Jamestown school board, teachers reach contract agreement for 2026-27

Jamestown Public Schools locked in a teacher contract for the 2026-27 school year after the Jamestown Public School Board accepted the Jamestown Education Association’s final counteroffer at a May 12 negotiations session in the Thompson Community Room at Jamestown Middle School, 203 2nd Ave. SE.

For families, the agreement matters because it gives the district a clearer path into the next school year at a time when staffing stability and classroom continuity remain major concerns. Jamestown Public Schools, based in the county seat of Stutsman County, operates four elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, an alternative learning center and a transitional living program for students with disabilities. A settled contract helps the district plan around those classrooms before fall hiring and scheduling pick up.

The district’s recent contract history shows why pay and benefits have stayed central to the bargaining table. On July 8, 2025, the school board approved a one-year teacher contract for 2025-26 that raised salaries by an average of 2.5% and added $100,000 to the health insurance fund. Later, in September 2025, the board unanimously approved a three-year agreement running from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028, with salary increases of 3.25% in 2025-26, 3% in 2026-27 and 3% in 2027-28, along with longevity increases for teachers with 20, 25 or 30 years of service.

Those numbers show the district has been using contract terms not just to settle wages, but to compete for experienced educators and hold onto them. Health insurance contributions and longevity steps are part of the same retention picture as base pay, especially in a district where replacing veteran teachers can affect classroom stability and recruitment costs. For taxpayers, the tradeoff is straightforward: stronger compensation packages can help keep classrooms staffed, but they also shape the district’s budget commitments year after year.

Formal negotiations for the next round had already started by March 14, 2026, after the board, the JEA and district administrators established ground rules. The May 12 counteroffer acceptance closed that loop before summer staffing pressures intensified, giving Jamestown schools and teachers a signed agreement heading into the 2026-27 year.