NAMPA, Idaho — In a special meeting held on Wednesday, the Nampa School District Board of Trustees declared an impasse in negotiations with the Nampa Education Association regarding the 2023-2024 contract reopener. The decision followed more than four hours of mediation with a federal mediator.
The board voted 3–0 to declare the impasse, arguing that the NEA’s proposal to eliminate 13 support positions in exchange for a one-time payment to certified staff was not in the district's best interests. The cuts proposed by the NEA included three middle school counselors, three elementary school deans, four elementary vice principals, and three para-professional support staff positions.
The board referenced a district survey from last spring, which indicated that more than 85% of elementary staff supported these positions. They emphasized the roles' importance to student well-being, classroom support, and school safety.
The NEA expressed frustration in response to the board's decision. NEA President Brian Coffey took to social media to criticize the Board members, who he claimed were influenced by the Idaho Freedom Foundation.
"Trustee’s Jeff Kirkman and Brooke Taylor swooped into power a few years ago with the help of endorsements by the Idaho Freedom Foundation. They have been and still are 'good soldiers' for the extremist organization that wants to eliminate public education completely from the state of Idaho," said NEA President Brian Coffey in a press release.
Coffey argued that the district has refused to offer anything from the $4.5 million supplemental allocation for its staff and questioned why the district did not fund these positions directly in its budget.
"Please rest assured, it was not our idea to cut any staff," Coffey said. "The district tried to box us in. We didn’t fall for it."
Both parties indicated that negotiations would continue as they prepare for the 2025-2026 school year.
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