Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Cleveland Teachers Union ratify contract
by Vivian L. Sharp
CityNews Ohio
Originally posted 7/29/2010
Cleveland, Ohio- On July 28, nearly four weeks after the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the Cleveland Teachers Union reached a Tentative Agreement, the CTU agreement has been ratified by 82% of its membership, supporting the advancement of the District’s Academic Transformation Plan.
In April, the Cleveland school board approved the layoff of 545 teachers to help offset a projected $52.8 million deficit for the 2010-2011 school year. The layoffs resulted in a $20.5 million cost-savings but would have created a student-teacher ratio of 45:1, causing the Academic Transformation Plan to be implemented incrementally, as opposed to the bold, simultaneous manner in which the plan was designed to be implemented.
After several months of negotiations, and a charge by Mayor Frank G. Jackson for both parties to engage in intense talks after negotiations came to a halt, the final CTU agreement reflects sacrifice from both sides in the interest of student success.
“The ratification of the CTU agreement is a significant step in realizing the goals of the Academic Transfromation Plan,” said Dr. Eugene Sanders, Cleveland Schools CEO. “At the end of the day, it’s all about increasing the achievement of our students and this demostrates that the District, in collaboration with CTU, are moving toward the same goal.”
Aside from the financial gains of the ratified agreement, both parties agreed to develop a robust model for teacher development and evaluation that will include student performance data, unannounced teacher observations and increased flexibility for evaluation timing. Additionally, the agreement refelcts new student-focued langauge for special education, removes transfers based on seniority as the priority over all other transfers and increases collaboration between CMSD and CTU in Academic Transformation Plan decisions.
The ratified ageement will be presented to and voted on by the Cleveland Board of Education at the Thursday, July 29 board meeting at the CMSD Administration building.
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