Saginaw Intermediate School District (Saginaw ISD) is celebrating a new three-year collective bargaining agreement representing a significant investment in highly trained professionals, including educators and specialized service providers who support nearly 5,000 students with disabilities from birth through age 26 through center-based programs and partnerships with 12 local school districts and five public school academies throughout Saginaw County.
The agreement was ratified by the Saginaw Intermediate Federation of Teachers (SIFT) on July 24, 2026, and approved by the Saginaw ISD Board of Education on July 27, 2026. Its redesigned compensation structure delivered immediate salary increases averaging 18%, with some employees receiving increases as high as 40%. Employees saw those increases reflected in their first paycheck following ratification. The investment also makes Saginaw ISD more competitive with comparable intermediate school districts across the region and state.
“Our community made an important investment in students with disabilities when voters supported the Special Education Enhancement Millage in 2022,” said Dr. Jeffrey Collier, Superintendent of Saginaw ISD. “We made a promise to turn that support into stronger services and opportunities for students, and investing in the exceptional people who make those services possible is an important part of fulfilling that promise. This agreement recognizes our current team, strengthens our ability to attract highly qualified professionals, and positions Saginaw ISD to continue leading in special education services throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region.”
The agreement responds to a workforce challenge affecting schools throughout Michigan. The 2026 Michigan Teacher Shortage Study found that vacancy and turnover rates are higher in special education than in any other teaching specialization in the state. It also found that special education teachers are approximately 31% more likely than elementary classroom teachers to leave their positions.
Saginaw ISD is experiencing those challenges locally, with current vacancies for two school psychologists, eight speech-language pathologists, and additional special education teaching and consulting positions. When qualified professionals are unavailable locally, the district must sometimes rely on contracted agencies and virtual providers to maintain continuity of services. The district’s long-term goal is to reduce that reliance by building and sustaining a highly qualified workforce directly connected to the students, families, classrooms, and educational teams it serves.
The new compensation structure supports that goal by establishing a dedicated salary lane for fully licensed professionals serving in critical-shortage positions, including school psychologists, social workers, occupational and physical therapists, audiologists, licensed professional counselors, and speech-language pathologists.
To compete for highly qualified professionals, Saginaw ISD pairs its more competitive salary structure with a comprehensive benefits package that includes tuition reimbursement for up to 18 approved, field-related graduate credits annually; health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability coverage; and leave provisions supporting personal, family and medical needs. Together, these investments advance the district’s Strategic Compass commitment to Workforce Excellence and strengthen Saginaw ISD as a place where exceptional professionals can build and sustain meaningful careers.
Individuals interested in building a career with Saginaw ISD can explore current employment opportunities through the district’s Join Our Team page. The ratified collective bargaining agreement is available through Saginaw ISD’s Transparency Reporting page.
ABOUT SAGINAW INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Saginaw Intermediate School District (ISD) is an educational service agency that provides effective and innovative leadership, services, resources, and programs throughout Saginaw County. Saginaw ISD provides career and technical education, early childhood, finance, human resources, instruction, pupil accounting, special education, technology, and transportation services. In addition, Saginaw ISD operates multiple educational programs to meet the unique needs of students ages birth to 26 across Saginaw County, including: Hartley Outdoor Education Center, Head Start/Early Head Start and Great Start to Readiness Programs, Great Lakes Bay Early College, Saginaw County Juvenile Detention Center School, and Special Education Center Programs.
Saginaw ISD serves 12 local school districts, five public school academies, and 22 non-public schools, with a total enrollment of approximately 26,000 students. Public school districts supported include: Birch Run Area Schools, Bridgeport-Spaulding Community School District, Carrollton Public Schools, Chesaning Union Schools, Frankenmuth School District, Freeland Community School District, Hemlock Public School District, Merrill Community Schools, Saginaw Public School District, Saginaw Township Community Schools, St. Charles Community Schools, and Swan Valley School District.
MEDIA CONTACT
Coty Kuschinsky | Chief of Staff and Communications Director