b altimore c ity p ublic s chools city schools new teacher contract the ratification process 1
TRANSCRIPT
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
City Schools NewTeacher Contract
The Ratification Process
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Strong Partnership: A New Contract
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Significant increases in compensation, creating a strong incentive to retain existing and attract new great teachers
Eliminates steps in favor of “earn as you grow” or “self-pacing” concept
Eliminates increases based solely on advanced degrees
Moves City Schools from the bottom quartile to the top quartile in teacher compensation throughout state
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Retaining the Best Teachers3
Current system
21 years to reach to reach
76K (Master’s
+ 30 credits)
New Contract
Could reach 92K in 5
years (Successful student and
teacher performanc
e)
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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Lead Pathway
Serve as lead
academic teacher
at a school;
collaborating with
the principal to
improve academic
performance
Model Pathway
Serve as model
of excellence; play
a leadership role;
create professional development opportunities
Professional Pathway
Focus on classroom success; active in
school-based roles
Standard Pathway
Focus on instruction; professional
development
• Creates new career pathways to reward and recognize teachers and education professionals excelling in their field both in terms of student outcomes and teacher practice.
Growing the Best Teachers4
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Intervals within a pathway are connected to evaluation, approved teacher growth opportunities, added professional responsibilities,
and are based on
improved student
achieve-ment
instead of years of
experience.
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Attracting the Best Teachers
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Creates a Culture of Shared Leadership
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Establishes a system of checks and balances among principals and teachers to ensure all are working towards the same goal of student achievement.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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School-Based Options7
Flexibility to modify the collective bargaining agreement to better meet the needs of schools and students and philosophy of the school community
Flexibility to collaboratively craft creative solutions specific to individual school’s needs
School-based options decisions remain in effect for one year
80% of staff must approve school-based options
Participation in school-based options is phased over 3 year
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Why Baltimore, Why Now?
Previous Contracts Teachers severely underpaid, district traded working condition
concessions for inability to compensate teachers appropriately No correlation between compensation and school or student
outcomes; salary based on tradition model of % increase over time (traditional model was fiscally unfeasible and disconnected from system goals)
History of Relationships CEO Relationship with Union leadership – After bump at
entry, healthy collaboration between district and union leadership with responsiveness to issues on either side
Membership confidence in Union leadership - Union relationship with progressive national board (AFT) connected membership to the compensation model in contracts
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Why Baltimore, Why Now?
Reform Climate Race To The Top Ed Reform Act District a hot bed of innovation, anticipating many
federal and state new requirements with trend of improved outcomes and teachers engaged in contributing to process
Economic recession No teacher raises in 2 years - Allowed support for
creative ways to increase salaries without shortfall
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Pre-Negotiation Work: ResearchLiterature Review
Traditional increases based on advanced degrees and time in the classroom= no relationship to effectiveness
Review of New Contracts in Other Districts Review of contracts proposed in other district to see
innovative changes in current climateFinancial Sustainability and Incentives
Understanding financial sustainability and preparing for possible scenarios
Review of current population of teachers to determine fiscal impact and feasible incentives
Teacher Surveys Listen to memberships (need to be evaluated, but fairly; need
to move through scale faster; need to have a voice in school improvement)
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Strategy: Negotiation Team Design
Negotiation Team members include:11
District Office • Chief Negotiator (Member
versed in Maryland LEA negotiations)
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Executive Director (ED) of Teaching and Learning
• Human Capital Team (3 members)
• Chief Legal Officer designee
• School Leader (principal)
Union Representatives• Chief Negotiator (also on
the national board of AFT),• Union President • Teachers (10 teachers with
a range of experience; early career to veteran teachers, various content and service providers)
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Strategy: Negotiation Team DesignLegal serves as co-lead rather than as lead
role as in traditional negotiations. CFO and ED of Teaching and Learning take lead from district in content and feasibility of discussions
Engage school leaders and teachers in the negotiation process as part of negotiating team
CEO role in process is to set tone and expectations, only intervention at impasse
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CEO met with BTU leadership and negotiating team to agree on expectations Contract must be a collaboration/agree to
“no impasse”Emphasize the professionalization of
teachingContract must be fiscally sustainable Include entire membership from the start
(no staggered start time)Parking lot “TBDs” is acceptable –figure out
details later
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Negotiation Process
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CEO only steps in when group at impasse
Group set ground rulesAlways come with an open mind to the
discussionAlways set up three meetings in advance so
there is no question on when conversation will continue
No communications on contract until finished (no chance of misinterpretation)
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Negotiation Process
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Obstacles and Responses
Topics Resulting in Near Impasse:Fair Evaluations for Teachers
Build language into contract to ensure reliability
Address how to incorporate existing structure into new
Unsustainable Options Left on the Table District staff emphasizes transparency on
what is possible - open sharing of fiscal limitations and options
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Obstacles and Responses
Insufficient Time to Inform Members Before RatificationContract could only be communicated by
union leadership to membership (no one outside of negotiations team had been briefed on contract)
Negotiation took 8 months; communications roll-out to members just over 10 days
First vote did not pass (not supported 1,540 to 1107). Team needed to come back to the table to address membership concerns.
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Strategy for Second Ratification
Communicate, communicate, communicate!
Survey teachers to address misconceptions on contract
Touch every school --national American Federation of Teachers (AFT) provide staff to help local union leaders and representatives explain contract to membership
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Strategy for Second RatificationUnion leadership and partners try to reach every teacher in the district (Listening Campaign) Visited all 200 schools and programs in the
district, held meetings around the district, held town hall meetings and focus groups, made calls to the homes, sent home fliers and sent out emails.
Contracted supported with a 1,902 to 1,045 vote
Convey ongoing collaboration and understanding – no scapegoating (e.g. CEO press conference)
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Promote Advantages of Contract• Increases for teachers are based on improvement
in student achievement, not arbitrary absolute measures
• New control over their professional path… and earnings
• Financial incentive in the contract in a time of retrenchment• Immediate conversion of existing credits to
Achievement Units (AU) to be reflected in their next increase
• One-time stipend payment to all teachers once ratified and a guaranteed increase for the next year
• Collaborative frame for problem solving in the future
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Lessons Learned: What Works?
Agreement on mutual interests at startTransparency about resources and non-negotiablesTrust in negotiating teamTime to work out differences (no deadline to reach
agreement)Trust in process elementsNo grandstanding (never went public, nobody)Good communications is essential
Always frame in terms of good of district and impact on students
Be aware of eventual public discussion and how to communicate so both side would continue to be partners (both sides as winners)
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BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Contact Information
Neil DukeBoard Chair
Baltimore City Board of School [email protected]
Andrés A. Alonso, Ed.DCEO, Baltimore City Schools
Marietta EnglishPresident, Baltimore Teachers Union
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