Collective bargaining agreements for teachers represent “one of the most formidable barriers to better schools,” a study of teachers’ union contracts in Rhode Island contends.
“Teacher Contracts: Restoring the Balance,” is available from The Education Partnership. ()
The report—produced by the Education Partnership, a Providence-based group backed by local business leaders—reviews contract provisions in 10 Rhode Island districts and concludes that they drive up costs and constrain the work of educators. In particular, it cites generous health-care benefits and sick-leave policies, as well as seniority-based job protections.
The authors propose that salaries, evaluation policies, and benefits be settled at the state level, rather than in each school district.
