Hawaii teachers reject proposed 6-year contract

From The Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Public school teachers in Hawaii have rejected a six-year contract that proposed a transition to performance-based raises starting in July 2013. Sixty-seven percent of teachers voted against the contract, the Hawaii State Teachers Association says. Under the proposed contract, teachers would have continued to see 5 percent wage reductions through June 30, 2013, before moving to a new salary schedule. The state education department would have established a revised teacher evaluation system, and teachers rated “effective” or “highly effective” would have been eligible for 1 percent “step” raises annually.