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Task Force on Collective Bargaining
Task Forces • Task Force on Collective Bargaining

Task Force on Collective Bargaining

Overview

At the March 2020 meeting of the Virginia School Boards Association Board of Directors, Board members voted to establish the Task Force on Collective Bargaining. This task force was charged with studying and submitting recommendations to the Board of Directors for best practices and guidance for school boards when deciding to enter into collective bargaining agreements.

The VSBA Task Force on Collective Bargaining presented its report to the Board of Directors at its June 2020 meeting. The Board duly accepted the report and recommendations of the Task Force. An overview of the Task Force’s findings and best practices were presented at the 2020 VSBA Legislative Advocacy Conference in September.

Since its creation and reinstatement, the task force has:

  • Formed subcommittees to research and review best practices for consideration by school boards when deciding whether to adopt resolutions to allow for collective bargaining.
  • Recommended a report that was approved by the Board of Directors at the June 2020 meeting.
  • Provided findings from the task force report at the September VSBA Legislative Advocacy Conference.
  • Task Force Information and Report posted to VSBA Website.
  • Provided overview of collective bargaining along with key findings of the task force at the April 2021 VSBA Hot Topic.
  • May 1, 2021, Virginia’s Collective Bargaining Law officially takes effect. The Task Force will monitor implementation of the law across the Commonwealth by tracking divisions that adopt resolutions in favor of collective bargaining agreements and any issues that arise throughout the process for the purpose of deciding if any further actions or addendums to the initial report of the task force are needed.
  • At the December 2024 meeting of the VSBA Board of Directors, the Board voted to suspend activities of the task force with the option to reinstate if necessary.
  • At the May 2025 meeting of the VSBA Board of Directors, the Board voted to reinstate the task force reflecting potential changes to Virginia’s collective bargaining law in 2026, and to prepare messaging, strategy, and review current educational materials meant for support of members in the labor relations space. The task force met in July of 2025 for its initial meeting.
  • The task force  2.0 report — VSBA Collective Bargaining Guide —  including “lessons learned” from divisions who considered collective bargaining since 2020 is scheduled for release in May 2026.

Task Force Members

Kathleen Beane, Chair
Richmond County Public Schools, School Board Member

Penny Franklin
Montgomery County Public Schools, School Board Member

Stacy Haney
Chief Lobbyist, VSBA

Wade Anderson
Prince William County Public Schools, School Board Attorney

Dr. Kevin Siers
Franklin County Public Schools, Superintendent

Karen Jenkins
Suffolk City Public Schools, School Board Member

Dr. Royal Gurley
Charlottesville City Public Schools, Superintendent

Task Force Reports

VSBA Task Force on Collective Bargaining Report