Providence Teachers Set to Vote on New Contract

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Providence teachers engage in discussions about their new contract amidst school reforms.

News Summary

Providence teachers are scheduled to vote on a new contract following lengthy negotiations and an expired agreement. The Rhode Island Department of Education announced a tentative agreement that will govern employment conditions until 2027. This contract coincides with plans to shift control of the Providence school district back to local management. With the upcoming election season, the timely announcement is crucial for state officials. The current negotiations have been slow, primarily due to the exhaustion of federal pandemic funds, amid ongoing discussions on governance and accountability in local education.

Providence – Providence teachers are set to vote on a new contract on June 9, following a prolonged period of negotiations and an expired agreement that has persisted throughout the current school year. The Rhode Island Department of Education announced last month that a tentative agreement was reached between the teachers’ union and state officials, which will guide the employment conditions for educators moving forward.

The new contract is expected to last until the end of the 2026-2027 school year, coinciding with the state’s plan to return control of the Providence school district to Mayor Brett Smiley’s administration in 2026. This transition back to local governance comes after a period of state intervention aimed at improving the district, which has faced significant challenges.

Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green previously sought to implement substantial reforms to the teachers’ contract amidst the state takeover. However, substantial changes have not materialized, leaving many of the anticipated modifications unmet. The state’s approach to the negotiations reflected a desire to avoid prolonged conflict with the union, which held steady in its position despite changes in leadership.

The negotiations for the new contract have been particularly slow, primarily due to the limited additional funding available as pandemic-era federal funds were exhausted. A deal at this stage is viewed as crucial, particularly for Infante-Green and Governor Dan McKee, who are preparing for the upcoming election season. The timely announcement of a new contract would preempt potential conflicts before the election cycle.

Neither Mayor Smiley nor the City Council was involved in the current negotiations. However, they will play a pivotal role in future contracts once the school district is returned to local management. In light of ongoing criticisms regarding the performance and morale within Providence public schools, this return to local control will require significant improvements across various areas.

The state has set specific criteria that must be fulfilled for Providence to regain local control by June 2026. These include ensuring fiscal transparency and improving the physical conditions of school facilities. Amidst these changes, Senator Sam Zurier has introduced three bills aimed at enhancing school governance, resource management, and teacher quality. These proposals include measures such as expediting grievance procedures for underperforming educators, offering flexibility in salary structures, and revising current practices related to seniority-based hiring and layoffs.

Critics have pointed out that existing laws tend to protect non-performing teachers, thereby failing to incentivize better performance and evaluations. Newly elected president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers, Calabro, emphasized the importance of fair funding formulas that adequately address the needs of special education students while also expressing concerns over the expansion of charter schools. Charters are sometimes viewed as detrimental to traditional school funding due to their different operational models.

As the Providence teachers’ union prepares for the June vote, the potential for change in school governance and accountability remains a vital part of the conversation. With significant decisions on the horizon for local control, there is anticipation regarding how these developments will shape the future of education in Providence.