Negotiating away barriers to educational opportunity: by involving principals in planning for negotiations, districts can better address the important operational and instructional issues that will help schools meet their student achievement goals

Sample contract goals to support principals and instruction

Here are some examples of broad goals to consider as contract language is directed toward supporting principals and instruction. The specific contract language needed to make proposals should be constructed locally to suit each situation.

1. Observations and conferences

* Observe classroom instruction at any time, either announced or unannounced.

* Hold conferences at any time during the duty, day, and outside the duty day with flexible compensatory time off.

2. Resources

* All instructional and support resources are at the direction of the administrators.

3. Principal support

* An additional administrator is available for disciplinary conferences when the teacher has a representative present.

4. Unsatisfactory evaluations

* Minimize the number/degree of unsatisfactory service necessary to rate a teacher unsatisfactory.

* Direct the improvement plan.

5. Transfer and assignment

* Transfer any employee who is performing satisfactorily, but is not suitable for the location.

* Assign all teachers and staff to positions for which they qualify.

6. Discipline and termination

* Grievances are not permitted in disciplinary cases that are within due process.

* Full governance, administrative and legal support are offered in cases of legitimate terminations.

7. Non-instructional duties

* Direct staff during the duty day.

8. Meetings

* Hold faculty and staff meetings at any time within the duty day, or outside the duty day when necessary.

* Direct staff in meeting with parents and school events.

9. Class size

* Maximum flexibility in assigning students to classes.

10. Preparation periods

* Direct staff at any time during the duty day.

11. Authority

* Full control over staff assignments, curriculum standards, training and development, use of materials/resources, testing and evaluation, and parent/community contacts.

Site administrators: major players

While negotiations are a district-level responsibility and process, the activities affected most by contract language happen at the school site. The implementation and proper administration of negotiated agreements happens at the school sites more than at the district level. More important, instruction takes place only at the school sites.

If bargaining is to be transformed into support for student achievement and educational opportunities for our students, then the site administrators must be major players in constructing the policies that contract language really is.

Involve your principals and gain their support and commitment. The result will be better leadership on their part, more attention to student achievement and accountability measures, and more efficient and effective operations.

15 WAYS TO INVOLVE PRINCIPALS IN NEGOTIATIONS

1. During the period of contract administration--that is, after contracts have been settled and before the next round of negotiations--provide your principals with a supplement to the contracts that enables them to keep notes on problems or issues. Train them in how to keep such records and require them to do so. Have them record issues raised by staff. Inform them of the intent of the current language.