Idaho Falls teacher negotiations stall, head to mediation for third straight year

IDAHO FALLS (IdahoEdNews.org) — Union negotiations in Idaho Falls have broken down and are heading to mediation for the third year in a row.

Superintendent Karla LaOrange, who was hired in 2023, said the district and the Idaho Falls Education Association have met twice for about 15 hours of negotiations and were not able to come to terms on teacher salaries. She said the board of trustees requested mediation and wants a contract as soon as possible.

“They felt that mediation would be a good way to help us get there, so that we can have an updated salary schedule and get updated contracts out to our teachers,” LaOrange said of trustees’ mediation request.

LaOrange said the impasse stems from financial matters. Union president Jess Watrous said the district offered no base salary increases, but did offer steps on the career ladder.

Watrous said the past three years of stalled negotiations have separated the board, the district and the teachers — and she doesn’t know how to break through that. While negotiations are open to the public, mediation is not.

“It’s very frustrating,” Watrous said. “It’s very frustrating that we’re in our third year and we’re going to mediation, and it’s frustrating because it also puts it behind closed doors, and so it’s not open, and it’s not transparent.”

Mediation begins Thursday morning. LaOrange said the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service is providing free services for the district and the association.

Last year, LaOrange said negotiations lasted 29 hours, and mediation went on for 47 hours.

“I’d say that things are going well and have been positive,” LaOrange said. “I know mediation sounds like it’s not, but it’s been a positive experience for the district. I can’t speak for the association.”

From the union perspective, Watrous said negotiations are a give and take. The union had multiple financial proposals ready at the last negotiation session, she said, and the members were not expecting the district’s response.

“When they came out and said that they wanted mediation, we were kind of blindsided because we thought that there would be some of that back and forth,” Watrous said. “That’s what negotiations are — we can bend here, can you bend there?”

She said everyone involved wants to do what is best for the students but union members do not want teachers to have to get second jobs or complete extra work without compensation.

Watrous said she believes LaOrange is doing what she believes is best for the district and did not intend to strain the relationship with teachers.

“I know that there are people that believe that that is the intent, and I think that I really still — I want to believe the good in people,” Watrous said.

This article was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on June 1, 2026.