Cleveland Schools and Teachers Reach Tentative Contract

by Annie Wu

Cleveland Metropolitan School District teachers will not go on strike this week.  In a recorded message to parents, CMSD CEO Eric Gordon today announced that the district and the teachers’ union have tentatively settled on terms for a new contract.  

“I am pleased to let you know that this morning, after 21 hours of additional bargaining, the district and the Cleveland Teachers Union have reached a deal that we both believe is good for kids and fair for adults,” Gordon said.

A written statement from CTU president David Quolke said, “We listened to the concerns of our members and Cleveland parents through conversations and surveys and made sure those issues were at the forefront of our talks.”  Among the issues being negotiated, teachers were concerned about the manner in which their evaluations would be tied to student performance.  The collective bargaining agreement will now be sent to union members and the school board for ratification.  

Earlier this month, the teachers’ union had authorized a strike that would have begun Thursday evening if both sides could not reach an agreement.