RECEIVED May 5 1991 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS WESTERN DIVISION . Filed us. DISTRICT COURT 'TC^M rMO'^Djr-r Ar!L/AM rr-aM ni*?jr.T ^ckansA^ LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT No. LR-C-82-86^ fi. E Sy
----------- MAY 01 1991 PLAINTIFF StNTS, CLEFih i' PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1, et al. DEFENDANTS MRS. LORENE JOSHUA, et al. INTERVENORS KATHERINE KNIGHT, et al. INTERVENORS LITTLE ROCK CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION'S OBJECTIONS TO LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT'SPROPOSED DESEGREGATIONPIJ^N Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association ("LRCTA"), one of the Knight. Intervenors, presents the following objections to the May 1, 1991 Litrle Rock School District Desegregation Plan: I. PARTICULAR OBJECTIONS 1. In Volume II, Incentive Schools, page 292, Re: 02267, vs. the Support Programs are described. The Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association ("LRCTA") objects to the section of the plan which denies LRCTA the right to negotiate. Pursuant to the Professional Negotiations Agreement, Article II, Subsection A and the Educational Support Personnel ("ESP"), Article III, LRCTA is authorized to negotiate "salaries. teaching conditions. class size, teacher load and other conditions of employment. II Such authorization includes the extra hour(s) of the school day and Office of Desegregation Monitoringextra day of the school year for Incentive School personnel, certified and uncertified. The Little Rock School District imposed the extra hour and the additional pay for Incentive School personnel during 1990-91 school refusing to negotiate despite the demand from LRCTA. Further, LRCTA demands the right to negotiate the stipend for Homework Centers certified personnel and instructional aides described in Volume II, page 292-E, Re
02268. II. STAFF RECRUITMENT 2. In Volume II, Incentive Schools Staffing, page 318, Re: 02270, LRCTA objects to the lack of clarity in this section calling for staff recruitment with specific experience showing tl a commitment to working in an urban district." Will past teaching experience in the Little Rock School District be sufficient evidence of a commitment to working in an urban district? 3. In Volume II, Incentive School Staffing, Section H, Page 322, Re: No. 02296, 02297, LRCTA objects to the denial of the right to appoint members of the committee although LRCTA represents all staff. Pursuant to the Professional Negotiations Agreement, Article XXXV, LRCTA asserts the right to appoint members to this committee as outlined in that section of the PNA for joint committees.Respectfully submitted, MITCHELL and ROACHELL 1014 West Third Street Post Office Box 1510 Little Rock, AR 72203 01) 378-. By: (da Barr Langford, 89 Attorneys for Knight In' 171 rvenors L CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE On May 1, 1991, a true and correct copy of the foregoing was mailed to the following: H, William Allen Allen Law Firm 1200 Worthen Bank Building Little Rock, AR 72201 John W. Walker John Walker, P.A. 1723 South Broadway Little Rock, AR 72201 Christopher Heller Friday, Eldredge & Clark 2000 First Commercial Building Little Rock, AR 72201 M, Samuel Jones III Wright, Lindsey & Jennings 2200 Worthen Bank Building Little Rock, AR 72201 Stephen W. Jones Jack, Lyon & Jones 3400 TCBY Tower Little Rock, AR 72201 Ann Brown Office of Desegregation Monitoring P. 0. Box 687 No. Little Rock, AR 72115B 09/11/92 18:04 501 324 2032 L R School Dlst ODM @002/003 Little Rogk School District PRESS release Superintendent Bernd Comments on Teacher Contract Agreement Friday, September 11,1992 For more information, contact Dianne G. Woodruff, 324-2020 E>r. Mac Bemd, superintendent of the Little Rock School District, today thanked teachers in the District and their leadership for working together toward a contract agreement for the 1992-93 school year. Teachers ratified at a 4:30 p.m. meeting today the tentative agreement reached by the District and the Classroom Teachers Association teams late Thursday. The agreement provides that senior teachers who have reached the last step of their salary schedule by the start of the 1992-93 school year will receive $200 each on August 1, 1993, as a non-recurring payment if at the close of the District's 1992-93 fiscal year, total operating receipts, excluding loans, exceed total operating expenses by no less than $100,000. The new contract will expire August 1,1993. Other than these provisions, the new contract, which now must be ratified by the LRSD Board of Directors, is the same contract as the successor contract that expired Tuesday. The Board will consider the proposal at a special board meeting set for 5 p.m. Monday, September 14. -more-09?'ll/92. 18:05 501 324 2032 L R School Dlst ODM @003/003 Page 2 LRSD Contract Comments "I sincerely appreciate teachers being understanding, reasonable and cooperative in light of District finances and other circumstances. The negotiation process was a fruitful effort overall," Bernd added. "Ultimately, it is most important to underscore that all parties have had the best interests of all the children and all our patrons and staff at heart in reaching the agreement. Dialogue and open communication are paramount if we are to work together to improve teaching and learning. H 'We heard loud and clear the teachers' concerns about classroom discipline and we believe they heard our concerns about the importance of the role supervision plays toward improved safety and security. We know that most teachers volunteer much more than the minimum time proposed for supervision and we believe that they are committed to work cooperatively with us to assure that all schools are equally safe and secure," Bernd said. Bemd said he would direct principals to work with their individual staffs to develop building-specific discipline management plans that match need to available supervision time under the contract. "We know that anytime there is change, there is frustration involved. A lot of things have changed in the District this year. We have a new computer system and a new curriculum supported by a computerized management system to enhance teachers ability to meet individual needs of students. And they are dealing with a new administration. That's a full plate and understandably teachers are concerned and somewhat frustrated with the beginning of a new year. I pledge to work closely with them to make the changes as smooth as possible and to address their concerns," Bemd said. -more-Office of Desegregation Monitoring United States District Court Eastern District of Arkansas Ann S. Brown, Federal Monitor 201 East Markham, Suite 510 Heritage West Building Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501)376-6200 Fax (501) 371-0100 Date: October 5, 1994 To: Frank Martin From: Aj/'Ann Brown Subject: Reassignment of IRC Personnel I enjoyed our chat today and look forward to talking with you further on October 18. Thanks for agreeing to look into the situation regarding Leola Scoggins and Pearl Jackson, two IRC aides whose reassignments have made these two CTA members very unhappy. They met with me before school started and I suggested that they talk with you to determine the status of their complaint. Heres a copy of what I received from Leola, which you may already have in your files. 1 appreciate your looking into e matter and letting Leola and Pearl Icnow what next steps to anticipate. They both feel pretty helpless, but perhaps the situation isnt hopeless. Although theres probably not much I can do, please let me know how I can help. Thanks very much.July 20, 1993 Brady Gadberry Labor Relations Specialist 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 RE: IRC Position Dear Brady: I would like to reiterate my desire to be reinstated to Aides position at the Instructional Resource Center. I understand that some aides position might be restored and I would like one of them. I have worked at IRC for several years and in the Little Rock School District for 19 years. Your positive consideration of this request will be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, eoIaTCScog' Leola Scoggins August 6, 1993 QUALIFICATIONS: 1. High school diploma: Monticello Arkansas/College Beebe Junior College (3 accredited hours) 2. Demonstrates creative/artistic ability: I demonstrate creative/artistic ability, been apart of this staff for more than 10 Having years our duties consist of creating and designing activities for class room use for students, teachers, and administrators. 3. Experience in computer/typing: amount o experience in'computer/typing. I have a limited But I am eager to learn and I now have a computer system at home that will allow me to enhance my computer/typing skills. 4. Evidence of strong organizational and positive interpersonal skills: I have strong organizational and positive interpersonal skills. Working at IRC for some ten years I always had an excellent relationship with my co-workers, supervisor, administration, and students. I always have a positive outlook once I know the direction I cun to For three years I have been the supervisor and organizer for Home Health Care. I'm in total go. control of daily operations which include the scheduling of vacations and the keeping of payroll records. 5. Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions independently and efficiently: This is a daily requirement. 6. Ability to be flexible with work schedule: able to have a flexible work schedule. I am 7. Evidence of a strong commi'tment to quality desegregated education: I see people as who they I have always had an open mind regarding desegregation. are. student regardless of race. I want only the best for each BASIC PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:1. 2. I have the ability to assist in the creation and preparation of activities that correlate with curriculum objectives, pre-kindergarten - grade 12. I know that together we can develop a system for working with duplicating materials for several departments in order to have the materials ready for workshops or meeting in a timely manner. 3. If given time I will learn the curriculum the area in which I will assist. 4 . content of I have the knowledge to assist with duties such as video distribution, laminating materials, processing resource materials. 5. I can and will participate in inservices and staff meetings. 6. I can and will report to and complete the daily work schedule as assigned 7. I can and will perform other duties best of my ability. as assigned to theOffice of Desegregation Monitoring United States District Court Eastern District of Arkansas Ann S. Brown. Federal Monitor 201 East Markham, Suite 510 Heritage West Building Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501)376-6200 Fax (501) 371-0100 Date: February 9, 1995 To: LRCTA, NLRCTA, and PACT Managers From: Ann Brown Subject: Monitoring Schedules Enclosed is our schedule for upcoming site-monitoring of some schools in all three districts. I realize this is late notice for the dates that are coming up so soon next week, and I apologize for having inadvertently neglected to inform you before now. However, we have already notified the school districts and building principals that we will be in their schools on those days, so our visit won't come as a surprise to them. 1 want to be true to my commitment to keep you posted on our monitoring schedule, and will notify you as we continue to develop our calendar. Unfortunately, I have had very limited success in trying to coordinate monitoring schedules among the various groups. For example, I did not receive ADE's monitoring schedule until after they had almost completed their visits. I have their commitment to notify me before they begin spring monitoring. As for Joshua, counsel has told me that he presently has no monitoring scheduled, although he may decide to do some at the spur-of-the moment. If so, he is to notify me. We have recently discovered that many PCSSD teachers believe that ODM or the Court has required them to color highlight their plan books to indicate such emphasis as multicultural lessons. Neither ODM nor the Court requires or expects any type of color-coding. As a matter of fact, as we discussed last fall, ODM monitors never even look at teacher plan books. The color highlighting is a request from internal PCSSD monitoring teams, who have no relationship to ODM or the Court. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call me. I'll be glad to hear from you.Scheduled ODM Monitoring Visits Date School Monday, February 13, 1995 LRSD Alternative School Tuesday, February 14, 1995 NLRSD Alternative School Thursday, February 16, 1995 PCSSD Alternative School Wednesday, February 22, 1995 Rightsell Incentive School Tuesday, February 28, 1995 Rockefeller Incentive School Thursday, March 2. 1995 Garland Incentive School Friday, March 3, 1995 Franklin Incentive School Tuesday, March 7, 1995 Mitchell Incentive SchoolOffice of Desegregation Monitoring United States District Court Eastern District of Arkansas Ann S. Brown, Federal Monitor 201 East Markham, Suite 510 Heritage West Building Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501) 376-6200 Fax (501) 371-0100 April 25, 1995 Mrs. Betty L. Mitchell Pulaski Heights Junior High School 401 No. Pine Street Little Rock, AR 72205 Dear Betty: Congratulations on your election to the presidency of the Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association! The post is very challenging and important, and 1 know youll bring energetic leadership to the organization. Id like to invite you to visit my office at your convenience so we can get to know each other better. Tlte ODM staff would love to meet you and answer any questions you may have. Wed be happy to give you a tour of our offices and to explain our monitoring philosophy and approach. We also have a number of monitoring reports on the Uttle Rock School District that wed be pleased to share with you. As you look forward to your presidency, 1 wish you the very best and hope you will not hesitate to let me know whenever 1 may be of assistance. Please let me know when youd like to come by. My colleagues and 1 would welcome the opportunity to visit with you. Sincerely yours, Ann S. Brown cc: Frank Martin 1 AUG 14 1995 August 10, 1995 Office of Desegregdiicn ?<ion'!oriP9 Betty Mitchell Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association 1500 West 4th Street Little Rock, Ar 72201 Dear Ms. Mitchell: The CTA membership of Metropolitan is appointment of Mr. MMiicchhaaeell Peterson concerned over recommendation of the teacher/parent interview the about the unanimous j-euuuunenaarion or the teacher/parent interview team and the recommendation of the Director of Vocational Education for the Little Rock District. Mr. Peterson interviewed. neither applied for the position. He also has no vocational background. nor was he Because of the unique situation of vocational education we urgently need stronger and more experienced vocational leadership for our facility. We realize that the appointment of Mr. Peterson has not been voted on or approved by the Board. T" 12 _ __ 1_
_ ___J_____ _ timely response to our inquiry before such action is taken. We would appreciate an immediate and Respectfully, CTA Membership cc: School Board ODM/Ann Brown Frank Martin Revolutionizing Education in Arkansas .4 one-day workshop for Arkansas citizens who want our state's schools revitalized and our children s educational performance optimized. Friday, January 26th, Excelsior Hotel, Little Rock Presented by the Arkansas Policy Foundation Featured Keynote Comments By: Denis Doyle of the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C. Mr. Doyle currently serves as a Senior Fellow in Education at the Heritage Foundation and since 1980 has written e.xtensiveiy on education reform. Among his recently published books are Winning rhe Brain Race, A Bold Plan to .Slake Our Schools Competitive and Reinventing Education: Entrepreneurship in America's Public Schools. His free- markei, competition based ideas concerning schools have captivated leading reformers around the nation. Michael Williams, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education Mr. Williams, a prominent black attorney from Fort Worth. Te-xas, served as Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education under Lamar .Alex.'indcr and Lauro Cavazos. His e.xperience as head of the Department of Education's Civil Rights Division provided him unique knowledge of both school choice reforms and desegregation issues. Fannie Lewis, Cleveland Ohio City Councllwoman/Educatlon Activist Ms. Lewis, a black liberal democrat from Cleveland, Ohio, joined forces with Ohio's white conservative Governor, and together they are revolutionizing Cleveland's schools. Her experiences in school reform should be instructive for Little Rock and any other school districts facing similar challenges. Other special work and information sessions will include... 1. New developments on the legal front that could expedite the lifting of court-monitored desegregation plans...of particular interest to Little Rock School Districts. 2. The dangers of Outcome Sased Education (OBE) and what to do about them. 3. A preview of an innovative new privately funded voucher program in Little Rock. The Children's Educational Opportunity Foundation {CEO program). currently benefiting almost 400 parents and children. 4. A comprehensive overview of bold new education reform initiatives across the states. Also...The Great Debate on School Choice and Voucher Issues! Grainger Ledbetter of the Arkansas Education Association (AEA) vs. Jeanne Allen with the Center for Education Reform SPACE LIMITED...PLAN TO ATTEND NOW!! FRIDAY, JANUARY 26TH, EXCELSIOR HOTEL, LITTLE ROCK 10:00 am until 4:00 PM...($15.00 conference fee includes lunch) I Call Donna Watson at 501-227-4815 by Jan. 19th, 1996. The Arkansas Policy Foundation, 8201 Cantrell Road, #325, Little Rock, Arkansas 72227re: Rnoo . rrsi ra TAI > FEB January 30, 1996 Office of Oesesreaaicn M 5018 Country Club Blvd. Little Rock, AR 72207 Betty Mitchell LRCTA 1500 West 4th, Suite 305 Little Rock, AR 72201 Dear Ms. Mitchell, I would like to be appointed to the new Desegregation Planning Committee. I talked with Ms. Pondexter about it today. She suggested that I write the request to you. I am qualified to serve for several reason. My son will graduate next year from Central High School. He has attended the Little Rock public schools since he entered kindergarten. I have taught school for the Little Rock School District for twenty-five years. I taught at the Kramer Project for ten years. For the next fifteen years I have worked at the Rockefeller Early Childhood Magnet/Incentive School. I have taught four-year olds since 19888, I was a member of the Early Childhood Committee that was begun by Mr. Reviile in 1989. Since I have been a strong supporter of the L.R.S.D. and early childhood education, as well as teaching at an incentive school. 1 feel I would be an asset to your committee. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely yours, Beth Foti cc
Linda Pendexter I*Ln-TLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 810 WEST MARKHAM STREET LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 TO. Bvidrd of Directors FROM: THROUGH: SUBJECT
February' 1996 bred L. Smith. Manager of Support Services Henrv^ Superintendent of School.? I SenbeeMaster (jtuestions he toiiowing informatio! is being provided in response to concerns raised by M? Gee (list snacheii
and .Ms. Pondexte., Section 6.6 of'he ServiceMaster contract is attached. Item s2 of Ms. Gees list - ServiceMaster will receive no more than the contract amount Any additional savings below the 510.8 million budget amo'unt will remam wmh the District Item ot Ms. Gees list - It was agreed that withi.n 40 days no adjustment to the 1995-96 budget would be made since we would only be charged a pro-rated amount for the first year of tiie contract Item 01 M.<. Gees list - Four (4) payments have oeen made to Se'wiceMaster for the months of October. 1995, tnrough January, 1^96. Item 45 of Ms. uees h$t - The S'.G.213 per monli: is Lite amount to satisfv the auarantes since ServiceMaster is required to provide actual documentation to support the supplies and equipment cost Item 46 of Ms. Gees list - Based on actual expenditures for the past several ye.ars, the 1995- 96 budget amount provides a realistic baseline. item ^7 of Ms. Gees list - .^.nached is a schedule that shews the $10 8 million. With respect to the energy savings, the effect of the energy savings orograms has alrcadv be?-, includea m the 1995-96 budget. It is true that a mild winter would have a positive i -noact guarantee compliance. The converse is also true impact on guarantee compliance. on \ harsh wmter would have a nesatn. 1JC hem ot Ms. Crees iis' - h is probably not possible to list all potential points of concern However we eo have a detailed budget and Exhibit A is a part of the contract. Item #9 ol Ms. Gees list - 'fhe OEM system would only enhance, not conflict with, the Districts system. cc. Doug Eaton Jerr/ Compton FLSxa3 Little Rock Schoo! District 1995-So Biidsel Ana'ysis FuncSon ,-tncno.i Jesaiphon 2639 Other Faciiities Acq 3Co 2542 Upkeep or Suildings 2641 Service .Area Oirecuoi 2544 Upkeep of Squipmerii 2545 VePicie Maintenance 26-10 Asbesios rrogra.m \1agnet SctipoiG Sooeptuies A.^nojn! '$240,213 8.924.431 201.085 12,800 S3.20C 61,338 1.076.370 2'30,000 Tata $10,779,937Office of Desegregation Monitoring United States District Court Eastern District of Arkansas Ann S. Brown, Federal Monitor 201 East Markham, Suite 510 Heritage West Building Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501) 376-6200 Fax (501) 371 -0100 June 26, 1997 Ms. Betty Mitchell 107 Detonti Drive Little Rock, AR 72113 Dear Betty: As you leave the presidency of the LRCTA and return to the classroom, 1 want to tell you how very much my colleagues at ODM and I have enjoyed working with you during your tenure. You brought your level head and steady hands to the helm during a time when the Little Rock School District was (once again) navigating troubled waters. Despite the turbulence, you never failed to keep your balance, perspective, and on-target grasp of the facts: you could always penetrate the rhetorical fog and see what was really going on. (More than once, your knowing glance inspired me to hang in at yet another tong meeting!) But no matter how great the challenge or vexing the circumstances, you never failed to maintain your congenial, down-to-earth demeanor that has always made me glad to see you. You have earned my respect, gratitude, and affection, Betty, and all of us at ODM will certainly miss you. However, I know where to find you, and Ill look forward to catching up with you at the flea markets. All best wishes for a happy return to the classroom. Sincerely yours, 'Ann S. BrownLRCTA PN UPDATE $$$Big Bucks$$$ for Central Office Chicken Feed for School Employees After months of excuses and delays the District finally presented its salary offer to the Association last night. Rarely have promising negotiations taken so drastic a nose dive. Despite the lavish raises Dr. Camine showered on his favorite administrators, (excluding the superintendent, the highest paid LRSD administrative position jumped 13% from $64,831 to $90,000) there is precious little in the cookie jar for the folks in the trenches. The Districts three year offer is a clear indication of just where teachers and support persoimel figure on the Districts priority list. 1st Year ( 3% of last Years Sth Circuit money) NO NEW MONEY 2nd Year 1.75% 3rd Year 1.75% To sweeten this deal the District threw in a paltry $200 increase in the senior stipend and raised the District contribution on the insurance to $174. To Add Insult To Injury...this so-called offer is withdrawn if
The property tax amendment passes and the property tax is abolished. The Sth Circuit money turns out to be less than 7 million for any of the three years. The Arkansas Legislature changes the funding formula to little Rocks detriment. The question on the mind of every hardworking teacher and ESP should be... Why does the District always find big bucks for top level administrators and only nickels and dimes for the employees who actually work with students? DISCIPLINE: The two teams are at loggerheads on this critical issue. Our priority is safe and orderly classrooms, the Districts seems to be safeguarding the authority of its principals. WERE MILES APART..BUT WERE STILL TALKING.... The Districts proposal on the supplemental salary schedule is a good beginning but a three year deal with little or no money is impossible. The contract has been extended to the day before students arrive and we believe a settlement is still possible. Any real progress depends on Dr. Camine and his Administration understanding that we need more than lip service on discipline and that our salaries are every bit as important as the salaries of his downtown administrators!!! TRANSFERS & VACANCIES..The District has bungled transfers and vacancies this year even more than usual. If you believed you have been unjustly denied a position, moved or surplused without just cause, call the office ASAP. QUOTE OF THE YEAR.. On July 22, in the Arkansas Democrat, Dr. Camine was quoted as saying that he tried to limit administrators pay raises to 10 percent. Needless to say he was not successful.8' i^nrki "?, I*-- a: 2201 (5GVittle Rock Classroom Teachers Associafioi> Update RECEIVED NOV 2 3 1988 November 17, 1998 OFFICE OF DESEGS3EGAT10N MONITORING As you well know, the Association has ratified an agreement that includes a 4.5% raise, more than $500.00 added to tlie topped - out stipend for those not receiving an annual increment, increases for stipend work and many other new items in the contract. One of tlie more frustrating aspects of the negotiation was trying to fix a date when we could start collecting the new raises (as well as the 3% raise still due under last years contract). Because the money needs to be released by the Federal District Court, everyone it seems has been pointing the finger there as the cause of the problem. However, our inquiries to the Office of Desegregation Monitoring has indicated that the blame rests with the Little Rock School District and the Pulaski County Special School District, who have been ordered to negotiate a settlement between their differences over how much each district is to receive from the court. Well, those negotiations have broken down and the court now is required to conduct a hearing on the matter before rendering a decision. That date is January 4,1999. No one expects the decision from that hearing to be delayed in any way so as soon as a decision is rendered, then our agreement with the Little Rock School District calls for payment under the contract to begin within thirty (30) days. The court decision will not affect the negotiated agreement in any way. But it will result in the payment being postponed until early 1999.AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF LRCTA Lou Ethel Nauden 4400 West 22 nd Street Little Rock, AR 72204 November 19, 1998 Willie Givens, President Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association 1500 West 4
h Street Little Rock, /irkansas 72201 Dear Mr Givens: This letter is written confirmation of my verbal resignation of my membership in the Little Rock Classroom Tt'achers .Association effective for the 1998-99 School 'f ear. I am convinced that the Association vdth its current STAFF and LEADERSHIP is no longer working in the best interest of the tear hets of the Little Rock School l.)istrict. I have spent many years v/orking in the Association with man) different presidents and numerous elected leaders. 1 have agreed and disagreed philosophically with a number of them, however, I was convinced, that all of them v/ere committed to serving in the best interest of the membership. 1 no longer sense that commitment on the part of the current staff and leadership. It saddens me to see how truly self-serving 'the leadership has become. I he lack of staff competence and commitment further troubles me. As I worked 1 dreamed of seeing tfie LRCTA Logo on our owtj building in tine city of Little Rock, and of an organization so strong that we could have a major i mpact ori educational issues in this commiinily. I guess it was just an unrealistic dream. I directed all of my resources toward w<
-rki ng in the local association, never seeking state or national elective office, because I knew our members were primarily concer ned with issues thiat impacted them in their immediate enviromnent, the Little Rock School Distric t and the state of Arkansas. My tenure as president of the Association, my seivice as a board member, and my many years of w orking with the PN Team as a member and as chairperson were all services rendered unselfishly. There are tho le who hasten to criticize my decision to resign with the
spurious argument that when the ball game is not played my way, 1 take my ball and go home To those critics I say, You are play ing with my ball - my thirty-two years of service to the organization. And more importantly, yon are not playing the game well. A parapjV'ise of.some advice from the poet, Kipling, expresses my teelings clearly. I CANNOl and WILL NOT be led by a company of fools. Sincerely, Lou Ethel NaadenI I 10B ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE SATURDAY, JUNE 13, I I A long way to go as LRSD, CTA open contract negotiations BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazelle Staff Writer In the first teacher contract negotiating session of the year, Little Rock School District representatives Friday pro Elimination of hospital indemnity, short-term disability, long-term disability or life insurance coverage for employees by the district. The district would contribute $17.06 posed cutting the work years employee'per month' for the length next year, freezing teacher salaries and reducing insurance benefits. Representatives of the school district and the Classroom Teachers Association met for about 30 minutes Friday afternoon to exchange economic proposals. state health plan coverage and $13.44 per employee per month for dental insurance. The dis- trict now pays the entire portion of the individual em- The meeting, which was closed to the public, marked the beginning of negotiations on the 1992-93 teachers contract. The three-year contract now in effect is due to expire Sept. 8. Jim Moore, an attorney who represents the school district, and Eleanor Coleman, CTA president, would not disclose the terms of the contract proposals made by their negotiating teams Friday. We have a long way to go, Coleman said. A very long way. A source who asked not to be identified told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that the CTA is asking for a 10 percent salary increase for next year. In addition, the source said the district - which is facing a $7.7 million budget deficit next year - is asking for.numerous reductions in employee benefits, including: A five-day reduction in the work year, which could result in less pay for employees. It was not clear Friday if the reduction would affect all certified employees or just those who have annual contracts for 9'/2 months or longer. No overall salary raises and no incremental increases for an additional year of experience. District teachers have generally received 3 percent increases for experience along with a general pay raise. ployee health insurance coverage not paid by the state. This year, the state pays $71 per employee and the district pays $122. An increase in student instruction time for elementary and secondary teachers. Secondary teachers, for example, could eventually be required to teach as much 5% hours a day if the proposal is adopted. That compares with the current limit of 5 hours a day. A reduction in teacher planning time from 270 minutes to 230 minutes a week. Teachers may be required to supervise pupils in the lunchroom for an average of one day per week. The current contract gives teachers a duty- free 30-minute lunch period. If the proposal is approved, teachers also could be assigned to supervise children on the playground without extra pay. Now, teachers who volunteer for playground duty are paid $10 an hour. According to the source, the CTA in its proposal has asked for an additional day of personal leave. payment for unused sick leave, a teacher retirement incentive and direct deposit of paychecks. No date was set Friday for the next negotiations session. The negotiations are done by team.s representing the district and the teachers. Any agreement the teams reach must be submitted to the ' school board and the CTA membership for ratification.Aricansas Democrat (gazette SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1992 = I B Tough issues take CTA, LRSD through day of talks Representatives of the Little Rock School District and the Classroom Teachers Association worked for about eight hours Friday on the 1992-93 teachers contract without reaching a settlement. The two negotiating teams will resume their talks at 4:30 p.m. Monday the day most dis- trict teachers will return to' ered by the terms of the 1991-92 contract, which does not expire until Sept. 8. The negotiating sessions are closed to the public, and spokesmen for both teams have declined to give any specific details about the issues in dispute. Frank Martin, executive director of the CTA, said the teams spent Friday holding long discussions on a couple of issues that have disturbed both teachers and administrators for many years. He called them tough issues and said the districts team is asking for concessions from the teachers that the district cant buy. In June, the CTA asked for 10 percent raises, plus an annual 3 percent incremental raise for -- - V.1 yc3r of experience. The district proposed freezing salaries and increments. Since that time, however, the district included the incremental experience raises in the 1992-93 budget. Teachers who are the most experienced and are at the top of the salary schedule are not eligible for the incremental raises. The negotiating teams met each day this week.LRSD, CTA attain tentative agreement Arkansas Democrat "CSazettc FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1992. BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazene Staff Writer Negotiating teams for the Little Rock School District and the Classroom Teachers Association reached a tentative agreement on the 1992-93 teacher contract about 10:40 p.m. Thursday after five hours of negotiations. A.W. Mille, a mediator with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, said no details of the tentative agreement would be released before a CTA membership meeting set for 4:30 p.m. today at Hall High School. Mille said he thought it best not to divulge details so that rumors wouldnt hurt the agreement. He said it was best if all teachers heard the agreement at the same time. We think it is a mutually satisfying agreement, Jim Moore, an attorney for the district, said. Eleanor Coleman, CTA president, said, Weve pushed hard to get a decent settlement. The old contract expired at I midnight Tuesday, Teachers vot-ed earlier this week to take a strike vote Sept. 17 if an agreement was not reached. The big issues in the talks had been the districts request for additional supervision time from teachers and teachers concerns about a lack of enforcement of the student discipline policies. The district team declared an impasse Tuesday, prompting the two teams to call in the mediator. Mille carried proposals back and forth between the teams Wednesday and Thursday nights. 'The teams never met until after the tentative agreement was reached Thursday night. About 1,600 of the districts teachers are expected to get an average 2.8 percent pay raise for their additional year of experience. The remaining teachers are ineligible for an experience increment. The CTA and the Little Rock School Board must ratify the Agreement to make it official. -ARKAN^S DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1992 LR teachers union ratifies contract, keeps contror of workday BY CYNTHIA HOWELL mocrat-Gazdfle Start Wmtr The Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association on Friday ratified a 1992-93 teacher con- traclf that virtually is identical to the 1991-92 contract, which e.xpired at midnight Tuesday. The new agreement calls for npuiew teacher supervision duties, no shorter preparation periods or longer workdays, all of which were proposed early in the negotiations by the Little Rock School District. The new agreement does alter the expiration date of the contract so ' that future negotiations wont occur while school is in session. It was moved from Sept. 8 to Aug. I. Host discrict teachers will get an average 2.3 percent pay increase for their additional year of experience. However, about 350 teachers are ineligible for an experience increment The new agreement says that if district revenues exceed expenditures bjf $100,000 this year, senior teachers will get a S200 onetime payment by Aug. 1. "I feel like an abused senior citizen, one teacher of 20 years quipped after the CT.A. membership meeting at Hall High School. 1 don't know how they can justify not giving raises to those of us who have dedicated our lives to the district" About 500 of the districts 2,000 teachers attended the meeting. The beginning teacher salary will remain at $19,489. A teacher with 20 years of experience and a masters degree plus 30 hours of additional college credit will earn $39,485. See CONTRACT. Page 18A Teachers Continued from Page 1A We're pleased to have an agreement." Eleanor Coleman, CTA president, said. "Some of the teachers are not totally pleased and that is understandable. We were not able to get what we wanted for our senior teachers. I am one of them. I won't get a single penny more this year.' Coleman said the CT.A will be able to work with administrators to improve student discipline through a standing ad hoc committee that exists in the contract. During the contract negotiations. the CTA members complained that district administrators were lax in enforcing student discipline policies. Most teachers interviewed Friday were philosophical about the status quo contract, the first in many years that did not provide across-the-board raises, Its acceptable. I can live with it, Jake Tidmore, a teacher at Southwest Junior High School, said. We didnt get a raise. That was the bad news. The good news was we didnt give up anything. Its acceptable. I can live with it. We didnt get a raise. That was the bad news. The good news was we didnt give up anything. Im all right about it for one year, Patsy Campbell, a district employee of more than 30 years, said about the lack of a raise. I think the cuts (made in July by the board) were real. The board cut $10.7 million in expenses this year to balance the district budget. We didnt want to go on strike or disrupt the students, Linda Jones, a teacher at Hall High School, said. But she also said she was disappointed with Superintendent Mac Bernd for creating an adversarial relaSTUDYING THE CONTRACT Sue Buffalo, a counselor at the Alternative Learning Center in the Little Rock School District, examines Friday a copy of the 1992-93 contract negotiated by the district and the Little Rpck Classroom Teachers Association. Teachers ratifiediti agreement Friday afternoon at Hall High School. tionship with teachers and for reducing the number of counselors in the district. Representatives of the CTA and the school district reached a tentative contract agreement late Thursday night with the assistance of A.W. Mille, a mediator with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The terms of the agreement were not released until Fridays meeting. Before the agreement becomes final, the school board must approve it. A special meeting to vote on the pact, as well as to decide the process for filling a vacant board seat and to discuss the feasibility of Saturday morning football games, is set for 5 p.m. Monday at the administration building at 810 W. Markham St. "I sincerely appreciate teachers being understanding, reasonable and cooperative in light of district finances and other circumstances, Bernd said at a news conference Friday afternoon. The negotiations process was a fruitful effort overall. He said district administrators heard "loud and clear Bernd said he would direct principals to work with their staffs to develop discipline management plans at the schools. He also acknowledged the change that teachers face this -4 ZJ Arkansas Oamocrat-Gazena/Oavid GoOschaik teachers concerns about classroom discipline. We believe they heard our concerns about the importance of the role supervision plays toward improved safety and security. We know that most teachers volunteer much more than the minimum time proposed for supervision and we believe they are are committed to work cooperatively with us to assure that all schools are equally safe and secure. 1 year as the result of a new I sincerely appreciate teachers being understanding, reasonable and cooperative in light of district finances and other circumstances. riculum, a new computer system and a new administration. Thats a full plate and understandably teachers are concerned and somewhat frustrated? ... I pledge to work closely with them to make the changes as smooth as possible and to address their concerns, Bernd said. Bernd said he plans to appoint a joint committee as allowed by the contract to study the feasibility of increasing the instructional day. Increasing instructional time was part of the districts original proposal in the contract negotiations, but was withdrawn. He alio called on teachers to assist district administrators in appealing for help from the state Legislature to curb escalating costs of employee health benefits. j The district pays KW percent of the costs of the benefits for individual employees. The district absorbed a $1.4 million increase in insurance costs this year.Arkansas Democrat Y azcttc FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 12. 1993 Copyright C 1993. Little Rock Newspapers, 1nc. Bernd urged to settle pact with CTA Board members ask about 93-94 budget Little Rock School Board members Dorsey Jackson and John Moore urged Superintendent Mac Bernd on Thursday to meet with the Classroom Teachers Association and settle the 1993-94 teacher contract as soon as possible. The topic came up during the boards monthly agenda meeting. The board members asked when the 1993-94 budget would be ready for board action. Bernd has said that expenses would have to be cut for next year by about S5.2 million. Two committees, one made up of district residents and another of employees, are reviewing district expenses and will make a report to Bernd in early March about ways to save money and operate more efficiently- Bernd said he plans to present the proposed budget to the board by late March or early April. Jackson said it would be good to have employee contracts settled by that time, and he recommended that negotiations begin soon so that outdated contract provisions could be discussed and eliminated. Gary Jones, the districts manager of resources and school support, said he has met with eight different employee groups, but only the teachers have a contract for the current year. He said that negotiations are drawing to a close on a two-year contract for district bus drivers and custodians. He estimated that those settlements could be reached within two to four weeks. Were very close, he said.Arkansas Democrat '^(i^azelte SUNDAY, MARCH 14. 1993 Copyright 0 1993, Little Rock Newspapers. Inc. M T . Arkansas Democrat ^(fjazette Ledbetter outpolls 2, wins AEA presidency BY JERRY DEAN Democrat-Gazette Staff Writer Grainger Ledbetter, 36, an English teacher in the Little Rock School District, was chosen Saturday as president of the Arkansas Education Association. About 9,100 AEA members statewide gave Ledbetter 55.1 percent of the vote over candidates Kay Williams, 50, of Greene County Ledbetter Tech in Paragould and Carolyn Jones, 43, of Watson Education Center in El Dorado. Those results mean a runoff wont be necessary in the AEAs general elections April 19-27. Pat Jones, an AEA spokesman, said the AEA Elections Committee will have to certify results of the election to Sid Johnson, a Fort Smith teacher who is the current AEA president, on Monday. Ledbetter, who begins serving his two-year term Aug. 1, said he had campaigned extensively for the office. He thanked his campaign chairman, Eleanor Coleman, and congratulated his opponents on an issues-oriented race. Im going to try to build a unified association that can face tough issues that arent getting any easier, Ledbetter said. Those issues include re-examining health insurance bidding and costs, educational reforms, and collective bargaining efforts aimed at improving teachers salaries and working conditions statewide, he said. Ledbetter, who most recently taught English at Henderson Junior High, promised to remain an outspoken advocate sonnel. He is now on a leave of absence to complete his masters degree in history. Ledbetter, now serving on the AEA Executive Committee and the executive committee of the National Council of Urban Education Associations, has taught in Little Rock public schools 11 years. Ledbetter has been president of the AEA local organi-zation, the Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association,' for four years. ' He is best known for haVing led a districtwide teaghers strike that closed schoojs.for six days, and for having Ipd a strike of the districts school bus drivers. AEA presidents are. restricted to serving no more, than two two-year terms as president. for teachers and support per- I WEDNESDAY, JULY 14,1993 3B CTA will consider renegotiating raises
BY DANNY SHAMEER Democrat-Gazette Education Writer The Little Rock School District will approach the teachers union Monday to discuss a num- ber of matters including whether teachers are willing to renegotiate part of their 3 percent raises. Estelle Matthis, interim superintendent, said Tuesday she will bring up the matter of the raises next week when she meets with Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association President Eleanor Coleman and CTA Executive Director Frank Martin. The CTA office is closed until Monday. Matthis meeting with the CTA also will deal with other matters involving the upcoming school year. The federal judge who oversees the desegregation case ordered the Little Rock School Board to pare down its $140 million budget and left it up to the district on how to do it. ! The board met in a workshop session last Friday, when it asked the district administration to look at about $3 million in cuts and outlined four other general areas to consider. The board wants to know if the CTA would be willing to con-' : sider giving up part of the 3 per-: i cent teacher raise for the 1993-: 94 academic year. ? Other areas the board asked the district to look at included
reducing expenses in services, supplies and equipment
staffing efficiency
how to phase in teacher training sessions on a new system to track student learning and the impact of possibly closing Ish Elementary School, a decision that would be made by a federal court. U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright has given the district until 6 p.m. Aug. 2 to submit a revised 1993-94budget. Hearings on the revised bud-
get are set for Aug. 12-13. :How to kill a city (And how to build one) Neighborhood rivalries, petty jealousies, suspicions and turf wars . . . all can combine to kill a community. One was reminded of that ugly possi- iility just this week, when the director of one museum in Little Rock issued a public statement attacking plans to build a new, large-screen theater in connection with another museum in town. A different and better spirit was shown by a couple of other items in the news: The union of classroom teachers in Little Rock agreed to reconsider not give up. mind you, just rethink part of the 3 percent raise the teachers are due next school year. For a group that got no raise this last school year, thats civic spirit. The union has recognized the bind that the Little Rock School District has got itself into. Its willingness to cooperate with the school board shows a spirit of cooperation. It also shows a warranted respect for the federal judge overseeing the district. The judge, Susan Webber Wright, has told the district it shouldnt be budgeting money thats going to run out for expenses that will keep recurring like teachers salaries. Thats sound, if obvious, advice. The teachers willingness to think about this shows sound judgment and good will. You can build a lot on those qualities. ACORN, whose local chapter would much prefer electing all city directors by ward, nevertheless has come out in favor of the proposal on the ballot Tuesday to elect only seven directors by ward, and elect another three city-wide. Thats the plan proposed by the Future-Little Rock project after long sessions and considerable effort. By supporting the plan on Tuesdays ballot. .ACORN is accepting the popular will
a plan to elect all directors by ward was turned down by the voters just last year. ACORN is is now ready to accept half a loaf. Or rather seventenths of a loaf, since seven of the ten directors would be elected by ward, while all are elected at-large now. To quote .ACORNs spokesman, The Future-Little Rock proposal is not perfect, but we do believe it is better tian the system we have now. Such an approach shows a talent for compromise and a capacity for good will. Both qualities will be needed if Little Rock is to thrive in the years ahead. Little Rock can work if all its people work together. Arkansas Democrar Established 1871 Arkansas azeUe Established 1819 Arkansas Democrat (gazette Arkansas' Newspaper Walter E. Hussman, Jr., Publisher Griffin Smith, jr. Ejcecubve Editor Paul Greenberg Editoriai Page Editor Paul R. Smith V.P. / General Manager Lynn Hamilton V.P. / Operations John Mobbs Advertising Director Larry Graham Circulation Director Estel Jeffery, Jr. Director of Promotions 6B SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1993 Copyright 9 1993 UWe Rock Newsoaoers. Inc.Arkansas Democrat (gazette
SATURDAY, APRIL 23,1994 Copyright tittle Rock Newspapers, Inc. LR teachers seek 6 percent raise BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat*Gazette Educatkxi Writer The Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association wants a 6 percent across-the-board raise next year, although The CTAs initial proposal school officials initial contract proposal would freeze salaries. Negotiating teams for the Little Rock School District and the CTA met for the first time Monday and Tuesday to clarify their proposals for changes in the 1994-95 teachers contract. There are about 60 proposals on the table. Frank Martin, CTA executive director, and Brady Gad- berry, district labor relations director, said they would like to complete negotiations for next year by the end of May, Martin and Gadberry are the chief negotiators for their teams, which are scheduled to meet at least two afternoons a week until May 23. If the teams reach a tentative agreement on a contract, it must be submitted to the school board and the CTA membership for final approval. calls for a 6 percent raise for all teachers, plus an incremental raise of about 3 percent for each eligible employee for experience. Longtime employees who have reached the top of the salary schedule are ineligible for the experience increment. The district has proposed reductions of two days in the teacher work year, a reduction in fringe benefits, and a cap on William Broadnax. Besides Martin, the CTA the districts contribution to employees health insurance team includes CTA President coverage. Currently, the state and the district pay the employees insurance, although employees must pay for coverage fortheir spouses and chil- dren. -
, Also on the table is the experience increment, which is now a $2 million provision in the districts 1994-95 budget j proposal but has been proposed as a cut to balance the budget. Besides Gadberry, Little Rock district negotiating team members include Mark Mil- hoilen, manager of support services
Dr. Richard Hurley, director of human resources
Assistant Superintendent Lan7 Robertson
Franklin Incentive School Principal Franklin Davis
Dodd Elementary School Principal Patty McNeil
and Henderson Junior High School Assistant Principal i 1 I Eleanor Coleman and teachers Katherine Wright Knight Betty Mitchell, Don Williams, Clementine Kelley, Deborah DesJardin and Johnny Gross. The next two sessions are set for 4:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. hArkansas Democrat '^(Gazette ' FRIDAY, MAY 13,1994 Rival teacher union to fight job cuts Group says LRSD broke law by not sending letters earlier BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer A small and little-known , group of teachers affiliated with the American Federation of i Teachers and the AFL-CIO will challenge the Little Rock School Districts decision to eliminate 80 teaching positions next year. The Federation of Metropolitan Teachers, which says it has about 200 members, will send a letter to the school district alleging the district violated the Arkansas Teacher Fair Dismissal Act. Larry Buck, a teacher at Henderson Junior High School, said 'Thursday the district didnt notify all affected teachers by May 1 of its plans to eliminate their jobs or to discontinue the supplemental pay about 400 teachers get for extra duty. Extra duty includes coaching, sponsoring student activities or supervising students before or after school. The Fair Dismissal Act auto- matically renews the contracts of certified teachers and administrators if the employees arent notified of changes in their working conditions by May 1. May 1 was a Sunday. Buck, chairman of the federations legal services committee, said some of the affected teachers got their letters April 30, a Saturday
others didnt get them until the next Monday, May 2. So all affected teachers and supplemental pay contracts should be reinstated. Buck said. He said it would be unfair to employees to only reinstate those teachers who received notices May 2. un- Brady Gadberry, director of labor relations for the district, said all the notices were sent by certified mail April 29, in compliance with the law. He said the significant date is the postmark, not the date the teacher got the letter. Buck said he hopes the dispute can be resolved within the district. Asked if the federation would sue the district, he said that decision would have to be made later. The district is cutting positions as a cost-saving measure. The supplemental pay contracts are being reviewed and many will be reinstated once district officials have determined what extra duty positions are needed based on student enrollment for next year and teacher job signments. as- The federation is affiliated not only with the AFL-CIO but with the Arkansas Federation of Teachers, which has about 2,500 members. Buck said. The AFT and its Arkansas affiliates are rivals of the National Education Association and its affiliates, the Arkansas Education Association and the Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association.I Arkansas Democrat W^azcttTI TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1994 Copyright UWe Rock Newspapers, Jnc. LRSD teachers to decide today on new contract
OK predicted Little Rock School District teachers will vote today on a proposed contract that would give most of them incremental pay raises in the coming school year for experience. The district and the Classroom Teachers Association tentatively agreed to a contract July 18. The contract doesnt include an across-the-board raise for teachers. The Little Rock School Board also must approve the contract. Frank Martin, CTA executive director, said he expects the teachers to approve the contract. The CTA, which has about 2,000 members, will vote at 4:30 p.m. at Hall High School. The tentative contract includes the incremental raise traditionally paid to eligible teachers for their extra year of That increment experience. will be $803 per teacher this year. The districts most senior teachers, those with 20 or more years of experience, are ineligible for the increment and wont get a raise.WEDNESDAY, WTTW Copyngnt O UWe Rock Newspapers, inc. LRSD teachers approve new contract BY CHRIS REINOLDS Democrat-Gazette Start Writer Little Rock School District teachers grudgingly approved a contract for the 1994-95 school year Tuesday that includes a pay increase for teachers with less than 20 years experience, but no across-the-board raise, No ones coming out of here very happy, Frank Martin, executive director of the Classroom Teachers Association, said after the vote. The teachers are not going to continue to subsidize the districts mismanagement. Martin said the approximate-ly 280 teachers in attendance voted for the contract in a voice vote. Officials said the turnout teacher at Fair Park Elemen-was low the district employs tary, said she voted against the about 1,700 teaches because contract because 20-year veter-many teachers were on vacation ans wont get raises and smok-or at work, ing is now banned on school The contract includes the grounds. raise traditionally paid to eligi Ive been smoking since the ble teachers for their extra year of experience. That increment will be $803 per teacher this year. About 400 of the districts most senior teachers, those with 20 or more years of experience
, are ineligible for the increment. Gail Delozier, a first-grade eighth grade and I wasnt bothering anybody, Delozier said, Its the only filing I can do to get a release, See TEACHERS, Page 7B BALLOT BROWSING Little Rock School District schoolteachers Gail Delozier (left) and Malinda Martin look over the ballot before the Little Rock Classroom Teach- Arkansas Defnocrat-Gazstta/DavKl Gottschalk ers Associations vote Tuesday night on the 1994-95 teachers contract. Those present approved the pact reluctantly. Teachers Continued from Page IB Faye Parker, a teacher at the Little Rock Adult Education Center, said she voted for the contract, We didnt lose any benefits, Parker said. District officials and the Classroom Teachers Association tentatively agreed to the contract July 18, but it required approval by the teachers union and the school board. The school board hasnt voted on the contract. The CTA negotiating team made a plea directly to Superintendent Henry Williams for an increase or bonus for the senior teachers. But Williams said granting that request would deplete the districts pool of reserve money. Other terms of the contract include: No changes to the 1993-94 salaiy schedule for 1994-95. The starting salary for a beginning teacher will remain at $20,074 for the second straight year. A new contract expiration date of June 30, 1995, The 1993- 94 contract expired Monday. Creation of a teacher-administrator committee to clarify ambiguous language in the , contract. An increase in allowances for travel expenses to conform with changes made for the district administrators and school board members. Clarification of the longterm leave policies for teachers. FRIDAY, AUGUST 26,1994 7B LRSD board tables motion on teacher bonuses BY SHAREESE HAROLD Democrat-Gazette Staff Writer Tenured teachers in the Little Rock School District will have to wait until the next school board meeting to find out if they will receive a salary bonus this school year. The board voted Thursday to table a proposal that would have given at the end of the school year a bonus to teachers at the top of the pay schedule who are not receiving raises this year. Earlier this month, the board ratified teacher contracts for the 1994 1995 school year that did not include salary increases for those who have taught 20 or more years in the district. Board member Linda Pon- dexter, a Little Rock educator for 26 years, said she felt slighted by district administrators who waited until Thursday to explain that her proposal might cause snags in the districts federal desegregation case. Pon- dexter initiated the proposal three weeks ago. But isnt it strange, she said, that a letter from our attorney, dated with todays date, was sent to us explaining the potential legal problems we could have with this motion? Jerry Malone, one of the districts desegregation attorneys, urged the board to consider how the court would view an action to compensate teachers by a method not spelled out in the budget policy handbook it gave the court. Board member Kevin OMalley moved to table the issue until the legal problems are addressed. I can support the philosophy behind this motion, OMalley said, but there are problems with it now. The board voted unanimously to discuss the issue at its next meeting. It also voted to consider Pendexters proposal to use excess state funds the district might receive this year once student enrollment figures are tallied to compensate the teachers. I think this action is necessary to give those who have served this district the longest a shot in the arm, Pondexter said. About 520 teachers and education support staff members could be alTected by the bonus. Pondexlers motion would direct the districts labor negotiators to settle the bonus amount with the teachers union negotiators. In other business, the board rejected on the first reading a revised employee nepotism policy that would have allowed distant relatives of board members and the superintendent to work in the district. It also voted to sell the Eastside Junior High School building at 14th and Scott Streets. Adult education courses now being held at that school will be moved to Forest Heights Junior High School at University Avt enue and Evergreen Street. The 47-year-old structure is in the citys historical district and has not been used as a junior high school since 1964.1 Arkansas Democrat '^(j?azcltg SATURDAY_, APRIL. 22,1995 Special ed teacher to lead association Betty Mitchell, a special education teacher at Pulaski Heights Junior High School, was recently elected president of the Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association. She defeated John Gross, CTA vice president and a teacher at Dunbar Magnet Junior High, for the position. Mitchell will take office Aug. 1, following Eleanor Coleman, an elementary school counselor who was the union president for four years. I want to maintain the strength and unity that the CTA has always had and exhibited, Mitchell said when asked about the goals for her two-year term. Its imperative that we continue to have stability at a time when the Little Rock School District is unstable because of its finances and the discipline problems in the schools.Arkansas Democrat ^(j^azette THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1995 LR teachers push for mediation BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Dernocrat-Gazette Education Writer Contract negotiators for the Little Rock School District and the Classroom Teachers Association want help and fast from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Brady Gadberry, the districts director of labor relations, and Frank Martin, CTA executive director, agreed Friday to ask the mediation service to select an outside fact-finder who can come into the district this month to recommend terms of a settlement on the 1995-96 teachers contract. Recognizing that difficult bargaining was ahead, negotiators for the two organizations agreed weeks ago to use a fact-finder to help them resolve their differences. The fact-finder from Texas selected by the negotiators couldnt come to Little Rock until mid-August. Martin said Friday the teams cant wait that long. The contract expires the first of August. The two teams of administrators and teachers have been meeting regularly to negotiate changes in the contract language, but theyve set aside some potentially explosive salary issues. Officials in the financially strapped school district have recommended a two-day cut in the teacher work year and an accompanying cut in pay to help avoid a budget deficit next year. The district also has recommended freezing all employee salaries and not distributing the annual 3 percent increment that many teachers traditionally get for their additional year of experience. The CTA opposes those proposals.I Arkansas Democrat (gazette FRIDAY, JUNE3O, 1995 Arbitrator selected to help teachers, LRSD come to terms BY CYNTHIA HOWELL playgrounds and lunchrooms. Democrat-Gazette Educabon Wnter jjjg school district is trying Officials for the Little Rock to cut as much as $9 million in School District and the Classexpenses for the year. The room Teachers Association will school board has already voted turn to a federally appointed to eliminate a deputy superinfact-finder today for help in re- tendents position, close two el- solving disputes in teacher contract negotiations. Francis X. Quinn, an arbitrator based in Tulsa, will listen to arguments by the district and the CTA at a session set for 9 a.m. ementary schools and turn over transportation to a private company. One of the first items to be Most of the contract disputes center on the districts efforts to cut discussed will be an extension of the 1994-95 teachers con- expenses. District tract, Frank Martin, CTA execu- officials have orooosed tive director, said Thursday. proposea The contract for the districts shortening the school more than 1,500 teachers is to expire today, the last day of the districts fiscal year. Most of the contract disputes center on the districts efforts to cut expenses. District officials have proposed shortening year by two days and cutting employee salaries accordingly. The Federal Mediation and the school year by two days and Conciliation Service appointed cutting employee salaries ac- Quinn at the request of Martin cordingly. and Brady Gadberry, the dis- Also, the district has offered tricts director of labor rela- no incremental increases to tions. teachers for their added year of After hearing the presenta- experience. In the past, most tions today, Quinn will have teachers got incremental in- about 20 days to prepare sug- creases of about 3 percent a gestions for resolving the dis- year. Other disagreements con- agreements. The bargaining groups can cern the districts proposals to accept Quinns recommenda- cap health insurance benefits tions, reject them or use them for employees and to require as a basis for further negotia- teachers to handle some supervision of students in such areas tions. Quinn charges $600 a day for outside their classrooms as his arbitration services.Arkansas Democrat TUESDAY, JULY 18, 1995 Copyright O little Rock Newspapers, Inc, Fact finder recommends teacher raise, shorter year BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Denxiciat-Gazette Education Writer nonbinding. The district or the CTA can accept reject or modify A fact finder hired to help re- them. solve contract disputes between Its basically a good recommen- the Little Rock School District and dation, said Brady Gadberry, the the teachers union has recommended that most teachers get a districts director of labor rela- tions. As with any arbitrators decision, there are things you like better than others. Frank Martin, executive direc- pay raise this year for their extra year of teaching experience. But Francis X. Quinn of Tulsa ------------ also recommended a two-day re- tor of the CTA, said he was pieced duction in the 192-day teacher that Quinn recommended continu- work year, which could partly off- ing the incremental pay raise that set any raise. teachers traditionally get for an exRepresentatives of the school tra year of experience. He also district and the Classroom Teach- liked toat Quinn recommended ers Association will meet at 1 p.m. $810 stipends for many of the dis- Wednesday to decide whether tricts most senior teachers. Quinns recommendations can be But the reduction of the fyro used to settle the 1995-96 teacher contract Quinns reconunendations are days will give us some trouble, Martin said, questioning whether it See TEACHERS, Page 5B Teachers schedule and are ineligible for an the shorter year. automatic experience increment A teacher at the top of the Little Continued from Page 1B would be legal. Quinn also recom- experience but less than hours mended reducing the pay rate for of credit above the bachelors deteachers who choose six periods gree. But Quinn omitted from the pool Rock salary schedule earns $41,051 of teachers eligible for the stipend a year. If Quinns recommendation those who have at least 16 years of was adopted, the teacher would per day instead of five. The district earn an $810 stipend but would lose $427.60 if two work days were cut A beginning teacher who earns has paid teachers 20 percent of those teachers could get paid more their daily rate of pay for the sixth by acquiring more education. The class. -Acting on an administrative district traditionally pays teachers Gadberry said Quinn felt that $20,262 would get the $810 incre- ment but would lose $211.06 if the two days were cut The overriding assumptions in proposal, Quinn dropped that pay not only for their years of expert- this fact-finding were that the 1995- rate to 10 percent. Quinn issued his written recommendations Friday after hearing ence, but also for their extra edu- 96 expenditures would not exceed cational hours. Quinn accepted the districts projected 94-95 expenditures, Quinn wrote. However, we con- presentations from district and proposal that the teacher work eluded, based on the evidence subunion representatives June 30. The year be cut by the two days in No- mitted, that a modest salary in- CTA and the district had asked the vember when teachers attend the Federal Mediation and Concilia- Arkansas Education Association tion Service for a fact finder to rec- convention. In the past, schools ficiency. crease was possible and necessary to maintain morale and teacher ef ommend a resolution to their con- were closed to students on those tract disputes. Most of the disputes days, but teachers were paid to center on money and the districts participate in training programs. efforts to cut up to $9 million in expenses for the coming school year. Martin and Gadberry said Monday they would check with Quinn to The teachers who give their life of service of education to this student generation should be re^ warded on a par with others who render valuable service to the com- Specifically, Quinn recommend- make sure he intended that the two munity, he concluded. ed that the teacher salary schedule AEA days be unpaid days, because remain unchanged but that each teacher move one step on the schedule, making teachers eligible for an $810 increment. Last years teacher contract exit was only implied and not written pired June 30, leaving teachers, in the recommendation. who are supposed to return to work _ The district hopes to save about in mid-AugusL without a contracC- $700,000 this year by reducing the The CTA has a policy against' Teachers who have 17 to 20 work year by two days for teachers years of experience and 24 or more hours of college credit beyond a and three days for administrators. teachers working without a coU'' tract Gadberry said the district is Five employee groups, including continuing to honor the terms of bachelors degree should also get bus drivers, aides, custodians, se- the expired contract in hopes of. an $810 stipend, Quinn said. Those curity officers and food service teachers are at the top of the salary workers would be unaffected by quickly reaching a settlement on a new contractArkansas Democrat (j^azdte FRIDAY, JULY 28, 1995 LR teachers association will meet to discuss contract negotiations several years ago stating that they programs sponsored by the Arkan- _ ._! __TT, At A MM A/tAn Little Rock Classroom Teach- several years ago stating that they prop-ms sponsoreo oy me mi ,'ScE will report .III not work without a contract sak ^Kat.on l''me''HS's?h.!'oDtrTc^^ "Tb"o ncgotlntloB teams met yeuby twdays and the admuiis- i Mmbe? Eip mcS a 5 WeSwSThurrfa, and will mUe i Sn o" Aug sTn ttie Pa'rkview resume tnte at.a m. today ld save the district about TrK5CT"ve ad'tt."lsS Sd k Ser this month, a tederally director, said Thursday the meet- teams were optimistic that a r SC'i'wOTkdOTbreteed :5tS'rEe::ua^,'?B^^^^ ssasscSte^ErSiucEts ?uSS-Wd.he SsVeS^ S'E:
s*'%e7cSeS"bSith: S
rrlddS. Lfc im?mh?r?SS u2 proposal as their salarms also experience. The ejsenence inc,^ the meeting to decide what to do if would be reduced by two days, there is no contract settlement by proAug 14 the day that most teachers posal are days in November that are scheduled to return to work schools are traditionally closed so for the 1995-96 school year. that teachers can attend profes- CTA members passed a policy s------ --------------- The two negotiating teams met year by two days and the adminis- Wednesday and Thursday and will trative work year by three days resume talks at 10:30 a.m. today. v. c Jd "" Spokesmen for both the CTA $7(W,0(W. ...................... and the school district said the teams were optimistic that a set- The days affected by the pro- ment amounts to $810 per teacher. District officials said they would accept the fact-finders recommendations, but the CTA balked, say- uiai VC. -__________ W that they were being asked to sional conferences and training fund their own salary increases.L Arkansas Democrat C^azcttc SATURDAY, JULY 29 iqqc
CoDvnm, o Unio Teachers slate contract session The Little Rock School District and the Classroom Teachers Association will try to reach a contract settlement Thursday morning, just hours before teachers meet at 5 p.m. to decide whether to return to work without contracts. Brady Gadberry, the districts chief negotiator, said after a bargaining session Friday that the negotiating teams appeared close to an agreement and he hopes the talks next week will produce a settlement that the CTA officials can carry to their membership meeting for approval. The teams will present their best and final offers at the Thursday session, Gadberry said. He is optimistic that those proposals will be so similar that a tentative agreement can be reached quickly. The main contention between the teams is a district proposal to discontinue paying teachers for attending two days of professional conferences and training sessions sponsored each November by the Arkansas Education Association. Those two days have been considered work days for teachers in past years, although students do not attend classes on those days. Other unresolved issues include new provisions on enforcing school district discipline policies and an anticipated increase this year in employee insurance premiums.THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2000 District, teachers sign tentative pact for coming 3 years LR School Board, union members may OK contract with 7.25% and 5% raises next week BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Most Little Rock School District teachers can expect total pay increases of 7.25 percent this year and more than 5 percent in each of the next two years, according to a tentative contract signed Wednesday by district and teacher leaders. The three-year agreement must be ratified by the Little Rock School Board and the membership of the Classroom Teachers Associ- perience increment traditionally paid eligible teachers for their additional year of work - *** As a result, a majority of teach- ation to become final. That is expected to happen next week. The teachers association has scheduled a membership meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, the day before most teachers start work for the 200001 school year. The meeting to act on the contract proposal will be at the Arkansas Education Association building, 1500 W. 4th St. As of late Wednesday, the School Board had not scheduled a time to consider the newly inked agreement but has a special meeting set for 530,p.m. Tuesday on a different matter. 'P Brady Gadberry, special assis- tant to die superintendent and the ence will be $50,363, compared districts chief negotiator, said the * three-year proposal is significant because it will contribute to longterm stability and enable the district and community to concen- trate on attaining release from . crease percentages as nonrestrict- federal court monitoring of the districts desegregation efforts. The districts 1998 Revised Desegregation and Education Plan establishes procedures for court release by next June. Wednesdays agreement is actually Uie second three-year pact between the district and the teachers union, Gadberry said. But the first agreement, in 1989-90, was concluded after teachers went for almost an entire school year without a contract. As a result, the first year of the three-year contract was retroactive. According to terms of the agreement, all teachers will get a 4.25 percent pay increase this year and a minimum increase of 2.875 percent in each of the next two years, which amounts to a 10 percent raise over three years. The annual raises are coupled with the average 3.03 percent ex- ers should see a 7.25 percent increase this year and well over 5 , percent in the next two years. ' Teachers who have the most experience in the district and have reached the top of the salary schedule are ineligible for the 3.03 percent increment. But they do get a $1,500 stipend. -* TTie salary for a beginning teacher with a bachelors degree will go from $23,135 in 1999-2000, to $24,118 this year. The top salary for a teacher with 20 years of experi- with $48,372 last year. .. The contract proposal establishes a minimum salary increase for the second and third years.but also establishes a procedure'to in- ed revenues to the district increase. Gadberry said there was a strong probability that pay increases will exceed the minimum. The contract language takes into accoimt the possibility of teacher raises enacted by state lawmakers when the Arkansas General Assembly convenes in January. Gov. Mike Huckabee and others have See TEACHERS, Page 5B V s 7: i )* iit' Icn, a __ f Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STEVE KEESEE Teachers Continued from Page IB indicated that raising teacher salaries will be a priority during the legislative session. The Little Rock contract proposal includes adjustments in the salaiy schedule, beginning with the 2001-02 school year, as a way to raise beginning salaries and entice new teachers to the district. According to the proposal, salaries paid first-time teachers this year will be eliminated for 2001-02. This years salaries for all second-year teachers will become the first-year salaries in 2001-02 and a new second-year salaiy level has been developed. Players in the contract negotiations, which began in earnest last June, were reluctant Wednesday to reveal the terms of the proposal until after it could be presented to the teachers. that she felt very positive about the The teams used Francis X. Quinn, a labor relations specialist from Oklahoma, on both Tuesday and Wednesday to complete tlie negotiations. Quinn has been employed by the district and the association at different times in the past as an arbitrator or fact finder in employee and contract disputes. He was in the Little Rock School District this week for matters not related to the contract negotiations when he was called on : to help, Gadberry said. Other changes in the contract for this year include the creation of a sick bank that will enable em-proposal and deferred other com- pigyees to donate unused sick days ments until after next week^s mem-
.......... bership meeting. Gadberry released the pro-posed terms to the Arkansas to be used by other critically ill employees. Signing in Heather Passmore stands beside her children, Emily, 4, Eric, 6, and Andrew, 8, at Little Rock's Carver Magnet Elementary School during registration Wednesday. Registration for all Little Rock School District schools will go on3rom 10 a.m.-7 p.m.today. The two older children will be first- and third-graders. Classes start Tuesday at Mabelvale, Woodruff and Stephens. Other Little Jtock schools start classes Aug. 21. and no experience in 2001-02 will, be $25,803. A second-year teacher newspaper submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for the with the same degree will earn $26300. A third year teacher will earn $26,796. In the final year of the contract, . information. The states Freedom of Information Act states that all records maintained in public offices or by public employees with-the beginning salary will be $26,835, i n t-j ie sco.p e of their emplo-y me,nt the second-year salary will be ure presunied to be public records. $27351, and the third-year teacher And according to the law, any citi-with a bachelors degree will be ^^n of the state may inspect and paid ^,687. The top salary in the coPV public records. district that year will be $53,777. Gadberry said his reluctance to Players in the contract negotia- release the information was in def-tions, which began in earnest last erence to the union. June, were reluctant Wednesday to The negotiating teams met most reveal the terms of the proposal of Tuesday and for a few hours until after it could be presented to Wednesday to find acceptable lan-the teachers. guage on the restructuring of the Clementine Kelley, president of salary schedule beginning with the teachers association, said only 2001-2002. , Arkansas Democrat | FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1995 CoDvritfrt O.Uttle Rock Newsoaoera. Inc. Teachers send negotiators back to table with orders to hang tough on contract BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer Members of the Little Rock Classroom Teachers .Association sent their officers back to the contract negotiating table Thursday with instructions not to accept less than current benefits and salaries. The CT.A and the Little Rock School District are negotiating a 1995-96 teacher contract. The major remaining hurdle is a proposal to shorten the teacher work year by two days, with an accompanying cut in salaries. We wanted to get a feel from the membership about whether there was room for compromise. We got a resounding no.' Frank .Martin, executive director of the Classroom Teachers Association, said after the closed union meeting. Their message to us was that they have given and given and given, and they dont want to give any more. About 300 teachers attended the late-aftemoon meeting at Parkview Magnet High School. Martin said. About 85 percent of the districts almost 2,000 teachers belong to the CTA. The negotiating teams have another week to reach an agreement. Teachers, now without contracts, are scheduled to begin work Aug. 14. Students return Aug. 21. The CTA has a no-contract, no-work policy. Martin said he expects the district and CTA negotiating teams to meet again soon, possibly as early as today. The teams met briefly Thursday morning, when they were scheduled to present their best and final offers. But the CTA team wanted to delay making an offer until it had a chance to confer with the membership. .As a result, the district team decided to withhold its offer until the CTA was prepared. Brady Gadberry, the districts chief negotiator, refused to disclose the terms of the districts offer. But he did say the offer represented a significant change from the districts previous positions and should move the parties close to a settlement. A federally appointed factfinder called in by the teams last month recommended giving most teachers an incremental pay increase of $810 for their additional year of teaching experience. But he also recommended the two-day work-year reduction, which would cost teachers $220 to $447. While the district was willing to accept the fact-finders recommendations. the CTA balked, saying that teachers would end up paying their own increases through the two-day loss. Those two days are the ones when teachers attend professional conferences and training sessions sponsored by the .Arkansas Education Association in November. Martin said teachers objected Thursday to having district-paid health insurance premiums capped in exchange for keeping the two workdays. The district and the state pay the premiums, but the district recently was told those costs will increase this year by as much as $250,000.Arkansas Democrat [ TUESDAY, AUGUST 8,1995 Copvrifjht Little Rock Newspepers. Inc. M I 11111 ! rOll % V? i iiriss? Arkansas Democial-GazeMe/STEVE KEESEE administration office at 810 W. Markham St. while district and union officials tried to negotiate a contract. NEGOTIATIONS STALL Qordon McIntyre, a teacher al Brady Elementary School, makes his position plain as he and about 30 fellow Little Rock teachers picket outside Flap over picketers cancels contract talks BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democfftt-Gazetle EdtJcaHon Writer Contract negotiations between quiet, the Little Rock School District terview in a room off the lobby. Gadberry asked the teachers to be Though the leachers were weland the Classroom Teachers Asso- c--o-m---e- t-o-- -s-i t in the lobby. Gadberi.y. ciation ended before they got said he asked them to take their started Monday, thanks to a confrontation over picketing teachers them, he said. in the Administration Building signs outside. That upset some of Frank Martin. CTA executive lobbv. director, said the organization s The negotiating teams will try again today to bargain, as dead-line. s for reaching a settlement ap proach. The CTA has a member ....... ship meeting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday against continuing the talks lor at Hall High School to ratify a con- -' tract proposal or decide what to do if there is no contract by next Monday the day most teachers nothing, Martin .said, arc supposed to report to work..................................... . ....... Mondays dispute centered on the picketing teachers. The CTA liad organized about 30 members to picket outside the Administration Building while contract talks took place on the building's third negotiating team became angry about the lobb.v exchange and asked Gadberry to apologize, but he didn't. The C'l'A team decided the day. District administrators overreacted and made a big to-do about If we were going to storm the Bastille, we would do it wiUi more than 30 people." Martin said. Despite the dispute and the escalating tensions between the district and the CTA, Gadberry said Boor. Hot, humid weather forced some of the teachers indoors at 2 p.m. for water and a chance to cool off. he is optimistic that the teams can reach an agreement. Martin said the side issue.s arc distracting to the contract talks, but the teams still have time to reach a settlement. Brady Gadberry, the districts The teams arc to meet again at chief negotiator, said the teachers 9 a.iii. today. Teachers are expcct-were noisy and disturbed a job in- eedd ttoo rreessuumee ppiicckkeettiinngg.. 2B FRIDAY, AUGUST 9. 1996 LR teachers warn district that strike may be imminent BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Wnter With Monday looming as the first day of work for Little Rock teachers, , union leaders warned the school board Thursday that the districts last salary offer in contract negotiations wont be acceptable, This puts us in a very, verj' dangerous position, Frank Martin, executive director of the Classroom Teachers .Association, told board members Thursday night as he reminded them of the unions longstanding 'no-contract, no-work policy. '.The last best offer that was made to us. in the opinion of my team and my executive board, will be insufficient to get ratified by the membership, Martin told the board. Union leaders are planning a membership meeting this weekend to d^ide exactly how to proceed if there is no contract. Most of the dis- tricSs more than 1,500 teachers are supposed to report to work Monday for.-Jhe new school year. Students are5cheduled to start classes a week later, on Aug. 19. want to remind you that we ar^'not advocating or looking for trouble. Martin said. We have had enOiigh crises in the 12 years that I haydbeen here to last us more than a d^ple of lifetimes. ^iven the good will that has beeji built up in this community, it wouid be an absolute disaster to be priced in a position of having to disrupt the services of the schools to the-students. jtertin asked the board to expand the boundaries in which dis- trietiadministrators are working to seftib the 1996-97 contract. He said it appeared that the districts negotiating team had little authority to bargain over salaries and other money issues. But Dr. "Vic Anderson, the assistant superintendent overseeing day-to-day district operations in the absence of a superintendent, said administrators are acting appropriately, given district finances, 'Our work force is very impor- , tant to us, Anderson added, We ! value them greatly. We want all our j employees to be satisfied with the i best package that we can provide to i them. We also have a responsibility j to leave the district in a financially j sound condition. We can't give away i that we do not have to revenue give.' Teachers initially sought a 5 percent across-the-board raise, plus cent aLTus5-uie-uu<uu loiac, piuo the incremental raises that some teachers get for each additional year of experience. Representatives of the two negotiating teams declined Thursday to give any specifics about the districts most recent offer. Skip Rutherford, a public relations company executive who serves with Anderson on the team that is supervising the districL assured the board that administrators are working to resolve the contract disputes. No one in this city wants a work stoppage, Rutherford said. But he said that administrators have to be concerned about the districts future. What we do in August of 1996 may force a school board in August 1997 or August 1998 to make some very painful cuts out of very important programs, Rutherford said.IjVrkansas Democrat THURSDAY, AUGUST 10,1995 " IV, .CoovTiffht Little Rock Newspapers, Inc. LR teachers, district talk into night BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ..... .......................-- AND SANDRA COX Democral-Qazette Staff Writers Negotiating teams representing the Little Rock School District and the Classroom Teachers Association continued talks late Wednesday in an effort to reach a contract Without disclosing details, Marwithout disclosing details. Mar- .solved. The teams have worked con tin said the association had offered sisteiitly to find ways around the its last proposal. settlement and avert a union vote today on a possible teacher strike. Frank Martin, CTA executive director, said he thought the two We think we can make a settlement, he said. The C'JA has set a membership meeting for 4:30 p.m. today at Hall High School. Teachers are expected to either vote on a settlement agreement or decide what to do if hurdles, he said. there is no contract by the time they . . are supposed to report to work groups were "relatively close to a Monday. settlement. yiie established a no con- Gadberry and Martin refused to reveal the terms of the proposals. The teams have been negotiating for much of the summer. In July, a federally appointed fact finder recommended a settlement that called for the district to pay teachers an extra $810 for their extra year of work experience. He also ei-s attend professional conferences . and training sessions sponsored by' the Arkansas Education Association. The Little Rock School District has about 2,000 teachers. About 85 percent of the teachers belong to the CTA. As of 10:40 p.m., the two groups were still meeting behind closed doors at the district Administration Building. recommended cutting the two workdays which would mean cuts in salary ranging from .$200 to rp. .. , , MOO -- and reducing the pay for The negotiating teams began teachers who teach six periods a meeting shortly afier 1 p.m............................. Wednesday, prepared to go until midnight or later if needed to reach tract, no-work policy several years ago. But about 9:30 p.m., after the association took a dinner break lasting more than an hour, Frank Martin, CTA executive director, said the group and the district were still beriy, chief negotiator for wrestling over two issues: proposals ....................... to cap employee insurance benefits and eliminate two workdays. a settlement. p.m. Earlier in the day. Brady Gad the school district, said he hoped an agreement would be reached, but stubborn issues remained to be re- day instead of the traditional five. The school district was willing to accept the fact finders report. But the CTA balked, saying that by cutting the two workdays, they were paying for their own incremental raises. The workday.s at issue are the two day-s in November when teach-Arkansas Democrat ((jazeltcJ FRIDAY, AUGUST 11.1995 LR teachers wrap up $810, new contract BY SUSAN ROTH AND CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writers Little Rock teachers have a new contract, four days before most return to school for the 1995- 96 year. And in a year when the district had to close a $9 million budget gap, they managed to keep all 192 workdays, fully paid health insurance and step increases of $810 for all teachers. The increases are for stepping up a year in employment but normally stop after a number of years. The district had sought to cut the step increases and two days from the teacher contract to save more than $1 million. Administrators also tried to cap the health CTA Continued from Page 1B Tied the settlement after only 15 minutes behind closed doors. Frank Martin, executive director of the teachers union, said he believed that the teachers quickly approved the pact because they knew we would make no great progress this year. The teachers initially asked for a 5 percent raise besides the $810 step increment across the board. The school district, meanwhile, proposed no raise.s or increments for the teachers. Instead, the district would have cut tlieir pay by reducing the school year by two days to 190. A federally appointed fact-finder recommended last month that the district pay all teachers the $810 step increase but cut the two work- ' insurance plan: collectively teachers would have had to pay an extra $200,000 for insurance. Union officials saw the settlement as a clear victory. Administrators and school board members viewed it as a mixed bag some gains but losses on some of big-ticket items. The negotiating teams, which started talks in February, tentatively agreed to the settlement just before midni^t Wednesday, "rhe new contract is retroactive to July 1. We had a real show of support from the membership, said Betty Mitchell, president of the Classroom Teachers Association, after the teachers voted 'Thursday afternoon. 'The message was clear Dont give an inch. As in any negotiations, both sides got some of what they wanted and left the bargaining table wishing they had gotten a few more things, Brady Gadberry, the districts chief negotiator, told school board members Thursday evening as he asked them to approve the agreement By a 54) vote, the board gave it the nod with little discussion. At the teachers meeting in Hall High School auditoriiun, about 350 members of the 1,47^ member CTA unanimously rati- See CTA, Page 5B days. The district liked the recommendation, but the CTA objected. Union officials were particularly pleased that teachers at the top of the salary schedule would also receive the ^10. Top-level teachers earned $41,061 last year. Tliey received no increment or pay raise last year. The teachers did agree to two cuts proposed by the district. Junior and senior high teachers who teach six classes every day instead of the standard five will receive an extra 10 percent stipend, down from 20 percent. Teachers who lose preparation time because they must travel between schools will receive a maximum of $2,000. They used to receive a stipend amounting to 20 percent of their salaries. Those two items wilt save the district $150,000, officials said. Partly as a result of the settle- ment, the district will draw on a $20 million state desegregation loan to cover its expenses this year. U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright, who monitors the districts compliance with its desegregation plan, has objected in the past to using the nonrecurring loan ftinds to finance recurring expenses. IArk,ansas Democrat (gazelle J _ MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1996 LR teachers ro leaders: Keep talking .^ay raises, insurance .<ey sticking points BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazerte tducation Wrner Members of the Little Rock Tlassroom Teachers Association .iirected their representatives Sunday to continue negotiating vith school district officials over a 1996-97 teacher contract and re-oort back to the membership Thursday. About 250 teachers marked heir last day of summer vacation Sunday afternoon by attending the closed Classroom Teachers Association meeting in the Hall High School media center. Most of the districts teachers will return to work today to prepare for the See TEACHERS, Page 3B Teachers I 1 A 4 1^ Forest Heights Junior High School teachers Patricia Wilkerson (right center) and Meny Zakrzewski (left center) discuss contract Continued from Page 1B start of school Aug. 19. We wanted to give teachers the status of negotiations," said Frank Martin, Classroom Teachers Association executive director. They directed us to go back to the table to get the best settlement we can get." The teachers also instructed union leaders to establish a crisis committee, which is routinely formed when tensions in the contract negotiations escalate. The committee supports the union negotiating team in ways ranging from painting signs for informational picket lines to communicating with the membership and the public. Negotiating teams for the Classroom Teachers Association and Little Rock School District met almost everj day last week, but broke for the weekend despite union objections. The teams are scheduled to resume talks at 4 p.m. today. We'd like to get this wrapped up by Wednesday, Martin said, adding that the union membership will meet again at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Hall for another update. Thursday is also the day inter- Robert.s starts work, adding a new player to the negotiations process. The Classroom Teachers Association has a standing no-contract. no-work policy, which is generally interpreted to mean teachers won't work when schools open for students if the employees do not have a contract. Little Rock teachers have gone on strike only once, in 1987, but have teetered on the brink in other years. 5 V I TS, 'tSCY im Superintendent Dr. Don ri ArXansas Democral-Gazene/BENJAMIN KRA demands Sunday pnor to a meeting at Hall High School. Abe 250 teachers from the Little Hock School District pardcipated. assume at least a share of the cost of the premiums for individual insurance coverage, a cost the district has heretofore paid entirely. Teachers said Sunday that they feared any raises they get will be offset by the cost of the insurance. Another issue deals with providing stipends for senior teachers. Last year, because no across-the- board raises were paid and the senior teachers were ineligible for an incremental raise, the Martin said the union team is employees got an $810 stipend, prepared to negotiate until the The district team has proposed start of school next Monday to get paying that same stipend, but a settlement. over two years' time, resulting in The 1995-96 teacher contract the teachers getting only about expired June 30. $400 each year. Union and school district offi- Sundays union meeting was cials have declined to reveal de- primarily informational. Howev-tails of their contract talks. But, teachers who attended the meeting Sunday indicated that the district is offering an across-the-board 2 percent raise plus the incremental increases many teachers traditionally get for their additional year of experience. The increment is between 2 and 3 percent, but as many as 400 of the districts most experienced teachers er, teachers expressed frustration over the lack of a contract and the possibility they will not get satisfactory raises. Weve had more superintendents in the last five years than we have had raises, quipped one teacher as she left the meeting. Once the two teams reach a tentative settlement, the agree-ment must be ratified by both the have reached the top of the pay Classroom Teachers Association scale and are ineligible for the incremental increases. One of the sticking points in the negotiations is insurance. membership and the Little Rock School board. The district has more than 1,500 teachers, the majority of teachers said Sunday. The district whom are Classroom Teachers team is proposing that teachers Association members. Arkaniias Democrat FRIDAY. AUGUST 16, 1996 3B LR school year wont be tardy: Teacher contract talks settled BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Wnter The Little Rock School District and its teachers averted a possible strike next week by agreeing Thursday to a contract that gives teachers a 2.46 percent across-the-board raise plus an $830 increase for each additional year of experience. Bargaining teams representing the district and the Classroom Teachers Association negotiated all night Wednesday. They arrived at a tentative agreement just minutes before an association membership meeting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Hall High. Several hundred members quickly ratified the agreement as did Little Rock School Board members a few minutes later. Some teachers will get salary increases of almost $2,000 under the new contract "This will get the school year off to an excellent start Betty Mitchell, teacher association president said. "This is the first time in three years that teachers have gotten a raise.' she added, although most teachers did get step increases for their years of experience during that time. All in all. its a very good package. Brady Gadberry, the districts director of labor relations, told the school board Thursday. Negotiations on the contract began last spring but intensified last week as the beginning of school year drew closer. The teacher association has a standing "no-con- tract, no-work policy that threatened to keep schools closed Monday. The bargaining teams began negotiating Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. ____ and kept at it until 7:30 a.m. Thurs- payment by the district day, when they declared an impasse. After lunch, administrators asked to meet again. The teams ________ reached a one-year, tentative each employee for the next two agreement about 4:15 p.m. years. If the premium is less than The major points in the talks centered on salary increases and insurance. In the past, the district and the state have paid each employees insurance premium for individual coverage $155 per person this past year. The districts negotiating team initially wanted the employees to assume part of the insurance costs, but the teacher association insisted on 100 percent As a result of Thursdays agreement, the district will apply S164 a month to insurance coverage for the monthly allowance, the employee can apply the excess to coverage for a spouse or dependents. If any employee has insurance from a source other than the district and does not want to participate in any of the school insurance programs, he will get a $550 stipend. Also as part of the agreement the district and the teachers agreed to drop the districts longterm disability insurance coverage. That will save $533,000. which will be returned to the teacher salary fund. The agreement gives all teachers the 2.46 percent general raise. The beginning salary for a teacher-, with a bachelors degree will ba> S20.760 this year. The districts top.' salary will be $42,870 for teachers with a masters degree plus 36 ad-
ditional college hours and 21' - years of experience. Most teachers also will get $830
for each additional year of experi-' ence. Teachers at the top of the salaiy schedule and ineligible for that experience increment will get an $810 stipend! -Also, a teacher may get $100 a semester for perfect attendance,-. Teachers with perfect attendance, all vear are eligible for a total of $300.Arkansas Den: ?crat (gazette TUESDAY, AUGUST 25,1998 ( LR teachers, district narrow differences over pay raises Union, schools may reach tentative accord today, director says BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Differences over salary increases for teachers kept representatives of the Little Rock School District and the Classroom Teachers Association at the bargaining table late Monday. Teams negotiating a 1998-99 teacher contract traded proposals for more than nine hours as they worked into the night to reach a tentative agreement before a union membership meeting at 4:30 p.m. today at the Hall High School auditorium. The teams stood 1.5 percentage points apart on a salary agreement, representatives from the teams confirmed shortly before 11 p.m. Neither side would reveal details about the salary offers. Teachers had asked for a 7 per- cent raise plus the traditional increment of 2.7 percent to 3 percent for their extra year of teaching experience. District officials have expressed a willingness to raise employee salaries but said they cant pay the increases until a federal court rules on the amount of money that the state must reimburse the district for past teacher retirement and health insurance. Classroom Martin, Frank Teachers Association executive director, said the teachers team will present the membership today with a tentative agreement or the districts final offer. The Classroom Teachers Association membership has rarely approved a district offer that lacks the Classroom Teachers Association negotiating teams stamp of approval. If it has no tentative agreement to present today, the teachers team will likely have to recommend alternatives to the membership. But no decisions about alternatives had come Monday. There has been no threat or discussion of a teacher strike. The teams have reached tentative agreements on parts of the contract. Brady Gadberry, the chief negotiator for the district, said the teams had agreed to insurance and stipend provisions. He said he wont describe the agreements until all negotiations are complete. Martin said the teams also had reached a consensus on contract language that would let a teacher appeal to a building or district committee if he thought a principal had failed to enforce student discipline. The Little Rock district the largest in the state, has about 1,800 teachers
about 85 percent belong to the association. Besides Martin, the teachers negotiating team includes Classroom Teachers Association President Grainger Led- I better and district teachers. Gadberrys team included the districts financial managers, principals and administrative representatives. 'The Little Rock School Board and the Classroom Teachers Association members must ratify any tentative agreement between the district and the Classroom Teachers Association.' Atluuisas Ueniocrat T^XlifrazclU' | WEDNESDAY, AUGUS f 26. 1998 Teachers unhappy with raises send negotiators back to table UY CYN IJ llA HOWELL ARJGXNSAS nE.M(X KAI-GAZErii: Dissatisfied with a proposed 4.5 percent raise contingent on a federal court order, member.$ of the Little Ilock Classroom Teachers administrators in the district got raises of 10 percent or more earlier this Slimmer. 'rherc i.s no money in IkhkI and too many *ifs tied to (Ik* promises. teacher IJcmy Ne.sby said after the meeting. Nesby is a contiaclI l< alIlcIs' wiuthT school d*i.'s..t.r.i.c. t g*ocl*ia>tibnegr otefa tmhe. teachers union ne-icpresenlalives. Despite the lack of a contract agreement in what is teachers h,nue KOCK Association told their negotiating team Tuesday to resume 1998-99 The teachers reviewed the sala^ issue during a l'A-hour ......... vn,uu..,enuu5iaiK "'^filing at Hall High School. They of any kind has been heanl of a asked their negotiating team to re- port back to them within HI days. About 400 teachers attended district Uie private late-altemoon meeting. Afterward, several teachers grumbled about having to wait for deferred raises fon the second straiglit year when seven top-level third week of work, no serious talk job action, such as a strike. Representatives of the school and the association worked for almost 11 hours Monday to reach a tentative contract agreement before the teachers upion membership meeting. The Teachers "Continued from Page 1B teams broke up shortly after midnight with tentative agreements on everything except salary and teacher workload. The teams differed by 1.5 percentage points on a salary increase. At the membership meeting, the teachers union team presented teachers with tlie dislricts and the associations respective final salary offers. The district's offer included: . A total increase of 7.5 percent, consisting of a 4.5 percent across-the- board raise coupled with an increment of 2.7 percent to 3 percent traditionally paid teachers for their additional year of experience. The 4.5 percent increase, however, would be contingent on finalization of a federal court decision expected to reimburse the district for millions of dollars for teacher retirement and health insurance costs that the slate was supposed to pay. A $1,180 stipend to the districts most experienced teachers who are no longer eligible for the cx- See TEACHERS, Page 3B I? ft if?: 1 V o I Little Rock sclioolleacliers Eleanor Colotnan (left) and Gait Delozier look over contract proposals before a teachers meeting Tuesday to discuss negotiations between the Afknusns Dcmocrnl-G.izclte.CHniS JOHNSON Classroom Teachers Association and the school district. The teachers voted to send their representatives back to the bargaining table. perience increment. would begin Oct. 1. Payment An increase in the monthly insurance contribution from $164 to $178. beginning Sept. 15. That would pay the premiums for two of the least expensive health plans available to individual employees. An increase in the supplemental pay distributed to coaches and other teachers who take on extra duties, such as supervising tracurricular activities. ex- The amount of the increase, beginning this year, would mirror the percentage increase in the base salary. The teachers union salaiy proposal differs only in that it calls for pajinent of the 4.5 percent across-the-board raise plus an additional 1.5 percent if the reini- ' bursement of state fund.s for 1996- 1 98 exceeds $13.4 million. I All totaled, the teachers union . is seeking 6 percent plus the tra- ! ditional increment, as compared to the districts 4.5 percent plus the increment. In addition to tho salary proposals for this year, teachers employed by the district in 1997-98 will eventually get a retroactive 3 percent raise negotiated last school year but deferred until the district won its court case against the stale. As a result, many teachers could eventually see their nav increase by 10.5 percent this year. A beginning teacher would make $22,625 this year, $2,510 more than a beginning teacher last year, under the districts proposal and with the deferred 3 percent from last year. A teacher with 19 years of experience and a masters degree plus 30 hours would make $4,092 more than last year. Frank Marlin, executive director of the teacliers association, said Tuesday that the teachers want a better salary offer and theyre mad because they've had to wait for increases. But, he said, the two negotiating teams agree on the increase in the insurance benefit, the supplemental pay increase and the experience increment. T'he teams also have tentatively agreed on new contract language that makes teachers and principals equally responsible for enforcing student discipline policies. A discipline supcrvisoiy committee will be established with the authority to review disci-plinaiy actions taken by princi-pahs that are inconsistent with a school's discipline plan and district policy. We think weve put an exceptionally good offer on tlie table already, Brady Gadbeny. the districts chief negotiator, said after the association meeting, rm not sure I understand how wo can put anything else on the table, but 1 don't want to foreclose on the possibility of a scUlcincnt agreement. Gadbeny said this years offer of 7.5 percent is belter than last year's package of 725 percent, including the deferred 3 percent, that teachers adopted. Iliis year's benefits offer includes an 8.6 percent increase in the district's contribution to employee Insurance preiniunis, he said. There is no schedule for ob-taining a decision on (he reimbursement of state funds to Uie^ Little Rock district. A federal peals court ruled in July that the-district was entitled to the money. The appeals court directed U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright to decide exactly how much money is owed to tlic district. The stale has proposed a formula by which Little Rock would get about $15 million. At the same time, the stale has asked the 8tb- U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals- to recon.sider its order. : Arkansas Democrat '^(iS^azcll^ WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2/1^^ Teachers to get word on LR contract talks The Little Rock Classroom teachers Association has scheduled a membership meeting for L30 p.m. Thursday at the Hall High School auditorium to consider the outcome of negotiations over a 1998-99 teachers' contract. Contract negotiations scheduled for Tuesday afternoon between Little Rock School District administrators and the teachers' association were postponed until this afteimoon because a negotiator was ill. Last week, the two bargaining teams tentatively agreed to virtually all provisions of a contract except salarv
The teams were 1.5 percentage points apart in talks over salan- increases. Teachers sought a 6 per- cent increase plus the traditional 3 percent given for an additional year of experience. The district offered 4.5 percent plus the experience increment. Both proposals hinged on the district receiving reimbursement 01 millions of dollars in state funds for 1996-98 shortfalls in the states contribution toward teacher re- tiiement and health insurance re- costs. The association has since changed its position and is asking for a 2 percent across-the-board salary- increase by Oct. 1 and a 4 percent increase later, when the district gets the state funding.I Arkansas Democrat T^djirtzclle ] THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1993 District declares impasse Schools seek mediator to solve salary dispute BY CYNTHIA HOWELL AHKANSAS MCMlMKARiAZI: I! T. Representatives of the Little Rock School District declared an impasse Thursday in salaiy negotiations with the Classroom Teach- Impasse Continued from Page 1B teacher retirement and health insurance costs for 1996-98. The 0.75 percent brings the possible raise to 5.25 percent. The district asked for the 107 percent reimbursement in federal court last month. An increase in health insurance contributions, from $164 to $178 a month, and in the stipend paid teachers for extra duty. Coupled with the experience increment and contingent on the court order, the district is offering a total increase of 7.5 percent to 8.25 percent. Gadberiy said that until the impasse is resolved, the district will operate under the terms of last years contract and will proceed , ... , ., ,, with plans to pay teachers the tra- ers Association and said they ditional 2 7 percent to 3 percent in- ,.,i,i ....11 p ii r. r,...i experience. Teachers at mediator. the top of the salary schedule who Distiict teachers will consider are ineligible for that increment the latest development in tlie 1998- will get a stipend of $980, just as 99 teacher contract tatks at an as- they did last year. sociation membership meeting set The district also will continue for 4:30 p.m. today at Hall High last years payment of $164 a month would call for help from a federal School. Frank Martin, executive director of the association, said district olTicials declared an impasse after the association asked for a 1.5 percent across the-board raise by Oct. 1, plus a 4..5 percent raise when the state reimburses the district for shortfalls in state funding. Coupled with the traditional increase for experience, the association is seeking a total pay increase of about 9 percent. Brady Gadberiy, the districts chief negotiator, said he was disappointed by the impasse. But tlie call for a mediator became necessary when the association team retreated from its earlier salary position to a more entrenched position, he said. Gadberiy said the distr ict cannot give teachers an across-the- board raise until the state reimburses it for 199G-98 teacher retirement and health insurance costs. The district is awaiting a federal court order on how the state debt to the district must be calculated. Also contingent on the court order is a 3 percent salaiy increase for teachers defeired from last year. The teniis of the districts last salaiy oiler included: The traditional 2.7 percent to 3 percent increase for a teachers additional year of experience. A $1,130 stipend to teachers at the top of the salaiy schedule who are ineligible for the experience increment. A 4.5 percent across-the-board raise once the district gets the state funding. An additional 0.75 percent raise if the district is awarded state funding equal to 107 percent of its See IMPASSE,Page 3B tentatively agreed on virtually every aspect of the contract except salary and a question of whether teachers must be paid extra to teach more than five class periods a day. The teams were 1.5 percentage points apart, with teachers seeking 6 percent and the district offering 4.5 percent. Both proposals hinged on receipt of the court-ordered state funding. The teachers team presented the district's offer to the association membership meeting Aug. 25. About 400 of the district's 1,800 | teachers attended and directed their team to resume negotiations. The existing teacher contract calls for a mediator if the two teams reach an impasse in contract talks. Martin and Gadbeny will write to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Seivice for a list of potential mediators. Once a mediator is agreed on. that person will attempt to help the teams settle their disputes. If that fails, the contract provides for a federal fact finder, who would conduct a hearing on the disputed issues and within 20 days prepare a insurance premiums. Last week, the negotiating teams issues. I FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 4, 1998 OB-J I I LR teachers association president resigns BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANSAS UEMOIKAI-UAZE I I E Grainger Ledbetter, a longtime teacher union leader, is resigning as president of the Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association to work for the Labor Education Program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock He announced his resignation, effective today, in a letter to teachers and repeated it at an association membership meeting Thursday during which teachers received a status report on efforts to negotiate a 1998-99 contract witli the Little Rock School District. Willie Givens, association vice president and head custodian at Central High School, will assume the presidents duties as prescribed in the associations constitution. Givens has been employed by the Little Rock School District for more than 23 years and has been active in the teachers association and Arkansas Education Association since 1983. It unclear Thursday was whether Givens would serve the full year remaining in Ledbetters two-year term. He said he expects to fulfill the term, but there was some talk among teachers about possibly calling a special election to select a teacher. That decision will be up to the associations executive board and its representative council. The Classroom Teachers Association has about 1,800 members, said Frank Martin, its executive director. As many as 800 are educational support personnel, including custodians, aides, bus drivers and security guards. Ledbetter, 41, a Little Rock School District employee since 1^1, will be a labor education specialist at UALR. The 25-year-old labor program is a division of the Institute for Economic Advancement and provides research, educational services and training programs for public and private-sector labor organizations and workers. Training sessions cover topics such as collective bargaining, stewardship, arbitration, labor and employment law and workplace safety. Ledbetter said his resignation was in no way the result of anger or frustration with the organization or the prolonged teacher contract negotiations this summer with school district officials. District officials declared an impasse in those contract talks earlier this week. A fed- oral mediator will be called in to assist the teams in reaching a settlement Im not resigning out of pique and Im not upset Ledbetter said. Its just tliat this is an opportunity that will allow me to spend more time with my family, continue union work, and I get to live in Little Rock. I had hoped to have a (teacher] contract signed, sealed and delivered before I took the new position, but that didnt tuni out to be possible. Ledbetter and his wife, Slieny CuiTy, have three young children and are part of a prominent Little Rock family. Uis father. Cal Ledbetter, a fonner state legislator, is a professor emeritus of political science at UALR. His motlier, Brownie Ledbetter, is a longtime community activist with the Arkansas Fairness Council, a tax reform organization. A junior high teacher, Ledbetter first seived as teacher association president in 1987-91. During his tenure, the teachers and bus drivers went on strike against tlie district. He then served two terms as president of the 17,006-member Arkansas Education Association before returning to the teachers association presidency last year. 1' Lcdbetter attended his last membership meeting Thureday afternoon at Hall Higli. He urged tlie approximately 250 teachers pre-, sent to give tlie mediation a chance i 1 to work. And he told them hebe
lieved teachers will wind up witli' a.', better financial settlement thaij the ' 7.5 percent- 8.25 percent raise
tlie district is offering. More than half.
of the raise is contingent upon .the'' state paying the district milliops of
dollars for 1996-98 shortfalls in I 11 teacher retirement and health in--
surancepayments. . Teachers are seeking 9 percent . J increases for tlie year, including an incremental raise for an additional : year of teaching experience. , i Ledbetter warned against a " premature strike, saying that the- two negotiating teams are relatively close to an agreement and liave li long agreed to the use of media- tion and fact finding should talks stall. t He criticized Superintendent': Les Camine for sending teachei's a J, letter earlier Thursday outlining:
some of the issues in the negotia- tions. He called tlie letter a clumsy attempt to influence teachers and said it could derail tlie negotiating . process. I' WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16.1998 Arkansas Democrat (Bazcttc LR teachers, district select Tulsa mediator BY CYNTHIA HOWELL ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Negotiators for the Little Rock School District and the Classroom Teachers Association have tentatively selected a Tulsa-based mediator to assist them in completing negotiations on the 1998-99 teacher contract Frank Martin, executive director of the Classroom Teachers Association, and Brady Gadberry, special as
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.