Detroit teachers have approved a three-year contract that includes $10,000 in interest-free loans from each educator to help the cash-strapped district save jobs.
Members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers ratified the new agreement on Dec. 19 by a vote of 3,578 to 2,031 and agreed to a $250 pretax deduction per biweekly paycheck starting this month. Once the loan is paid out, teachers will receive a 1 percent raise in the contract’s final year. Teachers will get back up to $10,000 if they leave their jobs.
The deal also includes provisions for joint district-union professional development, peer assistance and review, and school-based performance bonuses.