RELEASE: SPFT Members Approve Tentative Agreements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Contact: Patrick Burke, 940-206-4746, patrick@spft.org

 

Saint Paul Federation of Teachers Members Approve Tentative Agreements

Majority of Members Voting Say Yes to Tentative Agreements

 

SAINT PAUL, MINN., (February 22, 2017) – On Thursday, February 22, 2018 a clear majority of members voting in each of the three bargaining units represented by the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers (SPFT) – School and Community Service Professional (SCSPs), Educational Assistant (EA), and Teachers – approved the tentative agreements negotiated with Saint Paul Public Schools.

SPFT’s Executive Board will count provisional ballots and certify results at their March meeting.

As part of these agreements, the district and the union agreed to partner on ways to seek additional revenue for public schools. This includes seeking partnerships with large corporations and medical and higher education nonprofits to secure additional revenue and supports, jointly lobbying for increased state and federal funding, collaborating on a recruitment and enrollment campaign, and exploring the possibility of a referendum.

Resources generated from this partnership with the district will be directed toward English Learners and students enrolled in special education services and used to expand mental health services in Saint Paul Public Schools.

The agreements also include plans to hire additional staff to work with students, including:

  • 30 additional teachers to work with English Learners,
  • 23 additional support staff to work with special education students, of which at least 13 of these positions will be filled with Educational Assistants, and
  • additional EAs and SCSPs to assist with English Learner student assessment at the Student Placement Center.

“We are proud of the gains we made for our English Learners and students enrolled in special education students in this round of negotiations,” said SPFT President Nick Faber. “We know we still have more work to do to lower class sizes and ensure that our schools have the mental health supports our students need. Hopefully, we can partner with Saint Paul Public Schools to find the resources necessary to create the schools Saint Paul students deserve.”

The Saint Paul Board of Education will likely vote on these three contracts at their March board meeting.

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