The Philadelphia teacher contract was approved. This Philadelphia Inquirer story covers the bread-and-butter issues. Of course, I’m more interested in what reform proposals are on the table.
I don’t have a full copy of the contract yet, but here are some details the district decided to highlight:
• 90% of teacher vacancies will be hired through site-based hiring rather than seniority.
• In schools that are chronically underperforming, deemed “Renaissance Schools,” the district can implement longer school days, a longer school year that would include Saturdays and summer school, and site-based hiring.
• There will be a new school-based performance-pay program to reward schools that make strides in student achievement, but apparently there won’t be an individual bonus-pay program.