The District and the Eureka Teachers Association (ETA) met for the first day of 2024-2027 contract negotiations on March 21. Both parties are interested in a multi-year agreement—the parties exchanged package proposals on a number of items and engaged in meaningful conversation to help gain an understanding of both party’s needs going forward.
Proposed Contract language changes:
- Article 3 – Children’s Center – The District proposed changing the Children’s Center work calendar and salary schedule to 205 work days, eight hours a day, for a full-time teacher and addressing administrative coverage when the Director is offsite with a stipend.
- Article 5 – Complaints Against Teachers – The District proposed language to address circumstances when the teacher may not be notified of a complaint in five days.
- Article 10 – Evaluation Procedures – The parties discussed the creation of a joint ETA and District Committee to review/revise the Teacher evaluation process and establish a system to create evaluations for Nurses and Speech Language Pathologists with 2024-25 as a pilot year for all changes.
- Article 15 – New Teacher Support – The District proposed additional paid days (likely 2 or 3) for professional development prior to school starting for all unit members who are new to the District.
- Article 23 – ETA proposed language to further outline teacher preparation time, covering another teacher’s class, and eliminating the on-site committee for collaboration. Further discussion is required.
- Article 24 – Teacher Safety – Both parties shared proposals to address safety. The parties will work to combine the best aspects from each proposal.
- Article 27 – Peer Assistance and Review Program (PEER) – The parties agreed in concept to remove this language with an agreement the language will be implemented if the state funds PEER in the future.
- Article 28 – Specialized Instructional Services – ETA proposed $55 for the teacher hourly rate and a method to help stabilize income for two Home & Hospital Teachers.
The parties meet for a second day of negotiations on April 2, 2024.