Teachers strike ends, students return to school in Newton, Massachusetts
Students in Newton, Massachusetts, have returned to class for the first time in more than two weeks after a tentative settlement ended a teachers' strike.
WCVB-TV reports that nearly 98% of teachers voted Sunday night to ratify their new contract with the district. Negotiators reached a deal Friday.
The Newton School Committee still needs to approve the contract, which is expected to happen Wednesday.
Newton has about 12,000 students in 22 schools.
The tentative agreement includes step cost-of-living increases, starting at 2.5% this year, a 60-day parental leave policy on top of 15 days of family leave, and salary increases for aides and behavioral therapists.
If approved, the new contract would go into effect on Sept. 1.
The Newton Teachers Association began its strike on Jan. 19. Educators have been working without a contract since the end of August.
A judge threatened last week to impose additional fines on the teachers union, starting at $100,000 per day, if the strike continued into Monday. It already had accrued $625,000 in court fines.
The Newton School Committee has voted to eliminate four days of vacation during February break to make up days lost during the strike.
State law requires public school students to attend 180 days of school, and all school-year attendance requirements must be completed by June 30.
About the Author
Mike Kennedy
Senior Editor
Mike Kennedy has been writing about education for American School & University since 1999. He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.