D.C. schools, teachers union reach tentative deal
Two years of controversial labor negotiations may be wrapping up in Washington D.C., officials announced Tuesday. DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has been in the news regularly lately, because of some controversial ideas about merit pay for schoolteachers. Nevertheless, Rhee and the Washington Teachers' Union have managed to find some common ground. The agreement provides for nearly a 20% pay raise over five years, funded in part by a private donor. It also calls for a large expansion to professional development opportunities for teachers and creates a voluntary pay-for-performance program, in which teachers could receive special bonuses for improved standardized test scores. Additionally the agreement allows Rhee and the school principles greater discretion in making cuts, if necessary due to budget constraints. The pact must now be ratified by a union vote, and approved by the DC Council.
See "D.C. schools, teachers union reach tentative deal", Bill Turque, The Washington Post, April 6, 2010