Rio Rancho schools contract includes some union wishes, including personal days

RIO RANCHO — The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education approved a 2025-26 school year employee union agreement June 23 that includes providing higher pay for teachers and staff and instituting a new policy allowing for more time off.

RRPS Board President Amanda Galbraith signed the agreement following a presentation from RRPS Employees Union President Billie Helean and district human resources director Mike Chavez.

Chavez, with Helean at his side, thanked the union for “a very professional process” to approve the contract, which began in March.

“This went very smoothly this year,” Chavez said, adding, “that doesn’t mean we agreed on everything, but we’re not necessarily supposed to. However, I think we came up with a jointly agreeable agreement.”

Helean told the board, in part, that the agreement “stands as a testament to the productive and collaborative spirit that defined our negotiations, paving the way for a brighter and more rewarding future for all staff members.”

The finalizing of the agreement follows Bernalillo Public Schools’ approval of its union contract earlier this month.

Like BPS, the RRPS union agreement includes a 4% raise for educators, consistent with New Mexico House Bill 156. The legislation gives level one teachers $55,000 a year, level two teachers $65,000 a year, and level three teachers $75,000 a year. The salaries add up to a $5,000 increase from last school year, which lawmakers said is the amount needed to keep up with inflation, according to multiple news reports.

In an interview following the meeting, Helean said she is “glad the Legislature recognizes making sure salaries are equitable.”

The agreement also includes a pilot program in which employees can convert two sick leave days into ones for personal leave, according to Chavez and Helean.

“If something is of an urgent nature but not an illness, our staff needs to have the ability to tend to those things in their personal lives,” Helean said in an interview.

Chavez told the Observer that the additional personal days will be “tremendously beneficial for many staff members who may need to complete business of a personal nature and who would otherwise struggle to do so without these days.”

The agreement also includes a provision guaranteeing that employees who face disciplinary action will be informed by the school district of the basis for an investigation against them, Helean told the board.

In an interview, Helean touched on Chavez’s “disagreements” comment to the board, saying there were items the union advocated for during negotiations but were not included in the agreement.

A few examples include asking for an additional 2% raise on top of what the Legislature instituted as well as equitable compensation for educational assistants when they substitute for a teacher.

Chavez responded to the wish list that union had, writing to the Observer, in part, his belief that the current contract “reflects the need to work within the tight constraints of the current budget.”

Helean is not worried the union wish list will never materialize.

“I know for a fact that district has the employees’ best interest at heart,” Helean said. “I’m confident once the budget allows for these things, the district will follow through with us.”