EDITORIAL: Teachers pact sets national standard- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut:
"It is difficult to overstate the importance of the new three-year teachers’ contract in New Haven. The New Haven Federation of Teachers, the mayor and school officials have done what has proven impossible in other cities. It is why, the day after the contract was signed, Arne Duncan, the U.S. secretary of education, was on the telephone making congratulatory calls to New Haven. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who participated in the New Haven negotiations, has described the contract as “a template” for contracts in other school districts."
In return for wage increases and no givebacks in health benefits, teachers are gaining both a greater voice as well as greater responsibility in the classroom.They have agreed to a number of steps that have would have been unthinkable here before or in other school districts.While top performing schools may gain more autonomy from central office supervision, the staff at the schools with the poorest student achievement may find themselves replaced and a third party brought in to operate the school. The agreement sets the stage for New Haven to operate local charter schools, the first in the state. Teachers at these schools would be eligible for merit pay and would likely work a longer day.
"It is difficult to overstate the importance of the new three-year teachers’ contract in New Haven. The New Haven Federation of Teachers, the mayor and school officials have done what has proven impossible in other cities. It is why, the day after the contract was signed, Arne Duncan, the U.S. secretary of education, was on the telephone making congratulatory calls to New Haven. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who participated in the New Haven negotiations, has described the contract as “a template” for contracts in other school districts."
In return for wage increases and no givebacks in health benefits, teachers are gaining both a greater voice as well as greater responsibility in the classroom.They have agreed to a number of steps that have would have been unthinkable here before or in other school districts.While top performing schools may gain more autonomy from central office supervision, the staff at the schools with the poorest student achievement may find themselves replaced and a third party brought in to operate the school. The agreement sets the stage for New Haven to operate local charter schools, the first in the state. Teachers at these schools would be eligible for merit pay and would likely work a longer day.