A Message Regarding Teacher Union Negotiations

A Message from Lynden Schools regarding teacher union negotiations.

A Message to the Community

The Board of Directors and superintendent of the Lynden School District feel it is important to provide an update to the community related to the ongoing contract negotiations with the Lynden Education Association (LEA), which represents our 225+ professional educators and certificated specialists.

We deeply value our educators and the essential role they play. However, the School Board also has a critical responsibility to be fiscally conservative during a time of high financial uncertainty to ensure the long-term stability of Lynden’s public schools.

For the past two budget cycles, the District has operated with a deficit spending model, reducing reserves to near the Board’s targeted minimum of 5%. We cannot allow Lynden to fall into state financial oversight, as other districts have, by failing to protect our operations.

The Financial Reality Here are the significant contributors to our district’s financial uncertainty:

  • Reduced Enrollment: Total student enrollment is down by just over 90 students over the previous two school years, resulting in approximately $1,022,399 in reduced revenue.
  • Insurance Spikes: Liability insurance has increased 84.4% over the previous four years, rising from $671,419 in 2023 to $1,238,119 for the current year.
  • Special Education Deficits: The state’s failure to fully fund special education has resulted in a $1,097,950 per year average shortfall over the last three years.

Our Commitment to Competitive Compensation School funding is a real issue. However, fiscal caution does not mean we do not value our educators. The District has made a deliberate commitment to ensure teacher compensation remains competitive among all Whatcom County school districts, and our current proposal maintains that commitment.

Here are key financial facts the Board of Directors are working with regarding LEA educator compensation:

  • Total Increases: Lynden educators have received a 24.9% increase from 2022-23 to 2025-26 across all salary cells.
  • Teacher Salaries:
    • Teachers with a master’s degree plus 90 credits and 16 years of experience earn $136,249 for 184 workdays. (74 of our 226 teachers are in this cell).
    • Teachers with a master’s degree plus 45 credits and 16 years of experience earn $130,458 for 184 workdays. (22 of our 226 teachers are in this cell).
    • Teachers with a bachelor’s degree plus 90 credits and 16+ years of experience earn $122,490 for 184 workdays. (8 of our 226 teachers are in this cell).
  • Average Salary: In 2025-2026, the average compensation of educators covered by the LEA was $114,711.

Note: These figures represent salary only and do not include the cost of health insurance, pensions, or opportunities for additional pay.

Our Proposal We have extended a good-faith proposal for a three-year agreement designed to provide annual salary growth over the next three years.

Washington State provides an annual revenue inflation adjustment for school districts known as IPD. The state has set this rate at 2.6% for year one, but years two and three are not yet known. The District’s current offer passes through the state’s annual inflation adjustment and adds our own local funds to the state’s rate every single year:

  • Year 1: 3.0% total increase (2.6% state IPD + 0.4% District addition)
  • Year 2: State IPD rate + 0.5% District addition
  • Year 3: State IPD rate + 1.0% District addition

Valuing our employees and protecting the long-term financial health of the district are not opposing responsibilities. We must do both. We hope to reach an agreement that respects our exceptional educators, protects district programs, and ensures Lynden Schools remain financially stable for the students and families we serve now and into the future.

Respectfully,

Danny Martinez, President 

Jim Verburg, Vice President 

Khush Brar, Board Director 

Danielle Ingham, Board Director

Nick Sawka, Board Director

David VanderYacht, Superintendent 

The board can be reached at allschoolboardmembers@lynden.wednet.edu.

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