Unions, School Leaders Vow to Collaborate, But Action Uncertain

Dede Schaffner, center, the chairwoman of the Seminole County, Fla., board of education, listens to a panel discussion on the positive impact of joint district-union reforms during a conference in Denver last week.

—Ed Andrieski/AP

By Stephen Sawchuk

Denver

Wrapping up a two-day conference here designed to improve labor-management relations in school districts, participants pledged to continue the work that had been started.

Officials of the U.S. Department of Education said they would offer the services of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director George H. Cohen and his team to districts trying to set up structures for collaboration, or to those hitting roadblocks in their contract negotiations.

By posting participating district teams’ “action plans” on a website it’s planning, the department also intends to create a public database...