Portland Public Schools teachers contract: Poll shows concerns for class sizes
In the survey, class size won the most votes. Of 478 completed responses, 232 people -- or about 48 percent -- picked class size as the issue they cared most about.
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| Dozens of community members rallied outside the district office to support teachers during ongoing contract negotiations.(Nicole Dungca/The Oregonian) |
While both Portland Public Schools and its teachers union have touted recent progress in its drawn-out contract dispute, major issues still need to be resolved before an agreement is reached.
District officials in November declared an impasse, and teachers are now legally allowed to strike. Both sides are scheduled to meet Thursday and Friday for direct talks, followed by a bargaining session on the day students are scheduled to come back from winter break.
Early in December, we asked readers which issue mattered most to them in the Portland teachers contract, and nearly 500 responded.
We asked the question after examining the public messaging from both sides.
The teachers union has been fighting to keep a contractual limitation on workload in the contract, arguing that it is necessary to keep class sizes down. But the district says that doesn't belong in a contract and has long been trying to eliminate the provision.
Meanwhile, the district says its contract proposal directly address issues of fair compensation, streamlined hiring and additional instructional time.
So which issues mattered most to OregonLive readers?
In the survey, class size won the most votes. Of 478 completed responses, 232 people -- or about 48 percent -- picked class size as the issue they cared most about.