Alameda Teachers Contract Ratified By School Board

ALAMEDA, CA — The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) Board of Education unanimously approved a new contract with the Alameda Education Association (AEA) at its board meeting Tuesday night.

Under the terms of the two-year agreement, the salary schedule for AEA members (the district's teachers, nurses, counselors, and speech and language pathologists) will increase 4 percent starting December 1, 2016.

"I am so pleased that once again the two teams were able to come together to create an agreement that works for all," said Superintendent Sean McPhetridge. "I realize this takes both tenacity and an ability to compromise - two qualities that I admire greatly in my colleagues here in AUSD. I look forward to the continued collaboration of our two teams."

The district and union also agreed to provisions that will:

• Ease implementation of full day kindergarten
• Schedule the first 14 days of school as minimum (short) days for kindergarteners
• Set up committees to study teacher salaries, budget priorities, and best practices for instructing students who receive special education
• Create a joint AUSD-AEA Academic Committee to deepen district/teacher collaboration on choosing and evaluating instructional materials and professional development
• Increase flexibility for using leave time
• Give the children of AEA members the same priority for enrolling at the school site where they work as children who live in that neighborhood

The two sides also agreed that the existing Calendar Committee will create school calendars through the 2018-19 school year and will now include members from other bargaining units.

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"I am very appreciative of the work done by the AEA Bargaining Team to bring this matter to a close," says AEA President Audrey Hyman. "We are pleased by the many collaborative opportunities the new contract gives our members to have more voice in the decision-making process. We look forward to tackling the task of finding ways to bring employee compensation in Alameda in line with surrounding districts."

Solana Henneberry, president of the Board of Education, says, "I am delighted how both sides worked together to resolve outstanding issues of concern, and I look forward to hearing the reports and recommendations of the new committees. I truly believe this kind of collaboration is what creates an environment in which our students and employees can thrive."

HOWEVER

AUSD and the AEA will reopen negotiations about salary in February, 2017. Both bargaining teams will also be able to open one contract article of their choosing at that time.