Portland should reopen teachers' contract

Portland Press Herald, March 24, 2008

(excerpt) The city and its teachers' union should reopen the current labor contract and find a way to compensate teachers fairly without weakening the schools' ability to teach children

Under the current labor contract, a typical Portland teacher can expect to see a 6.7 percent increase in salary and benefits this year.

About one-third of the overall increase comes from teachers who become entitled to "lane changes" by engaging in professional development activities.

That can mean taking courses toward a higher degree or taking on professional tasks that would enhance their skills.

The problem with this approach is that it puts the decision-making in the hands of the employees and gives the School Committee little control over how to manage its budget.

In a tight budget year like this one, the administration might prefer to cut back on professional development and use the salary budget to keep more staff members on the payroll.