The Providence Teachers Union overwhelmingly approved a new contract on Friday, ending a year-long battle between the district’s teachers and the state of Rhode Island, which has controlled Providence schools since 2019.
Teachers voted 1,015 to 25 to accept the contract, under which they will receive a $3,000 lump-sum payment and a 6 percent raise over the next three years. The raises are retroactive to 2020. The contract also increases the number of professional development requirements and explicitly requires attendance at parent-teacher conferences.
The new contract prevents administrators from assigning teachers both in-person and virtual classrooms, which many have been required to take on during the pandemic. The agreement also attempts to tamp down on abuse of sick leave, including requiring teachers to provide a doctor’s note if an administrator suspects improper use of sick leave.
The contract is a seminal piece of the state’s takeover of Providence schools in the wake of a highly critical 2019 report on the district by Johns Hopkins University.
Governor Dan McKee, who inherited the state takeover of the Providence schools when he succeeded former Gov. Gina Raimondo earlier this year, called the contract agreement good news.
“This contract is just the beginning of our work to produce better outcomes for Providence students,” McKee said in a statement. “We need everyone on board to make it work. That means families, students, teachers, administrators, elected leaders and community members coming together to achieve a common goal – giving our students the very best opportunity to succeed.”
But critics, such as Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, say the new contract makes hiring and firing teachers too difficult. The mayor, who is widely expected to challenge McKee for the governorship, says it is far from the “transformational” contract needed to improve the struggling district.
The Public’s Radio’s John Bender contributed to this story.
