Education

AFT to Spearhead New D.C. Proposals

By Stephen Sawchuk — December 08, 2008 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

There have long been rumors about the high-level of American Federation of Teachers’ involvement in the contentious District of Columbia teacher-contract negotiations. Now the union’s cards are out on the table: This weekend, the Washington Teachers’ Union passed a motion to officially partner with the AFT in developing contract proposals.

Readers of this blog can scroll through our archives to read more about the contract. One of D.C. Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s controversial proposals would give teachers opportunities to earn six-figure salaries if they agree to forgo tenure for a year and be evaluated based on their students’ achievement growth.

AFT President Randi Weingarten recently said at a big speech at the National Press Club, in Washington, that everything short of school vouchers should be on the table for education reform, including teacher-tenure provisions. She’s about to face her first test of her commitment to that principle right here in the nation’s capital: Will tenure reform remain in the set of proposals she and the AFT will bring to Rhee?

Stay tuned as we bring you more on this.

A version of this news article first appeared in the Teacher Beat blog.