The following article was written by Meg Jacobsen, Tina Douglas, Dennis Blevins and Ahmad Swinton.

As we approach times when school districts are declining in enrollment, special education costs are increasing and one-time funds are expiring — not to mention the state economy — now more than ever the framework of interest-based bargaining (IBB) can be beneficial. This approach focuses on collaboration, mutual respect and problem-solving, leaving adversarial positioning at the door. Instead, IBB allows both parties to express their interests through facilitation and it really leaves both parties feeling heard, listened to and acknowledged. It leaves both parties with a better understanding of the challenges we’re all facing and allows us to collaborate on solutions.

“I have worked in six different school districts as well as a county office of education and my current district has interest-based bargaining (IBB) down to a science,” said Meg Jacobsen, assistant superintendent, Business Services for the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District. While she has only been in the district for less than a year, it didn’t take her long to realize the trust and respect that the teams have for one another.

The key practices of IBB are:

1. Understanding interests, not positions With IBB, teams focus on interests rather than rigid positions. Getting there means asking “why” each party has a specific need. This questioning allows us to drill down to the core concerns of the parties. For example, the association’s position might be to prioritize a cap on class size, but the district’s position may be that we don’t have enough money. If you change that focus to interests instead, the association’s interest is manageable workloads while maintaining a quality education and the district’s interest is managing declining resources while still maintaining a quality education. Understanding the interests of both parties allows the conversation to focus on finding solutions that meet both parties’ needs.

2. Effective communication “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind” (Brené Brown). Open and transparent communication is essential to building trust. No question or conversation should be off limits. Trust is built by sharing data, financial information and other items when needed. This is particularly important when sharing budget information. Information should be an open book. Take all the time that is necessary to ensure everyone understands the data, even if that means walking through formulas. This helps build a common understanding and decreases any suspicion of the numbers. This is especially true during tough budget times.

“If you truly believe in the collaborative relationship that has been cultivated by utilizing an IBB model for bargaining, then before you can really get anything done, you have to agree on the facts. Both parties are certainly entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts,” said Dennis Blevins, the president of the Teachers Association.

Ahman Swinton, the president of the Classified School Employees Association shares: “Effective communication has led to some of our most creative agreements — agreements that are win-win for both sides.”

3. Collaborative problem-solving IBB really is a problem-solving mindset. After hearing the interests of both parties, the teams work together to come up with creative solutions that address both parties’ interests. For instance, if the association is concerned that bus drivers are working longer hours due to driver shortages and wants the district to increase pay to retain and attract drivers even though the district doesn’t have the resources to do so, both sides might explore other options like staggering school start times. This may enable the bus drivers to cover more routes without working extra hours and avoid burnout.

4. Data-driven decision-making Using data helps both teams to have conversations based on reality and takes the emotion out of the conversations. It provides for objectivity. This is extremely important when talking about financial reports and budget assumptions.

Joint fact-finding: If there is any disagreement over issues like budget allocations or available resources, the teams should work together to gather and verify data, so that both sides are obtaining the same information.

Focus on long-term solutions: With many districts facing financial challenges, negotiations should strive to look at long-term solutions. Both sides need to understand the full financial picture and be willing to make concessions that support the district’s financial health while protecting staff interests.

Flexibility and creativity: The IBB framework encourages flexible and creative thinking in coming to solutions that are mutually beneficial. Teams are able to explore creative approaches to compensation, staffing and/or allocation of resources that align with both parties’ interests and values.

IBB fosters a collaborative environment that goes beyond the negotiations table. The framework is rooted in collective problem-solving and open and transparent communication. Every challenge that comes up can be approached from an interest-based perspective that really respects the needs of both the district and its employees.

Jacobsen shares: “The collaborative partnership we have established at the table has extended into the way we do business in all aspects of our interactions and relationships. Knowing that we have shared interests, values and trust enables us to work together through difficult issues rather than against each other. The result has a huge impact on our culture and morale districtwide.”