AAPS and the AAEA bargaining teams reached a tentative agreement which was sent to AAEA membership to vote on. The proposition was overwhelmingly voted against with 96.38% of members voting, 99.6% voted no. The core issue in this contract was a lack of accountability from the board according to a press release from the AAEA.

“At issue was the fact that last year the district signed an agreement saying they would be responsible for the budget and take steps towards getting Ann Arbor’s compensation competitive with other comparable districts,” according to the press release. “Neither happened.”

Issues such as unfair health benefits, wages, class sizes, planning time and student opportunities remained unsolved.

“Ann Arbor is one of the only local districts that doesn’t cover 80% of its employees healthcare premiums,” the press release said. “The proposed tentative agreement did not fix this issue and offered no increase to healthcare premiums this year. It also asked AAPS employees to waive their rights indefinitely to HB 6058, a law that, if signed by the governor, would require public employers in Michigan to cover at least 80% of healthcare premiums. This would have effectively put Ann Arbor teachers on a different and lower tier of healthcare benefits than all other teachers in the state.”

The proposed agreement would also have marked the 19th and 20th years of teachers being offered compensation increases of less than 2%. With veteran teachers already being paid up to $10,000 less in AAPS than in other comparable districts, this was a complete dealbreaker.

In addition, it would cut fundamental programs for students and increase class size by 10%.

“The proposed TA would have raised many class sizes by over 10%, decreased many teachers’ planning time by an hour, and cut elementary students’ time in classes like music, art, physical education, library, and Project Lead the Way,” the press release said. “Such cuts would have hurt students and teachers.”

With all of the negative consequences this agreement would have brought, teachers overturned it by a wide majority.

“Ann Arbor teachers have long acted as a line of credit to finance the poor financial decisions and management of Ann Arbor Public Schools,” the public release said. “Today, teachers said they will not do that any longer, and they look forward to a tentative agreement that honors the agreement the district signed last year.”

Concerns are closely tied to the ongoing contract negotiations and broader questions about district finances. For some families and educators, the petition reflects a growing demand for clearer answers and more consistent communication. Many speakers said that a better understanding of how funds are managed would be an important step toward rebuilding trust and toward stabilizing a district that many say feels increasingly uncertain and unstable.

“Concessions have not led to stability,” Klein said. “They have not strengthened the district, and they have not been rewarded with responsible financial outcomes. This raises a fundamental and unavoidable question: how are neighboring and comparable districts able to manage their finances more effectively while offering higher salaries, better benefits, and maintaining significantly stronger fund balances?”

In the week ahead, those questions are expected to continue returning to the board table, as families, educators, and students look for clearer answers about the future of the district. Until then, speakers said they plan to continue attending meetings, submitting comments, and pressing for greater transparency as decisions about staffing, funding, and contracts move forward.

“Why is Ann Arbor Public Schools unable to control its expenditures without placing the burden on its educators,” Klein said. “Why does this district continue to balance its budget on the backs of the very people who make this district great and student success possible? Your educators and this community are waiting for a clear, honest answer, and more importantly, we are waiting for action.”