Providence Teachers Union and School District Reach Tentative Agreement

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Teachers in Providence collaborate on educational strategies.

News Summary

The Providence Teachers Union and the Providence Public School District have announced a tentative three-year collective bargaining agreement that includes wage increases for educators and aims to provide stability through the 2026-2027 school year. Teachers will vote on the contract on June 9, which promises a new salary schedule while maintaining current hiring processes and class sizes. The agreement comes amid recent teacher displacement notices and an increase in student enrollment, highlighting the need for a resolution to ongoing contractual uncertainties.

Providence – The Providence Teachers Union and the Providence Public School District have reached a tentative three-year collective bargaining agreement, which was announced late Wednesday. This contract, if approved, is expected to provide critical stability for the district and its educators, especially as it will carry through the 2026-2027 school year.

The new agreement, which teachers will vote on on June 9, includes wage increases for educators. Annual raises will be retroactive to January, according to the details outlined in the contract. It establishes a new salary schedule where teachers’ base salaries will range between $50,782 and $95,722, depending on their years of experience.

While teachers will see enhancements in their pay, they can expect a modest increase in their healthcare contributions over the life of the contract. It is important to note that health insurance costs are anticipated to rise during the contract’s third year, aligning with overall cost management within the district.

An essential aspect of this contract is the assurance that existing hiring processes, class sizes, and caseloads will be maintained, allowing teachers to continue focusing on their responsibilities without unexpected changes. This stability is crucial, considering the precarious nature of employment within the educational sector post-pandemic.

Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green has highlighted that the agreement aligns with the district’s mission to ensure access to world-class education for all students. This is particularly relevant given the recent struggles of the district, which is expected to transition back to local control under Mayor Brett Smiley’s administration in 2026, ending a period of state oversight.

As the negotiations progressed, discussions were impeded by limited funding, making the path to this agreement slower than anticipated. Throughout the entire previous school year, teachers operated under an expired contract, contributing to the urgency of the negotiations which, if successful, will help alleviate anxiety surrounding potential contentious contractual disputes during a critical reelection year for the Governor.

The context surrounding this contract includes the recent displacement notices sent out to teachers. Earlier this month, 209 positions faced displacement due to fluctuating student enrollment and programmatic changes, a reduction from the previous year’s 384 displacements. At present, the district has 260 open teaching positions, which exceeds the number of displacements, indicating opportunities for both newly hired teachers and those displaced to find new roles.

In addition to teacher displacements, there were 95 teacher assistants affected this year with 104 available positions. This situation underscores the ongoing adjustments within the district, especially as the district has recently experienced a 2% increase in enrollment, marking its first growth since the 2018 school year. This enrollment expansion could lead to an increased demand for both teaching and support staff as the district works toward rebuilding and fortifying its educational offerings.

The Providence Teachers Union’s upcoming vote on the new contract will be closely monitored, as it holds significant implications for the future of the district and its educators. Given the importance of this agreement, both the Union and the district appear optimistic about the potential for a successful resolution to the longstanding contractual uncertainties.