnel, security and groundskeepers in the district.

“We are an indispensable part of our district’s educational team. We provide students and staff with reliable and safe transportation, a secure, clean and welcoming environment, nutritious food, and one-on-one attention to help students in their studies,” the union wrote on its website.

Key components of the agreement include a consolidation of the wage steps serving head custodians at elementary, intermediate and middle schools, which results in a 1.7% increase in wages for elementary school head custodians. All classified staff represented by BIESPA will recieve a raise based on the state inflationary adjustment factor, plus 1.5% in the 2024-25 school year, then 2% in 2025-26. The state principal association states that inflation is 3.7% for the 2023-24 school year and estimated to be 3.9% in 2024-25.

Additionally, the district and union added clarifying language regarding vacation and time-off accrual for full-time and school-year-only employees and determined preparatory work hours and time on assignment for paraeducators.

The new agreement will go into effect Sept. 1 and will stand until Aug. 31, 2026.