The Denver Board of Education and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA) today announced settlement on a new three-year agreement that provides a 5.272 percent increase in salary for the 2002-2003 school year.

"This agreement allows the district and teachers to focus on improved student achievement and support the district's literacy plan," said Andre Pettigrew, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services. "This sets the stage for continued effort on meeting the academic challenges that teachers and principals are working hard to address."

Becky Wissink, DCTA president, said: "This is a contract that has the buy-in and ownership of both the DCTA and the administration of the school system. Both parties are committed to a collaborative bargaining process, and both are dedicated to the successful implementation of the contract over the next three years."

Added Wissink: "This is the first time in many years that bargaining has not gone to mediation. It's an important milestone for Denver Public Schools."

DCTA members must vote to accept the contract. The association expects that ballots will be counted by May 21.

The 5.272 percent cost-of-living adjustment puts the starting salary for teachers at $32,971. (Teachers In Residence will start at $31,320.) The new top salary for teachers with a doctorate and 13 years‚ experience is $64,919.

"High quality teachers are the core of the district," said Board of Education President Elaine Gantz Berman. "This agreement demonstrates the Board's respect for their dedication and hard work. But beyond the traditional nuts and bolts of a new labor agreement, the spirit of cooperation that went into developing this contract bodes well for an improved relationship with the association."

This year's negotiations were facilitated by CDR Associates, a non-profit organization with 23 years of experience in providing conflict resolution services, decision-making assistance, dispute resolution systems design, and training.

The interest-based approach contrasts sharply with traditional "contract talks," in which two sides exchange proposals and arrive at a compromise on words and numbers.

Interest-based bargaining is a negotiation strategy that focuses on satisfying as many interests or needs as possible for all negotiators.

"We applaud the 14-member negotiation team for their willingness to work extremely hard on difficult issues such as teacher time and compensation. They are one of the most conscientious, thorough, and creative teams we have had the pleasure of working with and students of Denver Public Schools should truly benefit from their efforts," said Judy Mares Dixon, partner with CDR Associates.

Superintendent Jerry Wartgow thanked The Donnell Kay Foundation for the financial support that enabled the negotiating teams to work with CDR. "We deeply appreciate the fact that the Donnell Kay Foundation recognized interest-based bargaining as a process that might improve the whole labor-management climate, not only during contract negotiations," he said. "This is a good first step in what we hope is a sustained partnership focused on a single goal – improved student achievement."

Among many changes, the settlement:

• Includes a "Statement of Beliefs" that spells out the "collective responsibility" for the district and the DCTA to "promote positive change."
  
• Follows the district‚s new school calendar, including the additional 15 minutes of instructional time each day. The contract year includes three planning days, four professional days, one assessment day, and two parent-teacher conference days. During each of the professional days, a maximum of six hours is reserved for in-service training at the district, area, or site level.
  
• Provides teachers with a minimum 40 minutes of uninterrupted, self-directed planning time scheduled during the student contact day. If that's not possible, some of the block may be scheduled outside the student contact day.
  
• Starts a new annual benefits allowance of $3,288 for each teacher to be used to purchase benefits approved by the Benefits Board. This is a so-called "cafeteria" approach; the first time this has been used in the district.
  
• Adds educational audiologists and Junior ROTC instructors to the bargaining unit.
  
• Creates a "CDM Commission" that will study possible changes to the district's model of site-based governance.
  
• Creates a "Task Force on School and District Climate" to enhance "opportunities for improved student achievement" and "improved staff morale."
  
• Streamlines the grievance procedure. Following an "informal" first round of grievance, the new language moves the complaint immediately to "level two" grievance with hearing officers determined by the Department of Human Resources in consultation with the DCTA.
  
• Eliminates the option of the Board of Education to "receive" arbitrator findings. New language requires the Board to "accept" or "reject" the decision.
  
• Limits the ability of probationary teachers to transfer during their probationary period.
  
• Defines "good and sufficient" reasons for the administrative transfer of teachers. New language specifies that these reasons do not include transfer for corrective action or discipline, transfer due to performance evaluation, or transfer in retaliation for work on association issues.