Collective Bargaining
Agreement
Boston Teachers Union
Local 66 AFT Massachusetts, AFT, AFL-CIO
between the
and the
Eective September 1, 2021
through August 31, 2024
2021-2024
Boston School Committee
BTU ALL IN:
Building POWER for our
Union and Schools!
As a member of the Boston Teachers Union, you are joining a
community of educators that are working to build POWER for our
students, our schools, and each other. We stand for:
Professional growth and expertise.
Organizing with our students, parents,
and community.
Workers rights and labor solidarity.
Equity, inclusion and social justice.
Respect for our profession and members.
A strong, unified union means better learning conditions for our
students, sustainable teaching and retirement conditions, and a
powerful voice for public school educators.
An engaged and fully active membership strengthens our ability to
negotiate, advocate and activate!
Why Your BTU Membership Matters:
B U
T
BOSTON TEACHERS
UNION
B U
T
BOSTON TEACHERS
UNION
www.btu.org facebook.com/bostonteachersunion @btu66 Boston Teachers Union
BOSTON TEACHERS UNION
NEGOTIATING TEAM
Jessica J. Tang, Chair
Anne Brochu
Jennifer Doe
Nicole Mullen
CasSandra Samuel
Bernadette Thornton-Giles
José Valenzuela
BTU OFFICERS and STAFF
Jessica J. Tang, President
Erik R. Berg, Executive Vice President
Karen T. Cross, Secretary-Treasurer
Caren Carew, Secondary Field Representative
Lea-Antoinette Serena, Elementary Field Representative
Colleen Hart, Paraprofessional/Substitute/ABA Field Representative
Johnny McInnis, Political Director
Paul Tritter, Director of Professional Learning
Natalia Cuadra-Saez, Director of Organizing
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Kafunda Banks
Cecil Carey
Robert P. Carroll
Brenda Chaney
Allison Doherty
Caitlin Gaffny
Michael J. Maguire
Nicole Mullen
James “Timo” Philip
Matthew Ruggiero
CasSandra Samuel
Alice Yong
SUPERINTENDENT
Mary Skipper
BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Chairperson:
Jeri Robinson
Vice-Chairperson:
Michael O’Neill
Members:
Dr. Stephen Atkins
Brandon Cardet-Hernandez
Lorena Lopera
Rafaela Polanco Garcia
Quoc Tran
Student Representative:
Diego Mehta
Executive Secretary:
Elizabeth A. Sullivan
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GENERAL INFORMATION
CONTACTING THE UNION
The Union ofce is open to serve you from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on all weekdays including
school vacations but excluding State, County and National holidays, the day after Thanksgiving,
Christmas Eve, and Good Friday. To contact the ofce call 617-288-2000.
To contact the Health and Welfare ofce (Dental, Legal, Hearing Aids and Hospitalization) call
617-288-0500, for the BTU Eye Care Center call 617-288-5540.
COMMUNICATIONS
The Union publishes a newspaper, the Boston Union Teacher, once a month during the school year.
These are mailed to each member.
To disseminate information quickly, email newsletters are sent out generally every Tuesday to the
general membership. Periodic mailings go out as well to members’ homes. All members are urged
to sign up for the e-Bulletin at the BTU website: www.btu.org.
In order to ensure receipt of communications, members should inform the Union ofce of a current,
non-BPS email address and notify the union ofce of any change of email address, home mailing
address or phone number.
UNION MEETINGS
Membership meetings shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month September through
June and at such other times as are necessary during the school year at 4:30 P.M. at 180 Mt. Vernon
Street, Dorchester (near JFK/UMass/Columbia Station). See web page www.btu.org for directions.
OFFICES AND ELECTIONS
The Executive Board is comprised of the President, Executive Vice President, Secretary- Treasurer,
Elementary, Secondary and Paraprofessional Field Representatives, Political Director, and twelve
members elected at large. The term of ofce is two years. the union elections will be conducted
in May and June of odd-numbered years. Delegates to our afliated bodies will also be elected
at these times. TEACH delegates, however, will be chosen by membership policy through an
application process.
GRIEVANCES
Each teacher is urged to read the current contract carefully. Any violations occurring in your school
should be reported to your building representative and presented to your principal, headmaster,
or director. If the grievance is not resolved satisfactorily at this level, the Union ofce should be
notied.
In the case of a grievance not involving the above ofcials (e.g. a salary problem) the grievance
should be reported to the Union ofce and initiated at the proper level.
The grievance procedure is spelled out in the contract and ahould be read carefully. The time
allowed for the school committee to decide a grievance has been reduced and grievances should be
resolved more quickly. Note the time limits established at each step. These time limits apply to us
as well as to the administration.
Remember, a contract is only as strong as its enforcement. Make sure that the contract is enforced in your
school.
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OUR RIGHTS ON THE JOB
Everyone wants smooth working relationships, but problems arise in every workplace.
As BTU members, we have the right to union protection and representation. This right
is guaranteed by our contract.
WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE, TALK TO A BUILDING REPRESENTATIVE
If you think your rights have been violated or if you have questions about work,
speak to a building representative. Building Representatives are our on-the-job union
representatives there to answer questions and hear concerns.
WEINGARTEN RIGHTS AND THE RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION
One of the most important rights that workers have as a member of a union is called
Weingarten Rights. These rights state that if you are brought into a disciplinary or
investigatory meeting or interview, you have the right to have a representative from the
union present (building rep or eld rep). If you are called into a meeting, please ask if
this could lead to discipline. Management must answer you truthfully if you ask. Below
is a statement that you should remember to protect your rights on the job:
If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect
my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my union representative
be present at this meeting. Until my representative arrives, I choose not to participate
in this discussion.
You do not need to answer questions or make statements until a union representative is
present. You have a right to stop a meeting if you feel that is may lead to discipline and
request a union representative. If a union representative is not available, you can offer
to reschedule for when one can be present.
My Building Reps are:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
My Field Rep is:
___________________________________________________________________________
WEINGARTEN RIGHTS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TEACHERS CONTRACT
Page
Preamble ...............................................................................................................................................1
Article I Purpose and Scope of Agreement
A. Recognition and Duration ..........................................................................................4
B. Purpose .......................................................................................................................4
C. Scope .......................................................................................................................... 4
D. Management Rights ................................................................................................... 5
E. Handling of New Issues .............................................................................................5
F. Savings Clause ...........................................................................................................5
G. Preservation of Existing Laws and Regulations ........................................................ 6
H. Denitions .................................................................................................................. 6
Article II Developing and Maintaining Effective Working Relationships
A. Governing Philosophy ...............................................................................................7
B. Mechanisms to Insure Joint Problem-Solving ........................................................... 7
1. Consultation ...................................................................................................... 7
2. Steering Committee ..........................................................................................7
3. Faculty Senates ................................................................................................. 8
C. Training ...................................................................................................................... 8
D. Leadership .................................................................................................................. 8
Article III School-Based Management and Shared Decision-Making
A. Governing Philosophy ...............................................................................................9
B. School Site Councils .................................................................................................. 9
1. Composition ...................................................................................................... 9
2. Role ................................................................................................................. 11
C. Shared Decision-Making .........................................................................................12
1. Orientation Program ........................................................................................ 12
2. Operation of the School Site Council ............................................................. 12
3. Training ........................................................................................................... 14
4. Scope of Authority .......................................................................................... 14
D. Pilot Schools ............................................................................................................ 16
E. Pilot School Agreement ...........................................................................................17
F. Horace Mann Charter Schools ................................................................................. 18
G. Local Decision-Making About a School’s Budget ...................................................19
H. Assessments Council ...............................................................................................19
I. Students with High Needs ........................................................................................ 19
1. BPS/BTU Joint Commission on Students and Families
Experiencing Homelessness ............................................................................ 19
2. Hub Community Schools ................................................................................ 20
3. Mental Health Providers or Social Emotional Learning
Stafng in Schools .......................................................................................... 20
Article IV School Assessment
A. Whole School Improvement Plans ........................................................................... 21
1. Scope ............................................................................................................... 21
2. Approval .........................................................................................................21
3. Content ............................................................................................................ 21
B. School Performance Assessment .............................................................................21
1. Collection of Data ........................................................................................... 21
2. Annual Assessment ......................................................................................... 22
C. School Intervention Teams ....................................................................................... 22
D. Superintendent's Schools .........................................................................................22
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Article V Stafng
A. Teachers ...................................................................................................................25
1. Class Size ........................................................................................................ 25
2. Commitment to Inclusive Education ..............................................................28
3. Scheduling and Teaching Load ....................................................................... 33
4. Relief from Non-Teaching Tasks .................................................................... 35
5. Teacher Assignment Procedures ..................................................................... 35
6. Project Promise ............................................................................................... 37
7. Summer Program ............................................................................................ 37
8. Hiring of Substitutes: Class Coverage ............................................................ 37
9. Final Records: Marks ...................................................................................... 38
10. Goals (Effective 9/1/2007) .............................................................................. 39
11. Scholarship Standards ..................................................................................... 39
B. Special Groups ......................................................................................................... 40
1. Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten ................................................................ 40
2. Teachers of Music ........................................................................................... 40
3. Industrial Arts and Home Economics Teachers .............................................. 40
4. Guidance Counselors ...................................................................................... 40
5. Vocational Education Teachers ....................................................................... 40
6. Coaches ........................................................................................................... 41
7. Swimming Instructors ..................................................................................... 41
8. COSE .............................................................................................................. 42
9. Hub Community School Coordinators............................................................ 44
10. SEIMS Arbitration .......................................................................................... 44
11. Department of Implementation Personnel ...................................................... 45
12. Investigative Counselors ................................................................................. 46
13. Supervisors of Attendance ..............................................................................47
14. Adult Learning Center Educators ...................................................................49
15. Nurses .............................................................................................................49
16. 636 Coordinators ............................................................................................. 49
17. Clinical Coordinators ...................................................................................... 50
18. All Itinerant Service Providers ........................................................................ 50
19. Student Support Coordinators ......................................................................... 51
20. Tech Support Personnel ..................................................................................51
21. Performing Arts Teachers ................................................................................51
22. Reading Recovery Teachers ............................................................................ 51
23. JROTC ............................................................................................................ 51
24. Restorative Practice ........................................................................................51
C. Alternative Service Providers .................................................................................. 52
1. Educational Contracts ..................................................................................... 52
2. Volunteers........................................................................................................52
D. Afrmative Action ................................................................................................... 52
E. Length of School Year/School Day and Calendar ................................................... 53
1. Length of School Year ..................................................................................... 53
2. Length of School Day ..................................................................................... 54
3. School Calendar .............................................................................................. 54
4. Length of Pupil Day ........................................................................................ 54
5. School Adjustment Counselors ....................................................................... 54
6. School Nurses ................................................................................................. 54
7. The Day Before Thanksgiving and the Last Two Days of the School Year .... 55
8. Parent-Teacher Meetings................................................................................. 55
9. Extended Learning Time ................................................................................. 56
F. Performance Evaluation ........................................................................................... 60
1. Purpose of Educator Evaluation ...................................................................... 60
2. Denitions ....................................................................................................... 60
3. Evidence Used in Evaluation .......................................................................... 63
4. Rubric .............................................................................................................. 64
5. Evaluation Cycle: Training .............................................................................64
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6. Evaluation Cycle: Annual Orientation ............................................................ 65
7. Evaluation Cycle: Self Assessment ................................................................. 65
8. Evaluation Cycle: Goal Setting and Development of the Educator Plan ........ 66
9. Evaluation Cycle: Observation of Practice and Examination of Artifacts –
Educators without PTS ...................................................................................66
10. Evaluation Cycle: Observation of Practice and Examination of Artifacts –
Educators with PTS ......................................................................................... 66
11. Observations ...................................................................................................67
12. Evaluation Cycle: Formative Assessment ....................................................... 68
13. Evaluation Cycle: Formative Evaluation of Two-Year
Self-Directed Plans Only ................................................................................ 69
14. Evaluation Cycle: Summative Evaluation ...................................................... 69
15. Educator Plans: General .................................................................................. 70
16. Educator Plans: Developing Educator Plan .................................................... 71
17. Educator Plans: Self-Directed Growth Plan ...................................................71
18. Educator Plans: Directed Growth Plan ........................................................... 71
19. Educator Plans: Improvement Plan ................................................................. 71
20. Timelines ......................................................................................................... 73
21. Career Advancement ....................................................................................... 73
22. Using Student Feedback in Educator Evaluation ............................................ 74
23. Using Staff Feedback in Educator Evaluation ................................................ 74
24. General Provisions .......................................................................................... 74
G. Seniority ................................................................................................................... 75
H. Certication/Program Areas ..................................................................................... 75
1. Program Areas ................................................................................................. 75
2. Qualications .................................................................................................. 75
3. Ranking ........................................................................................................... 75
4. Schedule and Procedures ................................................................................76
5. Leave of Absence; Promotion ......................................................................... 76
6. Recall .............................................................................................................. 76
7. SPED Teachers ................................................................................................ 76
8. Bilingual Teachers ........................................................................................... 77
9. Excessing ........................................................................................................ 77
I. Transfers ................................................................................................................... 79
1. General Procedures ......................................................................................... 79
2. Application for Promotion .............................................................................. 80
(a) Posting and Bidding on Promotions ......................................................80
(b) Filling Related Positions ........................................................................ 80
(c) Transfers ................................................................................................. 80
(d) Other Points on Promotion..................................................................... 80
(e) Effect of an Unsatisfactory Evaluation .................................................. 80
J. Post-Transfer Placement Process ............................................................................. 81
K. Layoff and Recall Procedures .................................................................................. 83
1. Layoffs ............................................................................................................ 83
2. Recall .............................................................................................................. 84
3. Resolution of Disputes .................................................................................... 84
4. Effect of Laws ................................................................................................. 84
L. Withdrawal of Resignation, Subsequent Reemployment.........................................84
M. Residency ................................................................................................................. 85
N. Notice Following Interview ..................................................................................... 85
Article VI Professional Development
A. Governing Philosophy .............................................................................................86
B. Sabbaticals ............................................................................................................... 86
C. Educational Conference Days .................................................................................. 87
D. New Teacher Developers ......................................................................................... 87
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E. Center for Leadership Development ........................................................................ 88
1. Leadership Development for the Entire School Community .......................... 88
2. Types of Leadership Development Opportunities Provided ........................... 89
3. Organizational Structure ................................................................................. 89
4. Funding of CLD .............................................................................................. 90
F. Career Ladder ........................................................................................................... 90
1. TeachBoston .................................................................................................... 90
2. Teacher Leadership ......................................................................................... 90
3. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards ..................................... 90
4. Tuition Reimbursement ................................................................................... 91
G. Collaborative Coaching and Learning ..................................................................... 91
H. Educator Support Program (ESP) ............................................................................ 91
1. Rationale ......................................................................................................... 91
2. Governance ..................................................................................................... 92
3. Consulting Teachers ........................................................................................ 92
4. Peer Assistance ................................................................................................ 93
5. Peer Assistance and Review ............................................................................ 94
6. Professional Development .............................................................................. 94
I. Academic Coaches ................................................................................................... 95
J. Common Professional Development Time .............................................................. 95
K. Professional Development Institute ......................................................................... 95
L. Professional Development for Librarian/Media Specialists .................................... 95
Article VII Working Conditions
A. School Facilities ....................................................................................................... 96
1. Libraries .......................................................................................................... 96
2. Consultation Rooms ........................................................................................ 96
3. Guidance Counselors ...................................................................................... 96
4. Music............................................................................................................... 96
5. Vocational Education ...................................................................................... 96
6. Industrial Arts and Home Economics .............................................................96
7. Physical Education .......................................................................................... 97
8. Resource Center .............................................................................................. 97
9. Telephones ......................................................................................................97
10. Duplication Facilities ...................................................................................... 97
11. Parking and Tolls ............................................................................................97
12. Mail ................................................................................................................. 97
13. Teacher’s Lounge ............................................................................................ 97
14. Snow Plowing ................................................................................................. 97
15. Ted Williams Tunnel ....................................................................................... 98
16. Alternative Education ..................................................................................... 98
17. Working and Learning Space (Effective 9/1/07) ............................................98
18. File Cabinet ..................................................................................................... 99
19. Coverage Paraprofessionals ............................................................................ 99
20. Sanitary Restrooms ......................................................................................... 99
21. Nursing Rooms ............................................................................................... 99
22. WiFi ................................................................................................................99
B. Books and Supplies .................................................................................................. 99
C. Classroom Environmental Control ..........................................................................99
D. School Construction and Repair ............................................................................ 100
E. Student Discipline .................................................................................................. 100
F. Information at the School ....................................................................................... 100
G. Teacher Files .......................................................................................................... 100
H. Assistance in Assault Cases ................................................................................... 101
I. MCAS-Alt Portfolios ............................................................................................. 101
J. Plan and Mark Books ............................................................................................. 101
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Article VIII Compensation and Benets
A. Step Placement and Step Advancement ................................................................. 102
1. Hiring Rate .................................................................................................... 102
2. Credit for Prior Work Experience ................................................................. 102
3. Provisional Teachers ..................................................................................... 103
4. Other Provisions Regarding Step Placement ................................................ 103
5. Step Advancement ........................................................................................ 103
B. Payment of Salaries ................................................................................................ 104
C. Salary Schedule ...................................................................................................... 104
D. Column Placement ................................................................................................. 106
1. Column A ...................................................................................................... 106
2. Column B ...................................................................................................... 106
3. Column C ...................................................................................................... 107
4. Column D ...................................................................................................... 107
5. Lane Advancement ........................................................................................ 107
6. Academic Advancement Letter ..................................................................... 107
E. Acting Rates and Differentials ............................................................................... 108
1. Acting Positions ............................................................................................ 108
2. Acting Assistant Headmaster (Subject Matter) ............................................. 108
3. Teacher-in Charge ......................................................................................... 108
4. H.H.H.O.R.C. ................................................................................................ 109
5. Special Class Differential..............................................................................109
6. ESP Panel Differential .................................................................................. 109
F. Special Rates and Extracurricular Payment ........................................................... 110
1. Miscellaneous Hourly Positions ................................................................... 110
2. Teachers, Coaches, and Coaches in Latin or Day High Schools .................. 110
3. Yearbook, Clubs, and Audio-Visual and Teachers in Charge
and JROTC Instructors ................................................................................. 110
4. Evening High School .................................................................................... 111
5. Evening Trade School ................................................................................... 111
6. Evening Elementary School .......................................................................... 111
7. Summer Review High Schools ..................................................................... 111
8. Summer Review Middle Schools .................................................................. 111
9. Apprenticeship and Journeyman Class ......................................................... 111
10. Vocational Education Teachers ..................................................................... 111
11. Class Coverage Payment ............................................................................... 111
12. Contractual Hourly Rate ............................................................................... 112
13. Externally Funded Extracurricular Activities ............................................... 112
14. Language Assessment Team Leaders ............................................................ 112
15. Early Learning Centers ................................................................................. 112
16. Clinical Coordinators .................................................................................... 112
17. Cooperating Teachers .................................................................................... 112
G. Pay Credit ............................................................................................................... 112
H. Traveling Teachers and Mileage ............................................................................ 112
I. Severance Pay ........................................................................................................ 113
J. Tax-Free Annuities ................................................................................................. 113
K. Retirement Plan – State Boston Retirement System .............................................. 113
L. Insurance ................................................................................................................ 114
1. Health Re-opener .......................................................................................... 114
2. Life ............................................................................................................... 115
3. PEC-MOA ..................................................................................................... 115
M. Career Awards ........................................................................................................ 115
N. Health and Welfare Fund ....................................................................................... 115
O. Compensation Obligations ..................................................................................... 116
P. Leaves of Absence and Sick Leave ........................................................................ 117
1. Leave for Union Ofcers .............................................................................. 117
2. Leave for Personal Reasons .......................................................................... 117
3. Sick Leave ..................................................................................................... 117
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4. Absence Due to Injury in Course of Employment ........................................ 118
5. Personal Leaves and Miscellaneous Paid Leave ........................................... 118
6. Military Leave of Absence ............................................................................ 120
7. Organized Reserve Forces ............................................................................120
8. Leave Deadlines ............................................................................................ 121
9. AWOL ........................................................................................................... 121
Q. Funding Clause ...................................................................................................... 121
R. Direct Deposit ........................................................................................................ 122
S. Flexible Spending Plan/Cafeteria Plan .................................................................. 122
T. Long Term Disability Insurance ............................................................................122
U. BTU Member Children .......................................................................................... 122
V. Alternative Compensation .....................................................................................122
Article IX Collective Bargaining
A. Governing Philosophy ...........................................................................................123
B. Fair Practices .......................................................................................................... 123
1. Non-Discrimination ...................................................................................... 123
2. Protection of Individual and Group Rates ....................................................123
C. Privileges ................................................................................................................ 123
1. Allowed Time for Union Negotiations .........................................................123
2. Payroll Deductions for Union Dues .............................................................. 124
3. Payroll Deductions for Agency Service Fee ................................................. 124
4. Union Meetings Within Individual Schools .................................................. 124
5. Bulletin Boards ............................................................................................. 124
6. Grievance Time for Building Representative ............................................... 124
7. Information to the Union ..............................................................................124
8. C.O.P.E. ......................................................................................................... 124
D. Responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 125
1. No Union Activity on School Time .............................................................. 125
2. Authorized Union Representative ................................................................. 125
Article X Dispute Resolutions
A. General ................................................................................................................... 126
B. Denitions .............................................................................................................. 126
C. Availability of Mediators ....................................................................................... 126
D. Dispute Resolution Process for Grievances ........................................................... 127
1. General Procedures ....................................................................................... 127
2. Initiation of Grievances at Step 2 or 3 .......................................................... 128
3. Time Limits and Application ........................................................................129
E. Arbitration .............................................................................................................. 129
1. Arbitration Dened ....................................................................................... 129
2. Power of the Arbitrator .................................................................................129
3. Decision of the Arbitrator .............................................................................129
4. Arbitration Award Application ...................................................................... 129
5. Alternate Arbitration Procedure .................................................................... 130
6. Stafng Clause .............................................................................................. 130
7. Implementation ............................................................................................. 130
F. Resolution of Differences by Peaceful Means ....................................................... 130
G. Grievance Process in Autonomous Schools ........................................................... 130
Signatures .......................................................................................................................................... 131
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PARAPROFESSIONALS AGREEMENT
Article I Purpose and Scope of Agreement
A. Recognition and Duration ...................................................................................... 132
B. Purpose. .................................................................................................................. 132
C. Scope. ..................................................................................................................... 132
D. Management Rights ............................................................................................... 133
E. Continuing Negotiations ........................................................................................ 133
F. Handling of New Issues ......................................................................................... 133
G. Savings Clause ....................................................................................................... 133
H. Preservation of Existing Laws and Regulations .................................................... 134
I. Denitions .............................................................................................................. 134
Article II Working Conditions
A. General ................................................................................................................... 135
1. Functions ....................................................................................................... 135
2. Paras Files ..................................................................................................... 135
3. Assistance in Assault Cases ..........................................................................135
4. Information to the Union ..............................................................................136
5. In-Service Courses ........................................................................................ 136
6. Substitute for Teacher ...................................................................................136
7. Para Evaluation ............................................................................................. 136
8. Training ......................................................................................................... 136
9. Just Cause...................................................................................................... 137
10. Tutorial Program ........................................................................................... 137
11. School Based Management ........................................................................... 137
12. Educational Contracts ................................................................................... 137
13. Severance Pay ............................................................................................... 137
14. Equitable Assignments .................................................................................. 137
15. Cluster Paraprofessional Substitutes ............................................................. 137
16. Job Sharing.................................................................................................... 138
17. Superintendent’s Schools .............................................................................. 138
18. Paraprofessional Mentoring Program ........................................................... 138
19. Professional Development for Library Paraprofessionals ............................138
20. WiFi ..............................................................................................................138
B. Seniority Rights, Layoffs, Recall, Summer Work .................................................. 138
1. Establishment of Seniority ............................................................................ 138
2. Retention of Seniority ................................................................................... 138
3. Excessing ...................................................................................................... 139
4. Recall ............................................................................................................ 139
5. Stafng and Transfer .....................................................................................140
6. Layoff ............................................................................................................ 140
7. Summer Work ............................................................................................... 141
C. Posting of Vacancies .............................................................................................. 141
1. Miscellaneous ...............................................................................................141
2. Teacher Vacancies ......................................................................................... 141
3. Paraprofessional First Consideration ............................................................ 141
D. Paraprofessional Professional Development .......................................................... 141
E. Family Liaisons ...................................................................................................... 142
1. Workday ........................................................................................................ 142
2. Work Year...................................................................................................... 142
Article III Compensation and Benets
A. Step Placement and Step Advancement ................................................................. 143
B. Payment of Salaries ................................................................................................ 143
C. Training Pay ........................................................................................................... 143
D. Holidays, Vacations and Suspended Session ......................................................... 143
E. Length of Work Day............................................................................................... 144
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F. Hourly Salary Rates ............................................................................................... 144
G. Tax Free Annuities ................................................................................................. 147
H. Retirement Plan - State-Boston Retirement System .............................................. 147
I. Insurance ................................................................................................................ 148
J. Pay Credit ............................................................................................................... 150
K. Traveling Paraprofessionals and Mileage .............................................................. 150
L. Health and Welfare Fund .......................................................................................150
1. Trust Fund ..................................................................................................... 150
2. Annual Payment ............................................................................................ 150
3. Proration ........................................................................................................ 150
M. Career Awards ........................................................................................................ 150
N. Tuition Reimbursement .......................................................................................... 150
O. Compliance Paraprofessionals ............................................................................... 151
P. Laptops for Learning .............................................................................................. 151
Q. Leave of Absence & Sick Leave ............................................................................ 151
1. Absence Due to Injury in the Course of Employment .................................. 151
2. Military Leave of Absence ............................................................................ 151
3. Organized Reserve Forces ............................................................................152
4. Leave for Study ............................................................................................. 152
5. Personal Leave .............................................................................................. 152
6. Sick Leave ..................................................................................................... 153
7. Paid Personal Leave ...................................................................................... 153
8. Leave for Personal Reasons .......................................................................... 154
9. Leave for Union Business ............................................................................. 154
10. Sabbaticals .................................................................................................... 154
Article IV Collective Bargaining
A. Governing Philosophy ...........................................................................................155
B. Fair Practices .......................................................................................................... 155
1. Non-Discrimination ...................................................................................... 155
2. Protection of Individual and Group Rights ................................................... 155
C. Privileges ................................................................................................................ 155
1. Payroll Deductions for Union Dues .............................................................. 155
2. Union Meetings Within Individual Schools .................................................. 155
3. Grievance Time For Building Representatives ............................................. 156
4. C.O.P.E. ......................................................................................................... 156
D. Responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 156
1. No Union Activity on School Time .............................................................. 156
2. Authorized Union Representatives ............................................................... 156
Article V Dispute Resolution
A. General ................................................................................................................... 157
B. Denitions .............................................................................................................. 157
C. Availability of Mediators ....................................................................................... 157
D. Dispute Resolution Process of Grievances ............................................................ 157
1. General Procedures ....................................................................................... 157
2. Initiation of Grievances at Step 2 or 3 .......................................................... 159
3. Time Limits and Application ........................................................................159
E. Arbitration .............................................................................................................. 160
1. Arbitration Dened ....................................................................................... 160
2. Power of the Arbitrator .................................................................................160
3. Decision of the Arbitrator .............................................................................160
4. Arbitration Award Application ...................................................................... 160
5. Alternate Arbitration Procedures ..................................................................160
6. Implementation ............................................................................................. 160
F. Resolution of Differences by Peaceful Means ....................................................... 160
G. Grievance Process in Autonomous Schools ........................................................... 160
Signatures .......................................................................................................................................... 161
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SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS AND NURSES AGREEMENT
Article I Purpose and Scope of Agreement
A. Recognition and Duration ...................................................................................... 162
B. Qualifying as a Member of the Bargaining Unit....................................................162
1. Annual Qualications ................................................................................... 162
2. Removal and Reinstatement .........................................................................162
C. Purpose ................................................................................................................... 163
D. Scope ...................................................................................................................... 163
E. Management Rights ............................................................................................... 163
F. Savings Clause ....................................................................................................... 163
G. Denitions .............................................................................................................. 163
1. Per Diem Substitute ...................................................................................... 163
2. Long Term Substitute .................................................................................... 163
3. Cluster/Building Substitute ........................................................................... 163
Article II Working Conditions
A. Work Schedule and Duties ..................................................................................... 164
B. Method of Assignment ........................................................................................... 164
1. General .......................................................................................................... 164
2. Cluster Substitutes ........................................................................................164
3. Long Term Substitutes .................................................................................. 165
C. Performance Evaluation ......................................................................................... 165
D. Professional Development ..................................................................................... 165
E. Application for Teaching Positions ........................................................................ 165
F. WiFi .......................................................................................................................165
Article III Compensation and Benets
A. Salary Schedule ...................................................................................................... 166
1. General .......................................................................................................... 166
2. Pay for Long Term Assignments ................................................................... 166
B. Sick Leave .............................................................................................................. 167
C. Holidays and Vacations .......................................................................................... 167
D. Health Insurance ....................................................................................................167
E. Health and Welfare Fund .......................................................................................168
F. Laptops for Learning .............................................................................................. 168
G. Per Diem Substitute Bonus .................................................................................... 168
H. Cluster/Building Substitute Leave ......................................................................... 168
1. Bereavement Leave ....................................................................................... 168
2. Paid Parental Leave ....................................................................................... 168
Article IV Collective Bargaining
A. Payroll Deduction of Union Dues or Agency Service Fee .................................... 170
B. Non-discrimination and Afrmative Action .......................................................... 170
Article V Dispute Resolution
A. General ................................................................................................................... 171
B. Denitions .............................................................................................................. 171
C. Availability of Mediators ....................................................................................... 171
D. Dispute Resolution Process for Grievances ........................................................... 172
1. General Procedures ....................................................................................... 172
2. Initiation of Grievances at Step 2 or Step 3 .................................................. 173
3. Time Limits and Application ........................................................................173
xii
E. Arbitration .............................................................................................................. 174
1. Arbitration Dened ....................................................................................... 174
2. Power of the Arbitrator .................................................................................174
3. Decisions of the Arbitrator ............................................................................ 174
4. Arbitration Award Application ...................................................................... 174
5. Alternate Arbitration Process ........................................................................ 175
6. Stafng Clause .............................................................................................. 175
7. Implementation ............................................................................................. 175
F. Resolution of Differences by Peaceful Means ....................................................... 175
Signatures .......................................................................................................................................... 176
xiii
ABA SPECIALIST AGREEMENT
Article I Purpose and Scope of Agreement
A. Recognition and Duration ...................................................................................... 177
B. Purpose ................................................................................................................... 177
C. Scope ...................................................................................................................... 177
D. Management Rights ............................................................................................... 178
E. Continuing Negotiations ........................................................................................ 178
F. Handling New Issues ............................................................................................. 178
G. Savings Clause ....................................................................................................... 178
H. Preservation of Existing Laws and Regulations .................................................... 179
I. Denitions .............................................................................................................. 179
Article II Working Conditions
A. General ................................................................................................................... 180
1. Functions ....................................................................................................... 180
2. ABA Specialists’ Files ..................................................................................180
3. Assistance in Assault Cases ..........................................................................180
4. Information to the Union ..............................................................................181
5. In-Service Courses ........................................................................................ 181
6. ABA Specialist Evaluations .......................................................................... 181
7. Training ......................................................................................................... 181
8. Just Cause...................................................................................................... 181
9. Severance Pay ............................................................................................... 181
10. Assignments .................................................................................................. 181
B. Seniority and Layoffs ............................................................................................. 182
1. Establishment of Seniority ............................................................................ 182
2. Retention of Seniority ................................................................................... 182
3. Layoff ............................................................................................................ 182
4. Recall ............................................................................................................ 182
C. Communication and Notications ......................................................................... 182
Article III Compensation and Benets
A. Payment of Salaries ................................................................................................ 183
B. Training Pay ........................................................................................................... 183
C. Length of Work Day............................................................................................... 183
D. ABA Work Year / Professional Development Hours ............................................. 183
E. Holidays and Religious Holidays ........................................................................... 184
F. Salary Rate ............................................................................................................. 184
G. Tax Free Annuities ................................................................................................. 185
H. Retirement Plan – State-Boston Retirement System .............................................185
I. Insurance ................................................................................................................ 185
J. Pay Credit ............................................................................................................... 185
K. Traveling ABA Specialists and Mileage ................................................................ 185
L. Health and Welfare Fund .......................................................................................186
1. Trust Fund ..................................................................................................... 186
2. Annual Payment ............................................................................................ 186
3. Proration ........................................................................................................ 186
M. Career Awards ........................................................................................................ 186
N. Laptops for Learning .............................................................................................. 186
O. Tuition Reimbursement for ABAs (Effective 6/1/22) ............................................186
P. Paid Parental Leave ................................................................................................ 187
xiv
Q. Leaves of Absence & Sick Leave ..........................................................................188
1. Absence Due to Injury in the Course of Employment .................................. 188
2. Military Leave of Absence ............................................................................ 188
3. Organized Reserve Forces ............................................................................188
4. Leave for Study ............................................................................................. 188
5. Personal Leave .............................................................................................. 189
6. Sick Leave ..................................................................................................... 189
7. Leave for Personal Reasons .......................................................................... 190
8. Leave for Union Business ............................................................................. 190
9. Sabbaticals .................................................................................................... 190
10. Sick Leave Donation Program ...................................................................... 190
Article IV Collective Bargaining
A. Governing Philosophy ...........................................................................................191
B. Fair Practices .......................................................................................................... 191
1. Non-Discrimination ...................................................................................... 191
2. Protection of Individual and Group Rights ................................................... 191
C. Privileges ................................................................................................................ 191
1. Payroll Deductions for Union Dues .............................................................. 191
2. Payroll Deduction of Agency Service Fee .................................................... 191
3. Union Meetings Within Individual Schools .................................................. 191
4. Grievance Time for Building Representatives .............................................. 192
5. C.O.P.E. ......................................................................................................... 192
D. Responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 192
1. No Union Activity on School Time .............................................................. 192
2. Authorized Union Representatives ............................................................... 192
Article V Dispute Resolution
A. General ................................................................................................................... 193
B. Denitions .............................................................................................................. 193
C. Availability of Mediators ....................................................................................... 193
D. Dispute Resolution Process for Grievances ........................................................... 193
1. General Procedures ....................................................................................... 193
2. Initiation of Grievances at Step 2 or Step 3 .................................................. 195
3. Time Limits and Application ........................................................................195
E. Arbitration .............................................................................................................. 196
1. Arbitration Dened ....................................................................................... 196
2. Power of the Arbitrator .................................................................................196
3. Decision of the Arbitrator .............................................................................196
4. Arbitration Award Application ...................................................................... 196
5. Alternate Arbitration Procedure .................................................................... 196
6. Implementation ............................................................................................. 196
F. Resolution of Differences by Peaceful Means ....................................................... 196
G. Contractual Grievance Process of Autonomous Schools ....................................... 196
Signatures .......................................................................................................................................... 197
xv
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Teacher Program Areas .......................................................................................... 198
Appendix B: Paid Parental Leave Proportionate Standard Hours Eligibility .............................. 203
Appendix C: Memorandum of Agreement .................................................................................. 204
Appendix D: Withdrawal of Program Directors Arbitration .......................................................212
Appendix E: No Child Left Behind ............................................................................................. 213
Appendix F: BTU-BPS Extended Learning Time Initiative ....................................................... 214
Appendix G: Boston Teachers Union & Boston School Committee –
Memorandum of Agreement – Student Feedback in Educator Evaluations .......... 215
Appendix H: Memorandum of Agreement Between the City of Boston,
Boston Public Schools and Boston Teachers Union, Local 66, AFT, AFL-CIO ...216
Appendix I: Memorandum of Shared Values Between the Boston Public Schools
and Boston Teachers Union, Local 66, AFT, AFL-CIO .........................................218
xvi
1
Preamble:
A Shared Commitment
to Educational Achievement
The Challenge
The Parties to this agreement share a fundamental and abiding commitment to the education of the
children of the City of Boston. They recognize and greatly appreciate the extraordinary commitment of
teachers and administrators in the system. They take pride in knowing that the Council of Great City Schools
has rated Boston’s Public Schools as among the best urban schools in the nation.
Yet the parties to this agreement believe that being the best, in this case, is not good enough. They
recognize that the Boston Public School system as a whole must do more to meet the needs and expectations
of the community. In absolute terms, dropout rates are high, graduation standards and college matriculation
rates are low, and the skills and prospects of many students in the system are well below their potential.
This contract is dedicated to doing better.
A commitment to change, however, is not enough. Our 1989 – 1992 contract was also intended to
promote change, and it accomplished less than was hoped. There are lessons in that experience, and they are
reected in this agreement. Change will not come of its own accord; it requires intensive, carefully planned,
and skillfully executed implementation. Strong, consistent leadership and widespread training is needed to
transform the traditional labor management culture. To achieve real educational improvement, the parties and
the community will have to work together collaboratively.
The challenge is great. Many students arrive in school hungry and with serious health and nutritional
problems. Many lack a stable home environment. Some are victims of neglect or abuse; many require
counseling. Their trip to and from school is often dangerous and fraught with deadly temptations. Many
must work at after-school and weekend jobs to help support their families.
While most parents are deeply committed to their children’s education, many are unsure of how
best to support their children’s performance. Many parents seek out contact with teachers and are effective
advocates for their children, but others avoid contact, nding schools intimidating.
Teacher training programs seldom address such problems, and as a result some teachers may
feel overwhelmed and unprepared for dealing with them. Teachers may also be unsure about how most
effectively to communicate support and encouragement to students and parents whose linguistic, ethnic, or
economic background differs from their own.
In the face of these challenges, urban schools are often offered fewer resources than suburban
schools to achieve their educational goals. When their results in absolute terms are less, they are labeled
“failures,” even when they achieve enormous improvement over their starting point. No party benets from
this situation.
However great the challenge may be educating a Boston student to his or her full potential, the parties
to this agreement are determined to tackle it. This agreement is designed to facilitate whatever change and
experiments may be needed. The parties to this agreement invite the rest of the community to join the in this
effort. Working together, success is possible.
2
Some Basic Educational Principles
In pursuing their shared goal of education achievement, the Committee and the Union share certain
fundamental assumptions about education philosophy and the nature of their joint task that should inform the
interpretation and implementation of this Agreement:
The Importance of School-Based Decision-Making. The school is the point of delivery for the
services provided by the school system. Within the bounds of law and economic efciency, decisions
affecting the educational process and the delivery of services can and should be made at the local level, with
corresponding accountability for the results achieved. The staff on the scene have the most information about
the situation and are therefore best positioned to craft appropriate and effective strategies for the tasks at hand.
The Importance of Flexibility. The background and skills of staff, students, parents, and
administrators vary widely, as do the dynamics of groups. Likewise, facilities and programmatic objectives
vary from school to school. The experience of educators in this and other systems demonstrates that there is
no one best way to organize a school, a classroom, or any educational activity. Therefore, consistent with the
philosophy of local decision-making, each school should have as much exibility as possible to work out its
own structures for governance and education.
The Importance of Professional Development. Professional development programs need to prepare
our teachers and administrators adequately to deal with the challenges of urban education in a multicultural
and multilingual environment. And as in many other elds, staff and administrators need help in developing
effective collaboration that does not founder in either adversarial battling or endlessly protracted decision
making by committee.
The Importance of Parent Involvement. Schools cannot do the job of educating children without
the full support and involvement of parents in their child’s education. Much needs to be done to organize and
restructure schools and the school-home connection so that parents and teachers become effective teams in
working actively and long-term to develop, monitor, and stimulate the implementation of a personal growth
plan for each child.
The Importance of Accountability for Quality and Performance. In their 1989 – 1992 agreement
the parties greatly strengthened the accountability of participants in the school system by requiring that each
school create an Annual Education Plan, by offering detailed guidelines for school performance assessment,
and by creating School Intervention Teams to assist and, if necessary, make recommendations to restructure
schools in trouble. As these measures have been implemented, they have increasingly demonstrated powerful
potential for driving school improvement.
This agreement builds on the existing structure to further increase the accountability of participants
in the school system, recognizing that there are some challenges and dilemmas inherent in this goal. For
example, teachers should be accountable for the progress of their students. Yet students should also be
accountable for their progress. Students who know there is no rm commitment to standards for either
behavior or achievement are less likely to take such standards seriously. Likewise, family involvement and
support is strongly linked to student success; therefore parents should also be accountable for the behavior
and progress of their children. Teachers should be accountable for encouraging and facilitating parental
participation and support of their children.
The community should also be held accountable for making available the resources needed to meet
the health, nutrition, social, parenting, and other needs of Boston’s children and their families, as well their
educational needs with time, staff, and facilities adequate to the task. It is unrealistic to expect urban schools to
achieve results without the resources to create a level playing eld with their wealthy suburban counterparts.
3
While competition and incentives can motivate performance, the parties do not want to do anything
that would inhibit staff and schools from working together cooperatively and learning from each other. It is
not necessary, and in fact not acceptable to structure an incentive system that requires there to be “winners”
and “losers.” We want all students and staff whose efforts earn it to be winners. Therefore, for example, the
emphasis in this agreement is on school accountability, although there are also mechanisms to recognize
outstanding staff and to improve or terminate unsatisfactory staff.
A Shared Commitment to Diversity. Recognizing the diverse and multicultural nature of Boston
and the families involved with its schools, the parties each renew their commitment to maintaining a school
system that treats each student, parent, and employee with respect, dignity, and sensitivity to their unique
needs and culture. Each party encourages the other to pursue initiative within their purview to meet this goal
and to make suggestions for how the other might do so.
The Inadequacy of Available Resources. The parties rmly believe that whatever progress can be
made with the resources currently available to children in the Boston Public Schools and their families,
those resources are inadequate to the task of educating children to their full potential. An appropriate level of
funding could support the hiring of more teachers, a longer school day and year, the creation of alternative
schools, including residential programs, greater family support services, and an enriched and more in-depth
curriculum, including many more activities beyond the school site.
The parties nevertheless accept their responsibility for doing as well as possible with the resources
now available, for demonstrating achievement as part of persuading the community that additional resources
will make an important difference, and for diligently seeking a more adequate and secure source of revenue.
They recognize that such an attitude and performance will enhance the possibility of additional resources
being made available.
The Need for a Collaborative Working Relationship. Historically, the Committee, the School
Department, and the Union have had an adversarial relationship. Despite considerable improvement in recent
years, the challenge remains to overcome vestiges of a litigious and suspicious culture focused on work rules,
hierarchical power, and resistance to change by both parties. This consumes scarce resources and gets in the
way of educational innovation and achievement.
The parties are committed to developing a collaborative working relationship at all levels of the
system during the life of this contract. An effective working relationship is one in which the parties work
together with mutual respect; clear and direct communication; a willingness to listen, understand, and
consider a differing point of view; a habit of checking out assumptions before reaching conclusions about
another party; a commitment to integrity, reliability and solving each problem on its merits; and in general
the ability to resolve differences effectively while working to achieve a common goal or vision – to disagree
without being disagreeable.
Developing or maintaining such a relationship does not require any party to give up their right to
differ or their role as advocates for those they represent. It does require a willingness on each side occasionally
to do what makes sense, even though it is painful. Mostly, however, it requires parties to change how they
deal with each other, seeking to persuade and solve problems jointly, rather than to attack, disadvantage, and
coerce each other. Rather than being seen as adversaries, teachers and administrators should be seen by the
public and themselves as professional colleagues who sometimes disagree, but who share a common purpose
and dedication to educational achievement.
Respect and Dignity. The BPS and the BTU recognize the dignity and worth of every person. The
aim of this policy is to create a workplace climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and
worth of every person so that each person is able to contribute fully to the development and well-being of the
students of the City of Boston.
4
AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE CITY OF BOSTON
AND
THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION,
LOCAL 66, AFT, AFL-CIO
(Ratied by Boston Teachers Union, September 14, 2022)
Article I
Purpose and Scope of Agreement
A. Recognition and Duration
This Agreement is made and entered into on the 7
th
day of September, 2022, by and between the
School Committee of the City of Boston (hereinafter referred to as the “Committee”) and the Boston Teachers
Union, Local 66, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO (hereinafter referred to as the “Union”). The
Committee recognizes the Union as the exclusive bargaining representative for all those persons in the
bargaining unit which consist of those covered by Groups I, 2A-2B of the salary schedule (1963-1964)
of the Boston School Committee, excluding Assistant Principals and Coordinators, but including nurses
and supervising nurses, provisional teachers and nurses, substitute teachers and nurses on a one-year’s
assignment, teacher-coaches, teachers and nurses in Summer and Evening Schools, Adult Learning Center
educators, swimming instructors, E.T.F.s, certain employees from the Department of Implementation,
investigative counselors, security specialists, supervisors of attendance, clinical coordinators and lead sign
language interpreters. The jurisdiction of the Union shall include those persons now or hereafter who perform
the duties or functions of the categories of employees in the bargaining unit, regardless of whether these
duties or functions are performed by present, or modied, or new processes or equipment.
This agreement and each of its provisions shall be in effect as of September 1, 2021, unless otherwise
so stated, and shall continue in full force and effect through August 31, 2024. Negotiations for a subsequent
agreement will commence on or after December 1, 2023 upon the request of either party.
This agreement and each of its provisions shall be in full force and effect from the period of
September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024
B. Purpose
The purpose of this agreement is to promote the parties’ joint goal of achieving the best possible
education of the children in the Boston Public Schools by structuring an effective and professional working
relationship between the parties. That relationship should help the school system achieve maximum benet
from the combined expertise and coordinated efforts of the parties. It should also ensure fair and equitable
compensation and fair and professional treatment for those employees represented by the Union.
C. Scope
The Committee and the Union agree that they have a common public and educational area of concern
in addition to economic matters such as salary and working conditions. This wider area of professional
concern is to be approached constructively toward the goal of educational excellence.
5
To this end, the Union will from time to time present to the Committee or its designated representatives,
views and suggestions on certain school problems clearly within its knowledge and province as the agency
in the school system having the closest overall contact with the classroom teacher. Subjects considered to be
within the scope of such initiation and discussion are: recruitment of qualied teachers, class size, operation
of difcult schools, standards of physical and housekeeping environment and amenities on school premises,
relief from non-teaching tasks, all matters related to school-based management, and an increasingly effective
curriculum. Periodic consultation will take place without trespass or interference upon the distinct and special
powers and duties of either party in the process.
It is hoped that this continuing consultation throughout the school year will contribute to the
enhancement of public education in the City of Boston.
D. Management Rights
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Committee and the Superintendent retain all
powers, rights, duties, and authority that they had prior to entering into this Agreement or its predecessors.
Such rights of the Committee and the Superintendent include but are not limited to the right:
– to establish educational policy;
– to establish the standards and qualications for hiring and promotion;
_ to determine the size of the work force consistent with the terms of this Agreement;
– to establish job duties for new or substantially changed positions (except that changing the duties
of existing positions shall be subject to collective bargaining to the extent required by law);
– to determine which textbooks shall be used in the schools;
– to prescribe curricula and rules governing student discipline; and
– to establish educational programs and to determine the number, age, and qualications of pupils to
be served by any such programs.
E. Handling of New Issues
Matters of collective bargaining import not covered by this Agreement may, during the life of the
Agreement, be handled in the following manner:
By the Committee: Except as any change may be commanded by law, the Committee will continue
its policies as outlined herein. With respect to matters not covered by this Agreement which are mandatory
subjects for collective bargaining, the Committee agrees it will make no changes without prior consultation
and negotiation with the Union.
By the Union: In any matter not covered in this Agreement which is a mandatory subject for
collective bargaining, the Union may raise such issue with the Committee for consultation and negotiation;
except that (other than as set forth later in this section E) the Union shall not renew or seek to renew any
question introduced, debated, and settled, either negatively or afrmatively, during the bargaining prior
to nal settlement. This restriction shall not apply to the areas outlined in section C above as subjects for
continuing consultation.
Being a mutual Agreement, this instrument may be amended at any time by mutual consent.
F. Savings Clause
If any provision of this Agreement is or shall at any time be contrary to law, then such provision shall
not be applicable or performed or enforced, except to the extent permitted by law, and substitute action shall
be subject to appropriate consultation and negotiation with the Union.
In the event that any provision of this Agreement is or shall at any time be contrary to law, all other
provisions of this Agreement shall continue in effect.
6
G. Preservation of Existing Laws and Regulations
The rights and benets of persons provided herein are in addition to those provided by City, State,
or Federal law, rule, or regulation, including without limitation all applicable tenure, pension, or education
laws and regulations.
The School Department shall identify by February 1 of each year those bargaining unit members
who are affected by the School Committee’s policy on the employment of relatives. The Department and the
Union shall meet to discuss the appropriate reassignment of affected members.
H. Denitions
The term “school” as used in this Agreement means any work location or functional division or
group in which a complaint or grievance may arise.
The terms “Principal,” “Headmaster,” and “Director” as used in this Agreement mean the responsible
administrative heads of their respective district, school, or department.
The terms “teacher” and “person” as used in this Agreement mean a person employed by the
Committee in the bargaining unit as dened in Article I.
The term “nurse” as used in this Agreement means any person employed by the Committee in the
bargaining unit as dened in Article I. The provisions of this agreement that apply to teachers and/or persons
shall apply to nurses except:
–Article V(A)(1), Class Size;
–Article V(A)(3)(b)(1), Planning and Development Periods;
–Article V(A)(3)(c), Administrative Periods;
–Article V(A)(3)(d), Normal Teaching Load; and
–Article V(A)(5), Teacher Assignment Procedures.
The term “Union Representative” as used in this Agreement means the Union building representative
or her or his designee, or an elected or appointed representative of the Union or any of its afliates.
Wherever the singular is used in this Agreement it is to include the plural. Whenever a personal
pronoun is used in this Agreement it is to include male and female employees.
Any reference in this Agreement to any provision, section, or other part of the Agreement intends to
refer to the entire provision or other part unless specically stated to be otherwise.
7
Article II
DevelopingandMaintainingEective
Working Relationships
A. Governing Philosophy
To achieve the goals of this Agreement, more effective working relationships must be forged between
and among parents, teachers, students, building administrators, the Superintendent, other School Department
personnel, the Union, the School Committee, and the community at large.
B. Mechanisms to Insure Joint Problem-Solving
1. Consultation
Whenever possible, the parties agree to consult before deciding on any issue that impacts the other.
The goal of this provision is effective communication, preventing surprises, and more informed decision
making. It does not require either party to give up any right to act autonomously that they might otherwise
have, nor does it require either party to approve of any action the other proposes to take. The leadership of
each party shall seek to set an example in achieving this goal and to encourage others in the system at all
levels to incorporate such an approach into their ways of working.
The Superintendent and the President of the Union together with appropriate members of their
respective staffs agree to meet regularly (at least monthly) to monitor the progress of the mutual goals
espoused here and the operation of the school system in general, and to consult about the inevitable issues
that will arise in the operation of this Agreement.
2. Steering Committee
A joint BTU/BPS/Parent/Student Steering Committee will develop and implement polices and
guidelines and generally oversee the implementation and operation of school-based/shared decision-making
and all other joint committees established under this Agreement. This Steering Committee shall be composed
of the Superintendent of Schools and the President of the Teachers Union, who shall serve as co-chairs, up
to ve additional members who shall be representative of the diverse and ethnic constituencies of the parties,
and shall include ve parents and two students who shall be representative of the diverse racial, ethnic,
and Program (including Special Education and English Language Learners) constituencies of the District.
Decisions of the Steering Committee shall require the concurrence of the Superintendent and the President
of the Union.
The Steering Committee may appoint subcommittees, designate alternate members for tasks
involving special expertise, and otherwise adopt whatever procedures further its smooth, effective, and
efcient operation. It shall endeavor to operate by consensus as a role model for school-based shared
decision-making groups.
The Union and the School Department recognize that the provisions of this agreement reect
a tentative consensus on a direction to move in improving the schools. Both sides recognize that school
based management (“SBM”) represents a new way of doing business with which they still have limited
experience. Success is likely to require much exibility and continued learning from experience. Therefore
the School Department and the Union agree to work together during the period of this agreement to assess
and improve the structures established here for school-based management and shared decision-making in
light of experience.
8
3. Faculty Senates
Faculty Senates may be formed in each school building and shall meet once every month after
the close of the normal school day with the Principal or Headmaster concerned. Faculty Senates will be
recognized by the administration of that school as having an advisory voice in the operation of that school
and having an advisory voice in the formation of educational policy.
Faculty Senates representing Music Teachers, Guidance Counselors, Nurses, School Psychologists,
Evaluation Team Leaders, Kindergarten teachers, Bilingual teachers, and District Social Workers shall meet
once every month after the close of the normal school day with the director or administrator concerned.
These Faculty Senates will be recognized by the administrator of the department as having an
advisory voice in the formation of educational policy.
Faculty Senate Chairpersons will meet twice each year on the elementary, middle, and high school
levels during days of regularly scheduled in-service meetings.
C. Training
To succeed in developing effective and collaborative working relationships, a core group of
principals, parents, teachers, and other staff in each school must receive training to acquire the new roles
and relationships this Agreement envisions. Skills are needed in consensus building, teamwork, conict
resolution, effective meeting skills, active listening, new models of learning, teaching, and so on. The
parties pledge to seek the funding necessary to provide each school with the training needed to achieve its
educational goals.
D. Leadership
To achieve the goals of this Agreement, strong, sustained, and visionary leadership is required. The
parties need to help each other educate their constituents and the community at large about the need for
a new kind of relationship and what it entails operationally. The Union agrees to make a special effort to
communicate the need for this kind of change to its Building Representatives and to monitor and maintain
steady encouragement of progress. The Superintendent agrees to do the same with Principals/Headmasters
and other key administrators.
9
Article III
School-Based Management
and Shared Decision-Making
A. Governing Philosophy
The Committee, the Union, and the Superintendent agree that the school site is the appropriate place
for most decision-making affecting the education of children in that school. The parties also agree that the
best quality decisions at the local level are likely to result from the process of shared decision-making.
The purpose of shared decision-making is to create a climate in the schools where the faculty,
parents, administration, students (at the high school level), and other community participants working
together share the responsibility and accountability for school improvement, better student performance,
increased satisfaction among professional educators, greater involvement by and with parents, and stronger
support from the community.
The parties recognize that the overriding goal of school-based management and shared decision
making is to improve the quality of our public schools and the instruction and learning of our students.
The parties agree that Principals and Headmasters are the educational leaders at the school site. The
building administrator is a key person in creating the environment necessary to bring about positive change.
The Principal or Headmaster shares with teachers and parents (and students at the high school level) through
their representatives on the School Site Council the responsibility to create an environment where learning
and teaching are enhanced.
The parties recognize that the most important interactions affecting student performance take place
daily between teachers and students. Teachers, therefore, must be given a shared voice in decisions at the
school site. The parties recognize that with this increased role in the decision-making process the teachers at
the school site assume more responsibility and accountability for the success of the school.
The parties recognize that parental involvement is essential in achieving educational success for
students. Therefore, parents shall also be given a voice in decisions at the school site.
The parties realize that to achieve effective shared decision making at the school level a signicant
restructuring of schools must occur, and the parties agree to work cooperatively in an effort to bring about
these necessary changes. Signicant changes in school governance, instructional practices, staff roles, and
community involvement will require a substantial commitment from the leadership of the Union, the School
Committee, and the Superintendent of Schools. The parties pledge to provide this commitment.
B. School Site Councils
1. Composition
(a) Represented Groups
Each Boston public school shall elect a School Site Council for the purposes enumerated in this
Article. Members of a School Site Council should be elected by October 15th of each year to serve until a
successor Council is elected.
The School Site Council shall be composed of the Principal/Headmaster, members of the bargaining
unit who work more than 50% of their work week at that school elected using a secret ballot from the pool of
bargaining unit members similarly qualied, parents elected by the parents of children at that school, and, in
high schools, two voting high school student members elected by the student body.
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Each school shall also elect each year alternate parent and teacher members of the School Site
Council to substitute for absent members of their group. Alternate members may also be used to ll vacancies
created by the resignation or removal of a Council member.
School Site Councils may also have associate, nonvoting members, for example additional high
school students, representatives from the business or university community, or representatives of other
employee groups in the school.
Upon formation or change in membership, each School Site Council shall report the names of its
members to the School Department.
(b) Bargaining Unit Members
(1) In General. The number of members of the bargaining unit to be elected to a School Site
Council shall be determined as follows, using enrollment gures as of October 1 of the year of
the election:
Schools with less than 30 bargaining unit members: 4, Schools with at least 31 bargaining unit
members but not more than 60 bargaining unit members: 5, Schools with 61 or more bargaining
unit members: 6.
(2) Goal of Diversity. The Union and the Committee believe that School Site Councils will be less
effective if any constituency groups are left out of the process. Therefore each represented group
should endeavor to elect individuals who are representative of the racial and ethnic and program
diversity of their constituents including Special Education and English Language Learners and
the Steering Committee will strongly encourage this.
(3) Denition. Racial groups referred to in this section include: African American/Black, Asian
American/Pacic Islander, Hispanic, Native American, and White.
(4) Election Procedures. Any racial group that constitutes at least 5% of the BTU membership at a
school site and which has candidates who run for a seat on the School Site Council shall have the
candidate with the highest number of votes seated on the Council. All other seats shall be lled
by candidates who received the highest number of votes.
If the highest vote-getting candidate from any racial group is not among the highest overall vote
getting candidates, the number of seats of the School Site Council shall be as follows: the highest
vote-getting candidate from each eligible racial group and all of the highest overall vote-getting
candidates shall be seated.
(c) Parent Members
The number of parents elected to the School Site Council shall equal the number of professional
educators, including the principal, on the Council.
(d) Change in Composition
After at least one year of operation as a shared decision-making school, a School Site Council may
change its composition with the consent of a majority of the representatives of each represented group,
except that no represented group can agree to the elimination of its representation.
(e) Rotation of Membership
At least one of the bargaining unit members and one of the parents on a School Site Council should
change each year to ensure that a growing segment of the school community develops a deeper understanding
of the shared decision-making process.
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2. Role of the School Site Council, the Personnel Subcommittee and the Instructional
Leadership Team
The parties agree that 1) the School Site Council shall remain the central governing body of the
school under the school-based management/shared decision making model; 2) the Instructional Leadership
Team is an advisory body to the principal/headmaster on issues related to teaching, learning, assessment,
and professional development; and 3) the decisions of the Personnel Subcommittee are not subject to the
approval of the School Site Council.
(a) The Role of the School Site Council shall be:
• to review and approve the Whole School Improvement Plan within guidelines established by the
Superintendent
• to approve the budget for discretionary school materials, supplies, textbooks and equipment,
including the use of school improvement award funds
• to develop and approve plans for increasing parent involvement in the school
• to approve waivers
• to review and approve recommendations of the Instructional Leadership Team that will have
a major effect on the school community. Such recommendations need not be forwarded to the
School Site Council unless they are endorsed by the principal/headmaster
• to review and approve recommendations from any other committee or group that is established to
recommend changes that will have a major effect on the school community
• to receive information about all outside programs or outside professionals that come into the
school
• to review and comment on the entire school budget, including the General Fund and External
Funds budgets, in a timely fashion. Upon written request, school site council members shall be
provided with written or electronic copies of school budgets.
(b) The Role of the Personnel Subcommittee of the School Site Council shall be:
• to approve the hiring of new BTU teachers’ bargaining unit staff and in-transfer of BTU teachers’
bargaining unit staff from other schools in the system and the choice of teachers from the excess
pools
• to approve the selection of Lead Teachers, Mentor Teachers, and new athletic coaches
• to determine the schedule and procedures for reviewing candidates for positions
(c) The Role of the Instructional Leadership Team:
• An Instructional Leadership Team shall be established at each school and shall be a representative
body of the professional staff at the school. It shall be composed of administrators and teachers
from the various grade levels, disciplines, and programs of the school.
• The Team shall serve as an advisory board to the principal/headmaster on issues related to
teaching, learning, assessment and professional development.
• It shall be the responsibility of the principal/headmaster to give a report each month to the School
Site Council on the activities of the Instructional Leadership Team.
• Any recommendation of the ILT that alters the Whole School Improvement Plan or may have a
major effect on the school community and which is supported by the principal/headmaster shall
be subject to the approval of the School Site Council before being implemented.
• Each Principal/Headmaster will create a description of the process for composing the ILT,
communicate the process to staff, and take the process to the SSC for input; Where ILT members
are compensated, the process shall include a job description.
Each School Site Council is responsible for nding ways to implement the intent of the provisions
governing school-based management in ways that do not violate outstanding court orders or state and federal
laws and regulations.
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C. Shared Decision-Making
1. Orientation Program
The Steering Committee will be responsible for maintaining an orientation program on school-based
management and shared decision-making for presentation to all new employees of the School Department,
interested parents, and high school students.
2. Operation of the School Site Council
(a) General Policy
The parties expect the members of a School Site Council to operate as a single decision-making
team, not as a group of spokespersons representing constituent groups. Their role is to work together to nd
good solutions to educational problems confronting the school. Members are chosen from various groups to
insure that decisions reect the expertise and input of important affected groups.
(b) Voting
Formally, decisions of a School Site Council will be by majority vote with the Principal/Headmaster
voting with the majority. The Principal/Headmaster may not delegate his or her vote except in emergency
situations. The Principal/Headmaster is required to account in writing and in person (at a subsequent meeting)
for any vote in contravention of a majority of the Council. In the event that a school has no sitting or acting
Principal/Headmaster, the appropriate Cluster Leader or his or her designee shall be substituted.
(c) Monitoring of School Site Council Operation
The Steering Committee may request that School Site Councils provide information on the dates of
School Site Council meetings and who attended.
The Steering Committee will monitor the operation of School Site Councils and may recommend
action to deal with Councils that do not operate in compliance with the terms of this collective bargaining
agreement or where Councils are frequently unable to reach decisions by consensus, or where the principal/
headmaster repeatedly exercises a veto over the votes of a majority of council members.
To accomplish this monitoring role, the Steering Committee will establish a subcommittee for the
purpose of reviewing and responding to complaints arising from schools that SBM/SDM is not implemented
in accordance with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The subcommittee will consist of
two members of the Steering Committee appointed by the BTU President, two members of the Steering
Committee appointed Superintendent, two parent members of the Steering Committee appointed by CPC
and two student members appointed by BSAC.
A notice of all actions taken by the School Site Councils will be distributed to all BTU Building
Representatives, the President of the Faculty Senate, and to the Chairs of the Parent and Student Councils,
within ve school days following a council meeting.
Any member of a School Site Council may le a complaint with his Steering Committee concerning
the operation SBM/SDM at his/her school. All such complaints will be forwarded to the subcommittee that
shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint within ve days and place the matter on the agenda of the next
Steering Committee meeting. A recommendation by the Subcommittee on any complaint must be reported
to the Steering Committee no later than the second Steering Committee meeting following receipt of the
complaint.
It is expected that complaints submitted to this Subcommittee should involve serious breaches of the
established guidelines for the implementation of SBM/SDM and that there has been a good faith effort at the
school level to resolve these problems prior to ling the complaint.
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Recommendations from the Subcommittee must be voted on by the full Steering Committee and such
recommendations may include, but are not limited to, providing the services of a mediator/facilitator, calling
for new Council elections for all or a portion of the School Site Council members, urging the Superintendent
to send a letter of reprimand, if appropriate, or calling for the replacement of a building administrator.
(d) Elections and Meetings
Elections for new School Site Council members shall be conducted as early in the school year as
possible, and a rst meeting of the new council shall be held no later than October 31
st
.
At this rst meeting a calendar of the meetings for the school year shall be established and any
change to that calendar must be approved by the Site Council with at least one week’s notice to all staff and
parents.
The “out-going” School Site Council shall continue to meet and conduct the business of the Council
until such time as the “new” Council holds its rst meeting of the school year.
(e) Voting by Alternate Members
Alternate members of a School Site Council shall be voting members of the Council at meetings
where their presence is necessary to have a quorum.
Provided that the alternative members of the School Site Council are not available, a teacher,
parent, and student representatives on the personnel subcommittee may designate temporary replacement
representatives to the personnel subcommittee. Before the summer recess, personnel subcommittee members
who will be representing the teachers, parents and students shall leave contact information with school
leaders, who will contact participants prior to the hiring or interviewing of any teacher applicants.
(f) Quorum Requirements
To constitute a quorum of members at a School Site Council meeting, the Principal/Headmaster must
be present as well as at least two teachers and two parents for site councils with 9 to 12 members, or three
parents and three teachers for site councils with 13 or more members.
(g) Bylaws
Each Council shall be required to pass bylaws to govern its School Site Council. The bylaws must be
approved or amended by two-thirds of the members of the bargaining unit in the school eligible to vote for
the School Site Council and by two-thirds of the parents who come to a parent meeting. There must be at least
two weeks’ notice for the parent meeting. The bylaws may be approved the same night that elections are held.
Copies of the bylaws will be distributed to all members at the rst meeting of each newly elected council.
The by-laws must at least include provisions which address the following matters:
– How will elections be held?
– When will meetings be held?
– What are the notice procedures for announcing meetings?
– Who is responsible for co-chairing the Council and for recording minutes?
– What is the system for selecting alternates who have the same racial identity as the members they
would be representing?
– What are the terms of ofce and how will they be staggered?
– What is the policy in regard to members who fail to attend regularly?
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(h) Agenda
Any member of a School Site Council may place an item on the agenda so long as it is within the
scope of authority of the School Site Council.
(i) Co-chairs
There shall be co-chairpersons of all School Site Councils. The co-chairs shall be the Principal/
Headmaster and one other voting member elected by the Site Council.
(j) Minutes
A notice of all actions taken by the School Site Councils will be distributed to all BTU Building
Representatives and the President of the Faculty Senate within ve school days following a council meeting.
(k) Information
All available information concerning the school budget and/or any other matter over which the
School Site Council has authority must be shared with members of the School Site Council at least ve
school days before they are expected to vote on these issues.
3. Training
The BPS and BTU agree to offer training to all School Site Council members.
The BTU shall provide adequate facilities and materials for this training. The training should be
a shared responsibility between the BPS and the BTU, and the School Department shall allocate $50,000
annually for the training of School Site Council members. Upon request, the School Department shall
provide the BTU, CPC, and BSAC with a list of all School Site Council members.
4. Scope of Authority
(a) Compliance with Law
In managing a school, the School Site Council must comply with all applicable federal and state laws,
regulations, and court orders, unless the school has sought and received a proper waiver from appropriate
authorities. Absent such a waiver, the Superintendent shall have the power to order specic measures at the
school site to enforce such compliance. The School Department and the Union will cooperate through the
Steering Committee in aggressively seeking appropriate approvals or waivers of state or federal policies or
regulations or to seek statutory change to allow at least a demonstration project.
The actions of a School Site Council must also adhere to the standard of sound educational policy
equitably applied to all students. Consistent with her or his statutory responsibilities, it is ultimately up to
the Superintendent, in consultation with the Steering Committee, to determine what is inequitable or clearly
beyond the bounds of sound educational policy.
This section serves to limit the application of sections (b) through (d) below. Any decision under this
section to disallow the action of a School Site Council shall be reported to the Steering Committee.
(b) Discretionary Powers
To the greatest extent possible, decisions affecting the educational process at an individual school
shall be made at the school level. Where a decision cannot be made at that level, schools should be free to
communicate their views and concerns related to that decision to the relevant decision-maker. School Site
Councils shall have primary authority to make decisions affecting those matters listed in Section III(B)(2)
above.
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(c) SchoolStafng
Decisions on the voluntary in-transfer of teachers, the hiring of new teachers for “real” vacancies, and
consistent with the terms of the current contract the choice of teachers from the excess pool will be made by a
Subcommittee of the School Site Council composed of two teachers, one parent, one student in high schools
and the Principal/Headmaster, with a majority required for decision and with the Principal/ Headmaster
voting with the majority. Teacher and parent representatives on this subcommittee may designate temporary
replacement representatives appropriate to the position being lled.
In addition to permanent teachers who apply for transfer, a School Site Council may consider a
provisional teacher with a letter of reasonable assurance for a position which appears on the transfer list and
that the provisional currently holds within that school.
Decisions on the voluntary in-transfer of teachers may be made without regard to teacher seniority. In
the event that the School Site Council is unable to reach a decision, the contract provisions in effect prior to
the universal implementation of shared decision-making school-based management shall apply.
After interviewing candidates for a vacancy at a school that results from the transfer process, or if
a vacancy at a school occurs after the completion of the regular transfer process, a school may choose to
advertise or re-advertise the position.
BTU members on the School Site Council shall select the BTU representatives to serve on any
screening committee convened to make recommendations for permanent appointments to administrative
positions within the school consistent with screening committee guidelines and policies distributed by the
School Department.
(d) Waivers
A School Site Council may waive any provision of this Agreement or any School Committee rule or
regulation or Superintendent’s policy provided that:
(1) The Principal/Headmaster approves the waiver;
(2) The school’s Parent Council approves the waiver (in the case of School Committee rules or
regulations or Superintendent’s policies);
(3) At least 66 2/3% of the members of the bargaining unit who work more than 50% of their work
week at that school and who are present and voting approve the waiver; such vote shall be conducted by the
Union representative using a secret ballot after ve (5) days’ notice to all those eligible to vote;
(4) No waiver vote may alter any bargaining unit member’s salary and benets, seniority rights
involving transfer, excessing, or layoff procedures, due process rights, or right to le a grievance, nor the
Union’s jurisdiction; and
(5) No waiver vote may affect the operation of another school or incur costs to the School Department
beyond the school’s allocated budget without the approval of the School Department;
(6) The Steering Committee shall be notied in writing of all waivers within ve (5) days of their
adoption.
In particular, a School Site Council may waive provisions of this Agreement and School Committee
or Superintendent’s policies and regulations that involve:
– Timing and length of the school day and year, consistent with clause (5) above (for example, a
school might propose to meet from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.);
– Amount of time a teacher spends teaching each week;
16
– Class size (some classes involving less intensive supervision might exceed the class size maxima
to permit more intensive staff involvement with students in other areas);
– Number, time, and place of teacher-parent meetings;
– Number, use, and scheduling of In-Service, planning, professional development, and other staff
meetings;
– Number, use, and scheduling of planning and development and administrative periods;
– Non-teaching duties teachers are required to perform;
– Curriculum;
– Timing of report cards;
– Testing;
– Record-keeping and paperwork requirements;
– Attendance policies;
– Graduation requirements;
– Student discipline codes; and
– Any other provision, policy, or regulation whose waiver is approved by the Steering Committee.
A school seeking permission from the Steering Committee to waive some provision of this
Agreement or of a School Committee or School Department policy should be prepared to explain concretely
their proposed alternative approach, the educational needs motivating the change, and in the case of a policy
waiver, how that approach will meet the educational interests motivating the present policy.
If a teacher at a school waiving a provision of this contract as described above objects to the impact of
that waiver on his or her job responsibilities, he or she shall be afforded an opportunity to transfer to another
position in the system without loss of seniority or benets. The implementation of any such waiver shall be
delayed until such transfer opportunity has been provided or the impact of the waiver on this teacher has
been eliminated. Any dispute arising out of the provisions of this paragraph shall be referred to the Steering
Committee for resolution and shall not be arbitrable, provided that the Steering Committee reaches a decision
on the matter within 30 days.
D. Pilot Schools
The Boston Public Schools and the Boston Teachers Union are sponsoring the establishment of
innovative pilot schools within the Boston Public School system. The purpose of establishing pilot schools is
to provide models of educational excellence that will help to foster widespread educational reform throughout
all Boston Public Schools. The parties hope to improve dramatically the educational learning environment
and thereby improve student performance.
There will be up to six pilot schools in the 1995-96 school year and in subsequent years, unless both
parties agree to establish more.
Pilot Schools will be open to students in accordance with the Boston Public Schools controlled choice
plan. Pilot Schools will operate with an average school-based per pupil budget, plus a startup supplement,
and will have greatly increased decision-making authority, including exemptions from all Union and School
Committee work rules. The actual establishment of such schools will be pursuant to the issuing of Requests
for Proposals (RFP). The RFP will be developed and reviewed by the BPS/BTU Steering Committee. No
pilot school shall be established without the approval of the Joint BTU/BPS Steering Committee and the
School Committee.
Teachers, paraprofessionals, nurses, guidance counselors, substitutes, and all other employees at pilot
schools who fall under the jurisdiction of the BTU contract throughout the school system will be members of
the appropriate BTU bargaining unit. These employees shall accrue seniority in the system and shall receive,
at a minimum, the salary and benets established in the BTU contract.
Employees in pilot schools will be required to work the full work day/work year as prescribed by
the terms of the individual pilot school proposal. Further, they shall be required to perform and work in
accordance with the terms of the individual pilot school proposal.
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All BTU members who apply for positions at pilot schools shall receive the following information
at the time of their application:
• the length of the school day and school year;
• the amount of required time beyond the regular school day;
• any additional required time during the summer or school vacations; and
• any other duties or obligations beyond the requirements of the BTU contract.
BTU members who are employed at a pilot school shall receive, prior to the end of the school year,
the same information as stated above.
The Governing Board of each pilot school shall develop an internal appeals process to allow any
staff member to raise issues, concerns, or problems. The internal appeals process shall be submitted to the
Joint BTU/BPS Steering Committee for approval. The internal appeals process shall be provided in writing
to all BTU staff members.
Issues not resolved at the school level may go to mediation under Article X-C of this agreement.
Final resolution will be made by the Superintendent of Schools and the President of the Boston Teachers
Union.
The School Department will be allowed to open two new schools as pilot schools. Further, the
parties agree to engage in a collaborative effort to establish, during the life of the contract, a pilot alternative
secondary school with a minimum capacity of 200 students.
Employees shall work in Pilot Schools on a voluntary basis and may excess themselves on or before
February 1
st
. No BTU member may be laid off as a result of the existence of Pilot Schools.
The specications for the RFP on Pilot Schools is agreed to by the parties and is hereby incorporated
by reference.
Pilot school positions will be posted on the BPS web page.
E. Pilot School Agreement
1. The parties agree that a minimum number of seven pilot schools, provided there are sufcient
proposals to consider, will be created through September 09 under this agreement. The new Pilot schools
may result from conversions, newly created schools, and/or charter schools that opt to become pilot schools.
There shall be a union-sponsored, teacher-run pilot school at the site of the Thompson Middle School,
effective 9/2009 or as soon as the Thompson building is available for such use. This school shall be run
exclusively by the BTU bargaining unit members on staff. This pilot at the Thompson shall be counted as
one of the seven schools. Nothing described in this paragraph shall supersede the Contract language found
in Article III D, specically, the language that gives the BTU president or superintendent veto power over
any particular pilot school.
2. The parties agree that a teacher work year schedule (including length of work year, length of
work day, professional development time in and out of school, and summer work) shall be created by the
Governing Board and shall be given to affected staff no later than January 15 of the previous school year. By
a 66 2/3% vote, affected BTU Bargaining Unit Staff may vote to override the proposed schedule, sending
it back to the Governing Board for possible re-working. If a schedule for an upcoming school year has not
been approved by February 15
th
, the previous year’s schedule shall remain in place. Staff wishing to excess
may do so on February 1
st
. If, after the start of the school year, the Governing Board of a pilot school wishes
to change the teacher work year schedule, as referenced in sentence 1 of this paragraph, the change must be
approved by a 66 2/3rds vote of the affected BTU Bargaining Staff. The following paragraph, currently found
in Article III D of the 2002-2006 CBA, shall be deleted: “Nothing in this agreement shall prevent pilot school
governing bodies from making changes to their programs and schedules during the year.”
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3. Bargaining Unit members who work in a pilot school shall get paid at the contractual hourly rate
for hours scheduled in accordance with the above paragraph as follows: For all hours scheduled in excess of
the traditional teacher work day and year (as mentioned in the rst sentence in section 2) for their respective
school levels (elementary 6:30 per day; secondary 6:40 per day) of 183 days and 18 hours, the following
schedule shall be in effect:
a) Starting school year 2019-2020, excess hours up to 46 per school year shall not be compensated.
Compensation for hours from 46 to 145 shall be paid by the school department. Compensation for hours
beyond 145 will be the responsibility of the individual pilot school.
b) The parties agree to adjust all agreements for current (as of 5/30/19) or former turnaround schools
to raise their payment to the following hourly rates, which will be subject to contractual increases in rates
and differentials:
9/1/21-8/31/22 9/1/22-8/31/23 9/1/23-8/31/24
$42.30 $43.78 $45.09
c) During the course of the 2019-2020 school year, BPS and the BTU will review for purposes
of making recommendations geared toward greater equity in compensation across various schools with
compensation models that operate differently than the one contemplated by the collective bargaining
agreement, including but not limited to Horace Mann charter schools, pilot schools, and innovation schools.
d) All pay, regardless of the source of funding, will be annualized and retirement worthy.
4. There shall be created Discovery Schools, after a jointly designed process. The BTU, BPE, and
the School Department shall create a committee of up to 6 people, evenly distributed, who will design and
implement an RFP process. The superintendent shall have veto power over the creation of any particular
Discovery School. It is envisioned that this program will be fully operational effective the 2007-8 school
year, but nothing herein shall prevent the establishment of a Discovery School prior to that time. Discovery
Schools shall be able to apply for the same autonomies, which could include scal and curricular autonomies,
as pilot schools and their creation shall be a joint collaboration between the BTU, BPE, and the School
Department.
5. The parties agree that there will be established an intervention process that can be invoked under
certain conditions to be established. Either party will be able to initiate an intervention process. The process
will be parallel the process as found in Article IV C of the CBA.
6. Each pilot school’s governing board shall include no less than four teachers.
7. Disputes over the interpretation or application of Article III E 3 a), shall be resolved in accordance
with the arbitration procedure, waiving all immediate steps, of the parties’ collective bargaining agreement
unless the superintendent and the union president can agree on a resolution.
8. The two Boston Horace Mann Charters, The Day and Evening Academy and the Edward M.
Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, will fall under this newly named article III E of the CBA.
9. Teachers in pilot schools must excess themselves by February 1 of a given school year. Pilot school
principals and headmasters must excess teachers by February 1 of any given school year.
F. Horace Mann Charter Schools
Effective September 1, 2021, all teachers in Horace Mann Charter Schools who work at least the
workday length of Schedule A schools shall have the schedule A rate of pay as their base pay.
BPS and the BTU agree to jointly approach the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education about increasing the rate of pay in Level 5 Schools.
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G. Local Decision-Making About a School’s Budget
The School Committee will seek to maximize the percentage of a school’s budget that is expended
by the decision of the building administrator or School Site Council and to maximize the percentage of all
central allocations — the GSP budget, the External Funds budget, the special grants — that are allocated
directly to schools and expended by decision of the school. The Steering Committee should offer suggestions
for achieving these goals and seek to measure their achievement over the course of this agreement.
H. Assessments Council
On or before a date agreed upon by BPS and BTU the parties shall establish the “Student Assessments
Council which shall be composed of 12 members: 5 appointed by the Boston Public Schools Superintendent
and 5 appointed by the Boston Teachers Union President after consultation with each other, 1 member
appointed by the Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC), and 1 member appointed by the Citywide
Parent Council. Decisions of the Council shall be made by consensus and serve as recommendations to the
Steering Committee, which will be given due consideration (deference) to all recommendations made by the
Assessment Council. The compensation, roles, and lengths of terms of members of this Council are outlined
in the Teacher Leadership Framework.
The Council shall meet quarterly and hold a public forum at least two times per calendar year for the
purpose of reporting on their work. The responsibilities of the council will be to 1) catalog and document
current (as well as any recent updates to) federal, state, and local policies that serve as parameters for
assessment recommendations that can be made by the council, 2) gather information from content experts
(central ofce administrators, school leaders, teachers, parents, and students) throughout the district regarding
the rationale for providing, supporting, and/or requiring the use of specic assessment tools, 3) identify and
observe schools (and other areas) that display a variety/range of practices in terms of using assessments to
inform instruction throughout the district and synthesize across this information; 4) make recommendations
regarding the district’s annual assessment policy guide and giving feedback on the implementation of the
policy.
I. Schools With High Needs
1. Boston Public Schools and Boston Teachers Union Joint Commission on Students and
Families Experiencing Homelessness
a. A citywide commission shall be created including at least three BTU educators appointed by the
BTU to address needs of student homeless population.
b. In school year 19-20 BPS will work to provide additional guidance to schools for utilizing
funding associated with homelessness.
c. For the life of this contract (2021-2024) the District will increase funding to support students who
are experiencing homelessness by $100,000 per year.
d. The City of Boston has demonstrated its ability to address homelessness for individuals by
focusing on the issue and bringing together public and private sector partners. The City of Boston and BPS
are partners in a pilot program to house homeless families of 1,000 students in Boston schools with plans
to scale that up at the end of the pilot period to house the families of up to 4,000 homeless students. We will
work together with the pilot partners with the goal of eliminating homelessness for families of students in
Boston schools within ve years.
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2. Hub Community Schools
a. The BPS and BTU will jointly establish and manage a process to explore the establishment of
new BPS Hub Community Schools, in addition to the Gardner Pilot Academy and the Burke High School.
A joint BPS and BTU working group inclusive of community partners will establish a shared denition of a
BPS Hub Community School. Following the work of that joint working group, BPS and the BTU will make
available to interested schools information related to the potential formation and implementation of Hub
Community School practices.
3. MentalHealthProvidersorSocialEmotionalLearningStafnginSchools
a. In SY19-20, BPS will add and post 10 licensed student facing mental health or social-emotional
learning staff positions for hire. In FY21, BPS will add and post 9 additional student facing mental health or
social-emotional learning staff for a total of 19 new staff by May 2020. Staff that could be budgeted with the
new funds purchased include:
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• School Guidance Counselors
• District Social Workers
“The Boston Public Schools will continue to maintain the districtwide ratios in effect as of
September 6, 2022, through the 2023-24 school year which shall include at least the following groups:
School Psychologists, Guidance Counselors, Social Workers, Librarians.”
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Article IV
School Assessment
A. Whole School Improvement Plans
1. Scope
Whole-school evaluation is the cornerstone of the quality assurance system in schools. It enables a
school and external supervisors to provide an account of the school’s current performance and to show to
what extent it meets school district goals. This approach provides the opportunity for acknowledging the
achievements of a school and for identifying areas that need attention.
Each school in the Boston Public School system will adopt a written Whole School Improvement
Plan each year that sets specic educational goals for the school year. The primary purpose of this plan
is to provide the leadership of each school with a process to help guide its decision-making regarding
instructional improvement and programmatic options offered to students. The development of this plan is the
responsibility of each school’s Instructional Leadership Team (ILT).
2. Approval
Each school’s proposed Whole School Improvement Plan shall be submitted to the appropriate
Deputy Superintendent. The Deputy Superintendent will either approve the plan or return it for revision.
If the plan is returned for revision, the Deputy Superintendent shall provide a written explanation of the
decision and specic recommendations for revision of the Plan. The school will then have to submit a revised
plan according to the Deputy Superintendent’s given timelines.
3. Content
The Whole School Improvement Plans are designed to enable those in schools, supervisors
and support services to identify to what extent the school is adding value to learners’ prior knowledge,
understanding and skills. The underlying philosophy of that plan should be guided and built on the following
six essentials for whole school improvement:
1) Use effective instructional practices and create a collaborative school climate to improve student
learning
2) Examine student work and data to drive instruction and professional development
3) Invest in professional development to improve instruction
4) Share leadership to sustain instructional improvement
5) Focus resources to support instructional improvement and improved student learning
6) Partner with families and community to support student learning
A. School Performance Assessment
1. Collection of Data
Careful analysis of student performance data is critical to that improvement and to developing a good
school plan. The evaluation of both qualitative and quantitative data is essential when deciding how well
a school is performing. The Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) at each school shall conduct a thorough
analysis of a wide range of data associated with leadership and management, teaching and learning and
family and community engagement. Through this process, the ILT is encouraged to have staff, parents and
the school community reect on the effectiveness of existing school policies and practices. The range of
performance related data may include, among other criteria:
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• MCAS scores
• Formative assessments
• Learning Walk reviews
• Samples of student work
• Collaborative Coaching and Learning inquiry
2. Annual Assessment
Schools will continue to be assessed annually. Each school will undergo a rigorous external review
by the Deputy Superintendent comparing the goals outlined in the Whole School Improvement Plan
to performance. A School whose performance is unsatisfactory may be subject to further review by the
Superintendent. The Superintendent may request a joint labor/management intervention process for those
schools that have been identied as underperforming. This Intervention Team can recommend appropriate
improvement measures, including but not limited to:
• Reassignment of some or all members of the bargaining unit and/or administration
• Reallocation of staff duties
• Additional time to attempt improvement, but not more than one year
• Intensive monitoring
• Assignment of part-time or full-time in-school specialists or consultants
• Specialized staff development
• Replacement of some or all of the leadership team including Principal-Headmaster and members
of the School Site Council.
A school’s annual assessment is not subject to a grievance by any member of the bargaining unit. A
School Site Council may request a review of an unsatisfactory assessment by the Deputy Superintendent, but
an annual assessment may be changed only by the Superintendent.
C. School Intervention Teams
The School Intervention Team will be composed of three members chosen by the Union,
three members selected by the Superintendent, and a seventh member who is jointly agreed to by the
Superintendent and the President of the Union. To the extent possible, an appropriately qualied substitute
will be assigned to cover the classes of a teacher when the teacher is working as part of a school intervention
team. This team will initiate an assessment of the reasons for the underperformance and present a remedial
plan for improvement after spending time at the school and talking with school staff, parents, and community
members. The remedial plan will be completed up to four months after the team is appointed. The plan will
then be submitted to the Superintendent for appropriate action.
D. Superintendent’s Schools
Vision
The Boston Public Schools seeks to transform low or underperforming schools to schools of
excellence through a comprehensive slate of supports, incentives, collaborations, resources, exibilities,
structural improvements, and accountability measures. These schools will be known as the Superintendent’s
Schools. All members of the community (teachers, parents, students, administrators, universities, businesses,
community groups, and neighbors) must work together to ensure that all students achieve academic success,
and that gaps in achievement dened by race, income, language and/or program are eliminated.
Core Beliefs
Boston’s plan for improving low- and underperforming schools focuses on ve core beliefs:
• All students can meet high standards of academic achievement in the Boston Public Schools.
• Quality instruction is the key factor affecting student learning.
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• Strong and effective leadership at the school site is a key component to whole school improvement.
• The district must position resources to support principals’ development as instructional leaders.
• Incentives and accountability around measurable goals at all levels must be aligned toward
improving student learning.
By embracing these ve core beliefs in all aspects of school life, by instituting policies and building
practices around these beliefs in these schools, and by building coalitions of support around these beliefs,
Boston will help build the capacity necessary to enable high student achievement in its neediest schools.
Schools become eligible to be selected as Superintendent’s School status if they meet one of two
criteria.
The school is on track to be, or has been, designated as “Chronically Under Performing” by the
Massachusetts Department of Education.
The school is on track to be, or has been, designated as “Restructuring” under the Federal No Child
Left Behind regulations.
In the rst year of this intervention, the Superintendent, under the advisement of the Boston Teachers
Union, will select up to 10 schools for this program. The Superintendent may designate ve (5) more schools
in the second year and ve (5) additional schools in the third year for this status.
Once schools lose their state or federal designation they will be removed from the list of
Superintendent’s Schools, to be replaced by another following the procedures outlined above.
Each school year, the principal or headmaster of a Superintendent’s School will have sole discretion
in lling 75% of personnel vacancies.
All teachers and staff in Superintendent Schools will be required to work one additional hour per
school day with the stipulation that a minimum of 80% of this additional time be used for direct instructional
time. The balance of the time can be used for professional development (in addition to the 50 hours),
meetings, advisory, common planning time, or class time. The specic allocation, scheduling, and content
of this additional time will be stipulated in the School Reform Plan (SRP) and must be approved of by the
Superintendent or his designee. Teachers compensation shall be paid on a pro-rata basis, annualized and
retirement worthy. Paraprofessionals will be compensated at their regular hourly rate, retirement worthy.
All teacher Individual Professional Development Plans (IPDP) and school wide professional
development plans must be submitted to and approved by the Superintendent or his designee.
The provisions found in Article V A(3)(d) “Normal Teaching Load” that limit teachers from teaching
no more than 160 minutes without a lunch break, Planning and Development Period or an administrative duty
shall be increased to 180 for Superintendent’s Schools; in addition, teachers in Superintendent’s Schools, to
accommodate the additional hour of instructional time, will be permitted to teach up to 300 minutes per day.
Teachers in Superintendent Schools receive an additional 20 hours of professional development per
year (in addition to the 30 existing required hours). The rst twelve hours can be scheduled as two days
during the week before school starts on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, or as two days scheduled on
Saturdays or other non-pupil school days. The remaining eight hours can be scheduled in the same manner
as the current eighteen hours of professional development (see Article V(E)). Teachers participating in these
twenty hours shall be compensated on a pro-rata basis on their annual salary for this additional time. The
faculty will vote to decide the schedule for the additional twenty hours. The vote will be conducted with ve
school days’ notice to staff and with using a secret ballot. The twenty hours will receive retirement credit.
Teachers will have the option of excessing themselves from a newly designated Superintendent
School by February 1 of the previous school year provided that such notice is given before the beginning of
the transfer process.
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In each Superintendent School, a Joint Labor-Management Committee (made up of 2 BTU
members, 2 chosen by the Superintendent and 1 jointly agreed upon member) will be convened to make
recommendations to the Superintendent regarding school staff. The principal or headmaster can recommend
to the Joint Committee that teachers, administrators, or other staff be reassigned from the school. The Joint
Committee shall vote on any recommendation made by the principal or headmaster to reassign any staff
member from the school. A vote in the afrmative by a simple majority shall result in the recommendation
being forwarded to the Superintendent for approval and implementation. The Joint Committee may also
make their own recommendations regarding the reassignment of additional school staff and/or the principal
or headmaster to the Superintendent for approval and implementation. The Joint Committee must make staff
reassignment recommendations to the Superintendent by January 15.
Recognizing that many of these schools are hard to staff schools, the district will offer an incentive to
encourage individuals or teams of experienced, excellent teachers to work in these schools. With additional
curricular, leadership, professional development, or other responsibilities, these teachers may receive up to
5% above their base salary.
The scheduling of Tier 2 and 3 schools is an ongoing function of the BPS. Where possible, the BPS
will attempt to accommodate a request for Superintendent’s Schools in Tier 3 to move to Tier 2 or Tier 1.
When a principal asks a teacher currently working at a superintendent’s school to ll a vacancy in
another grade at the school, and the teacher objects to the assignment, the teacher may appeal the assignment
to the BTU President and the Superintendent for resolution. Both must concur for the teacher to be reassigned.
The class size maxima in all regular education classes in Superintendent Schools shall be two
students fewer than those maxima identied Article V, Section A(1)(a).
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Article V
Stang
A. Teachers
1. Class Size
(a) The Committee and the Union recognize the desirability of achieving optimum teaching learning
conditions by assuring workable class size. To this end the Committee recognizes that it is desirable to
attempt to reach the following class size maxima:
– 12 pupils in industrial arts classes composed of special class students
To achieve these class size targets, the Committee and the Union agree that the following class size
maxima shall be in effect:
– 20 pupils in industrial classes
– 35 pupils in physical education in the middle and the high schools
– 20 pupils in Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) classes, Bilingual Classes, and ESL classes.
– The lower of 25 pupils or the number indicated in the chart below in Sheltered English Immersion
(SEI) classes, Bilingual Classes, and ESL classes in grades K2-12 with a paraprofessional.
In rooms with specic student stations (shops, typing rooms, laboratories) the number of pupils
assigned to such rooms should not exceed the number of student stations available.
An appropriate number of regular teachers shall be hired to make possible the aforementioned class
size maxima.
Class size for resource and substantially separate programs shall conform with Regulations published
by the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The class size maxima during this Agreement shall be as follows:
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Grade Class size for schools Class size for schools
BPS will endeavor to have
with an overall student with an overall student the following class size
population as of October 1 population as of targets in schools with an
with 6.5% or fewer
October 1 with more overall student population
students on IEPs than 6.5% of students as of October 1 with 25%
on IEPs or more of students on
IEPs. The maximum
will not exceed column 2.
K0 Not to exceed maximum Not to exceed maximum Not to exceed maximum
in state regulations. in state regulations. in state regulations.
K1 22 20 Not to exceed maximum
in state regulations.
K2, Grade 1 and 2 22 22 20
Grade 3-5 25 23 20
Grade 6-8 28 25 22
Grade 9-12 31 28 25
Resource Teacher 25 25 25
Caseload*
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i) During the 2022-2023 School Year, the District will conduct a review to determine the feasibility
of lowering the class sizes at the schools in Column 1. The ndings will be shared with the BTU by the end
of the 2022-2023 School Year.
ii) Effective 9/1/22 and continuing only through the end of this contract, teachers in Secondary
Schools using both licenses cannot be responsible for the testing and related reports SSC for more than l3
students on IEPs. The Inclusion Work Group will examine this issue in the rst year of its work and make
recommendations to the Superintendent.
iii) No classroom will have more than 40% of the students of the class size maxima for grade level
according to the chart above made up of students on IEPs and the number of students on IEPs will not exceed
50% of the total number of students enrolled in the class.
iv) Effective 9/1/22 and continuing only through the end of this contract for classrooms that have
more than 30% of students on IEPs of the class size maxima for grade level according to the chart above,
the classroom will be prioritized by the inclusion planning team. This can include testing support, behavioral
consultations, para support, additional educator support and/or other supports as agreed by the teacher and
the team. There will be the teacher of record and at least one of the following:
• a .5 paraprofessional and/or
• a .5 special education teacher who conducts testing and provides related reports and modications
as needed and/or
• an additional educator who provides direct services support to students in the classroom and/or
• appropriate educational solution as agreed upon by the teacher and the team
In addition, the district commits to further explore and potentially implement the other types of
supports that may be needed for classrooms with more than 30% of students on IEPs of the class size maxima
for grade level according to the chart above.
v) *For the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years only, the caseload for a resource teacher should
not exceed a school average of 25 students at one time per full time resource teacher. The inclusion Work
Group (IWG) will examine and make future recommendations on workload and caseload for resource
teachers. Recommendations will be made to the Superintendent on or before December 1, 2023 and the
Superintendent will then determine the appropriate caseload and workload for resource teachers for the
following school years.
Students who were in a school in the prior year will not be moved out of that school to meet class
sizes in the above table:
vi) These class size maxima may be changed up to the previous class size sizes so that certain
students may stay in their school. Two groups of students could be in this category:
1. Students who have been newly identied with a disability
2. Students who have had a change in services and need a new classroom assignment.
No new students from outside the existing schools can be placed in the classrooms above the new
maxima to “backll” those seats above the new class size maxima.
In the event the new maximum class size in the above table in column 2 is exceeded for students
already in the school, the building administrator and the classroom teacher will discuss in good faith
appropriate educational solutions. These might include the assignment of a Paraprofessional to assist the
teacher, an additional resource room teacher, an additional ESL teacher, a reduction in the teacher’s non-
teaching duties, etc. ensuring the teacher an overall average class size that is no more than 85% of the
maximum, and similar measures. If no appropriate educational solution is agreed upon and provided within
30 school days, a stipend per additional student will be provided to the teacher as follows:
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Teachers who teach the same students for the entire day $2,500 (indexed to rates and differentials)
starting 9/l/23 /additional student/school year. If two teachers each teach the same group of students for
alternating halves of the day, they split the stipend. If two teachers each teach the same group of students for
a portion of the day, the stipend is prorated accordingly.
Teachers who teach individual courses - $500 (indexed to rates and differentials) starting 9/1/23 per
additional student per school year. If a teacher teaches an individual course that is a double-length period, he/
she receives $1,000 per additional student per school year.
(b) Effective September 1, 2001
In elementary schools where there is only one regular education class in a grade level, the School
Department may exceed the class size maxima by one or two students. For one student over the class size
maxima the teacher will receive $1,500 and for two students $3,000.
In secondary schools where there is a singular regular education course offering, the School
Department may exceed the class size maxima by one or two students. For one student in excess, the teacher
will receive $300 per class and for two students, $600 per class.
Compensation under this section will be on a pro-rata basis and will be subject to retirement
deductions.
(c) No compensation shall be owed for class size grievances resolved within fteen school days of
the ling of the grievance.
(d) In the event the maximum class size is exceeded, the building administrator and the classroom
teacher will discuss in good faith appropriate educational solutions. These might include the assignment of a
Para-professional to assist the teacher, a reduction in the teacher’s non-teaching duties, insuring the teacher
an overall average class size that is no more than 85% of the maximum, and similar measures. Ultimately,
the classroom teacher may insist that the class size maximum be enforced.
(e) Caseloads
The maximum caseloads for “non-classroom” personnel shall be as follows:
Speech/Language Pathologists - Speech and language pathologists shall have a maximum average
annual system wide caseload of one pathologist to forty-three (43) assigned students. The maximum
individual caseload shall not exceed fty-ve (55). Effective 9/1/07, the BPS will increase its allocation of
speech and language therapists by a net number of 2 in each year of the collective bargaining agreement that
expires on August 31, 2010 for a total of six (6).
Occupational Therapists - Occupational therapists shall have a maximum average annual system
wide caseload of one occupational therapist to thirty-four (34) assigned students. The maximum individual
caseload shall not exceed forty-ve (45). Effective 9/1/07, the BPS will increase its allocation of occupational
therapists by a net number of three in each year of the Agreement that expires on August 31, 2010 for a total
of nine (9).
Effective 9/1/07, BPS maintains exibility to contract as needed in order to address compliance,
caseload, leave, vacancies and any other unanticipated need not met by the stafng model in the preceding
two paragraphs.
Physical Therapists - Physical therapists shall have a maximum average annual system wide
caseload of one physical therapist to thirty-two (32) assigned students. The maximum individual caseload
shall not exceed forty (40).
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Guidance Counselors - The citywide ratio of Guidance Counselors shall be 1:300 (high schools);
1:400 (middle schools); and 1:250 (bilingual).
Nurses - The system wide ratio of school nurses to students shall be 1 to 700. No nurse will be
assigned to more than two schools. In the 2007-2008 school year the School Committee shall add 0.5 Nurses
for each exam school.
A joint union/management committee for Unied Student Services will establish a review for
itinerants who believe they have inequitable caseloads.
During the course of the 2012-2013 school year, the Committee will add six full-time nurses to
the current allotment of nurses and shall maintain such complement of nurses through August 31, 2016.
The Committee will designate these six (6) full-time nurses as “coverage nurses” and the Ofce of Special
Education and Student Services shall deploy coverage nurses to address students’ needs in the District
including, but not limited to covering for school-based nurses who are absent and supplementing current
nursing services.
Social Workers - No later than the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, the Committee shall
add eight (8) social workers and shall maintain such complement of social workers through August 31, 2016.
Psychologists - Starting in school year 2020-2021, if a workload model has not yet been agreed
upon, BPS will maintain a maximum average system wide ratio of 1 school psychologist per 700 students
enrolled in BPS schools. This will result in hiring an additional 4 FTEs for the life of the contract (2018-2021)
over the number employed in 2018-19.
Each School Psychologist who has performed Tier 3 Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) since
September 1, 2016 when the Behavior Specialist positions were eliminated, must be provided compensation
at the contractual hourly rate for all time spent on Tier 3 FBAs from that date until the present. This will be
limited to the list of individuals and hours presented at arbitration for a total of $13,068 to be divided amongst
those individuals. School psychologists will perform functional behavior assessments when needed going
forward.
Transition to Workload Model - A joint Labor/Management Taskforce will be established (with
3 members from the BPS and 3 members from the BTU; experts may be invited at the agreement of the
taskforce) with a dened meeting schedule to develop and rene a formula which will be used to establish
workload assignment for SLPs, OTs, PTs, TODs, TVIs, APEs and Psychologists. Effective with the 2019
2020 school year, the joint labor taskforce will agree upon pilot workload program(s) to be established within
related service providers and/or behavioral health specialists. The Taskforce will consider FBAs as part of
the overall workload, The program(s) shall be reviewed on an ongoing basis by the joint committee and may
be expanded to include all providers as agreed by the parties. If after the pilot, both BTU and BPS mutually
agree to implement the model, it may replace individual caseload maxima.
The joint labor management committee for related service providers and behavioral health specialists
will develop and facilitate a process for reviewing and remediating the caseloads of individual service
providers who believe their caseload is inequitable or unmanageable.
2. Commitment to Inclusive Education
Vision
Inclusion is fully delivered when all students are educated in the least restrictive environment and are
provided access to a full continuum of services that meet their individualized and special needs. Inclusion is
not a place or a program. All classrooms in the Boston Public Schools must be inclusive.
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Inclusive practice refers to the instructional and behavioral strategies that improve academic and
social-emotional outcomes for all students, with and without disabilities, in general education settings. The
parties are committed to increasing inclusive practices and opportunities for all students regardless of their
level of need.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students with disabilities
are educated in the least restrictive environment with specially designed instruction, given appropriate
supports necessary to implement their IEP and make effective progress on their IEP goals, in light of their
circumstances. It is our belief that all students should be full and accepted members of the school community
and students with disabilities placement should rst consider the right to be educated in the general education
setting alongside their typically developing peers. Effective inclusive education requires a high level of
collaboration among general education, special education, related service providers and support staff to
implement and model an inclusive community.
Every student in BPS is a general education student rst. We also share a common belief that the
achievement and opportunities of our students is our collective responsibility. We also agree that we will
follow all federal and state statutes, regulations, and guidelines with regard to special education
Transition to an Inclusive District
For all schools, BPS agrees to at least maintain the existing inclusion class stafng and class size
ratios (which may be contained in the 2018-2021 CBA, the 2018 inclusion settlement, or another agreement
or established past practice in schools) until such time as the new inclusive class designs are implemented.
Nothing in this agreement shall affect the current inclusion model at the Henderson School unless
and until such a time as the parties agree upon and implement a new inclusive class design at that school.
Teacher Input
(a) IEP Meetings
• All decisions regarding IEPs will be made through the team process consistent with state and
federal law. All teacher bargaining unit members who support a student with disabilities will
be invited to attend team meetings. To the extent available, the District will provide classroom
coverage for teachers who attend IEP team meetings.
(b) Inclusion Planning Teams
• All schools are required to have an Inclusion Planning Team which will work in conjunction
with the Instructional Leadership Team. Year one will be planning and initial implementation.
Years two and three will be to support implementation. At the conclusion of School Year 2024-
2025 or conclusion of their planning year and two years of implementation, the charge of the
inclusion planning team may shift to include ongoing support for building a strong inclusive
community.
• BTU members elected on to the Inclusion Planning Team will receive up to two full days of
substitute coverage for the Team to conduct walk-throughs, class observations, meet, plan and
address concerns.
• BTU members elected on to the Inclusion Planning Team may use up to ve (5) hours to
address concerns brought to the Team. The school leader will determine which contractual
professional development hours, not to exceed ve (5) hours in the aggregate, can be substituted
for Inclusion Planning Team work.
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• BTU members of the school-site inclusion planning teams shall be chosen by the school’s eligible
BTU members. BTU members who serve on the inclusion planning team shall be compensated
at the contractual hourly rate for additional meetings outside of their regular work day and work
year for up to 15 per school year. Where a school has a full or part-time position allocated to lead
on inclusive practices (coach, coordinator, etc.), that person shall facilitate the team. At least 50%
of the committee must be BTU members.
• The inclusion planning team will be charged with making recommendations to the School Site
Council or Governing Board on the following:
• Planning and Implementation, including:
• Professional Development
• Culture and mindset building
• Scheduling
• Stafng
• Communicating structures, relationship and protocols with school based SST/MTSS
systems
• Reviewing the class composition and stafng models in the School
• The Inclusion Planning Team may select a representative to participate in the portions of the
meeting that don’t involve decisions on individual staff.
• Submitting recommendations to the annual meeting between the school team and district
ofce team to review stafng for the upcoming school year.
• The ILT and/or Inclusion Planning Team will provide ongoing maintenance/assessment of
inclusive practices:
i) Assessing the successes and challenges
ii) Soliciting and considering stakeholder voices and experiences
iii) Advising the school leadership on gaps and needs in stafng and other resources
Support for Planning Teams:
• The district shall create and maintain a handbook of processes, protocols, and templates, including
guidance on class composition and appropriate stafng, as well as training opportunities to
support school-based inclusion planning teams.
(c) Academic Supports
Commitment
• The district is committed to ensuring that all students have the needed academic support within the
MTSS framework.
• The district shall maintain and publish an MTSS menu of supports updated no less than annually.
Supports for the Teacher of Record
Teacher of record - The teacher of record for the purposes of the language below is dened as the
classroom teacher who is assigned the student for each portion of the day. In an elementary school, this
most often is a general education homeroom teacher. In a secondary school, this most often refers to the
subject matter teacher for each student period. This also refers to primary teachers in dual language and SEI
classes. The language in the section does not refer to teachers of record who are working with students in
substantially separate classes or teachers of record in day schools.
The teacher of record, in collaboration with other educators and service providers, is responsible
for all outcomes of students in their class. For students with IEPs, the teacher of record will provide the
appropriate instruction for core curriculum frameworks for all students.
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The teacher of record is responsible for the general education curriculum and providing
accommodations. The teacher of record will collaborate with special education teachers or related service
providers to ensure that the requirements in students’ IEPs are met, such as curricular modications, behavior
support and direct instruction along with related services.
Classrooms will be staffed to meet the requirements of students’ IEPs. The parties recognize that
dual/triple licensure will not be considered as a sole service delivery model and that models including at
least two educators should be considered rst to meet requirements in students’ IEPs in the least restrictive
environment. The parties recognize that an educator with a second license in special education or ESL does
not extinguish the District’s obligation to provide support from other educators that are required in students’
IEPs and/or for the benet of specialized instruction and ESL services. Teachers will comply with state and
federal laws regarding condential student information in raising concerns to their union. Should the union
contend that necessary services are not being provided as required by the students’ IEPs, then the union may
elevate its concerns to the Inclusion Planning Team. Should the union contend that the concerns have not
satisfactorily been resolved by the Inclusion Planning Team, the union may further elevate the concerns to
the Inclusion Working Group whose disposition will be nal, in writing and binding provided it conforms to
the requirements in state and federal laws and regulations regarding special education and English language
learners. The School Committee’s Inclusion Working Group will meet at least 10 times over the course of
the academic year to review these concerns and have a response by the next meeting. The Inclusion Planning
Team and the Inclusion Working Group shall not have access to condential student information.
Common planning time for consultation and co-teaching is essential. On-going PD is also important.
BPS may create school-based or centrally deployed positions such as coach, specialist, facilitator,
director or coordinator focused on supporting and implementing inclusion and building the MTSS framework
at one or more schools. Where applicable, these may be members of the BTU teachers bargaining unit with
pay and working conditions equivalent to an instructional coach. This person may facilitate the school’s
inclusion planning team.
• Where this is a hybrid role, non-leadership responsibilities shall be spent in direct service to
students unless it is not a BTU position.
• Notwithstanding other provisions of this contract to the contrary the person holding this position,
shall not serve as an evaluator for BTU members.
• BPS is committed to providing educators to provide academic interventions (e.g., resource teachers,
ESL teachers, tier 2 interventionists, etc.) consistent with the needs of their students at their school.
• These educators will be responsible for providing academic services within the MTSS framework
and will deliver services directly to students consistent with SST and IEP team recommendations.
(See allocation note below)
• The district will establish and maintain a phone number for Special Education that will provide an
opportunity for anonymous reporting of special education concerns and/or violations.
• For a 1.0 teacher classroom where the teacher is using three licenses, two of which are special
education and ESL, ESL services for EL students will be provided by an ESL teacher who is not
the teacher of record, or Special Ed Services will be provided by a special ed teacher who is not the
teacher of record, unless the teacher agrees and is provided a stipend of 45 minutes per day at the
contractual hourly rate.
• When a student with an IEP transitions within the Boston Public Schools from elementary school to
middle school or from middle school to high school, the receiving school will provide a person to
meet with the sending school team when they are preparing IEPs.
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(d) Staff Training
• All staff must participate in professional development so that the entire district can move forward
with a common understanding of how we are structuring special education services. This would
include specialized training for Coordinators of Special Education, but also include all staff, school
leaders, related service providers, school psychologists and special and general education teachers.
• Schools are encouraged to use the additional time outlined in Article V E. 1. (a) 11. for purposes of
professional development related to inclusion. The 10 hours outlined in Article V E .1. (a) 11. may
be extended to 12 hours for the purposes of inclusion training (similar to the DOJ ESL training).
For the planning year and rst year of implementation only, this time may be scheduled by the
principal, or head of school - but that time must be contiguous with the work day or school year, and
those hours may be conducted in person or virtually at the discretion of the school leader. For the
school year 2022-2023, this time will be scheduled by the start of the school year, and the schedule
must be approved by the majority of the educators impacted. For the 2023-2024 school year, the
time will be scheduled by the end of the 2022-2023 school year and be approved by a vote of the
majority of educators impacted. If the administrator and the faculty fail to agree on a professional
development schedule, the twelve hours shall be added to the end of the school year. In any case
where an educator’s pro-rata rate is lower than the contractual hourly rate, the educator shall be paid
at the contractual hourly rate for these hours.
• Paraprofessionals shall be invited to participate in the professional development and may volunteer
to do so and be compensated at their regular rate.
(e) Planning Time
• We know that teacher planning and preparation is critical. Whenever possible, we will work to ensure
that teachers of record and the teachers as dened in Article I H. have time to unit and lesson plan
collaboratively, including for accommodations and modications to ensure students have full access
to the curriculum.
• At middle and high school level schools, teachers who volunteer to be liaison teachers will gather
information and input from the other regular education teachers to bring to that meeting. They may
use two of their administrative periods to perform this task.
• If practicable in the school schedule, teachers who meet the requirements for student IEPs, using
both a general education or ESL license and special education license will be afforded one additional
48-minute period per week for special education paperwork, in addition to pre-existing contractual
P&D and CPT time. If the period is not available, the teacher can be compensated for up to 48
minutes per week.
(f) Allocation Note Regarding Allocation of Academic Interventionists
• These new academic interventionists (e.g. resource teacher, ESL teacher, coach, specialist, facilitator,
director or coordinator, etc. focused on supporting and implementing inclusion and building
the MTSS framework) would, to start with, be allocated to schools in a formula-based way that
would factor in the number of students on IEPs, the number of English Language Learners and the
Opportunity Index. In addition, reading scores and the intensity of IEP services will be considered.
The parties recognize that dual/triple licensure will not be considered as a sole service delivery model
and that models including at least two educators should be considered rst to meet requirements in
students’ IEPs in the least restrictive environment and ESL services.
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(g) Inclusive Education Liaison
For school years 2022-2023 to 2026-2027, the parties will fund an Inclusive Education Liaison. The
Liaison will play a critical role in implementing our shared vision of an inclusive district. The specic job
description will be mutually agreed upon by the parties, but responsibilities will include:
• Promoting labor-management collaboration in support of the vision,
• Assisting BTU members with resolving challenges, questions, or concerns related to inclusive
education and the provision of special education and ESL services.
• Serving on BPS committees or work groups related to the vision as appropriate.
• Documenting monthly progress reports to the Superintendents that highlight areas of strength and
needs improvement related to implementation,
• Communicating educator concerns and feedback to the working group
• Attend School Committee meetings as needed to be available to answer questions
The Inclusive Education Liaison will be in a position represented by the BTU and will be given
sufcient work space at the BPS central ofce to support collaboration with the BPS Ofce of Special
Education. The liaison shall be chosen by the BTU and a designee of the Ofce of the Academics,
provided the Superintendent approves the selection. The Liaison shall report to the President of the BTU
and the Superintendent or their designee. The parties shall be responsible for the payment of 50% of such
coordinator’s salary which shall be the Group 1 salary plus 10%. The Superintendent shall designate an
individual to evaluate the Liaison.
(h) Inclusion Working Group
The School Committee will form an Inclusion Working Group to monitor the progress and
implementation of inclusive education in the District. BTU will get no less than 50% of the seats on the
working group to ensure that the many roles of the BTU educators are represented (e.g. special education
teacher, paraprofessionals, varying grade levels, related service providers, COSE). The BTU President will
appoint the BTU seats and decisions will be made by majority vote of the Inclusion Working Group. Should
there be a tie vote, the school committee chair will be the tiebreaker. Votes will be announced in advance
of the meeting and all members must be present for a vote. However, the chair of the School Committee
reserves the right to allow the designation of alternates.
3. Scheduling and Teaching Load
(a) General Policy
The teaching schedule and assignments of teachers shall be determined at the school level to meet
the best interests of children. To facilitate various educational goals, including coordinated teacher planning
and professional development, and consistent with sound educational policy, the length of classes, class size,
stafng levels, and daily and weekly schedules of teachers and students need not be uniform.
Whatever master schedule (e.g., six period day, seven period day, block schedule) is in effect in a
middle or high school for the 2000-01 school year shall remain in effect in subsequent years unless a new
type schedule is approved through the waiver provisions under school-based management by a vote of 55%
of the BTU staff.
The BPS and the BTU believe that innovative learning environments can benet from innovative
scheduling options. The district, with the agreement of the BTU, will choose up to 3 schools during the 2019
20 school year to pilot innovative scheduling options in preparation for potential schedule changes in the
2020-21 school year. These three schools may pilot or adopt schedules that differ from existing restrictions
on the use of time during the school day after approval by secret ballot vote with ve days notice, of at least
66 and 2/3% of the entire assigned BTU staff who work more than 50% of their time at the school. The
schools will share information about these new models with other interested schools.
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(b) Planning and Development Periods
(1) DenitionandPurpose.“Planning and development periods” are those periods during which
a teacher is not assigned to a regularly programmed responsibility. Planning and development periods shall
be teacher directed and it is expected of teachers that these periods will be used primarily for educational
planning, team meetings, and parental contact.
(2) Elementary Teachers. All teachers in elementary schools, including specialists and itinerant
specialists, will be scheduled for four 48-minute planning and development periods per week. No teacher
shall be scheduled for more than two such periods per day.
Effective September 1, 1995, elementary teachers shall receive a 48-minute common planning
period each week.
This common planning period may be used for such purposes as common planning time; group,
cluster, or departmental planning; team teacher planning; meeting with mentor or consulting teachers;
modeling of lessons by demonstration teachers; staff meetings; parent/teacher meetings; or workshops
sponsored by the Center for Leadership Development.
Effective January 1, 2001 the weekly common planning period shall be administratively directed.
So long as SPED teachers continue to receive the SPED 96-minute administrative period, such
period shall count as two (2) planning and development periods in compliance with this section (1).
A teacher not receiving any such period will be paid 1/5 of the per diem substitute teacher rate.
(3) Middle and High School Teachers. All teachers in middle and high schools will be scheduled
for 240 planning and development minutes per week. Teachers will have planning and development time
each day and will be scheduled in blocks/periods of continuous time that are no less than 40 minutes in
duration.
(c) Administrative Periods
“Administrative periods” are those periods during which a teacher is programmed for an activity
other than teaching. “Homeroom classes” are those in which children assemble in the morning, during the
school day, and at the close of the day for administrative purposes. The time involved is of short duration.
Home room periods of other than short duration are considered administrative periods. Administrative
periods shall be distributed as widely as possible among teachers not scheduled for teaching or other duties
at a given time. Every effort shall be made to relieve a teacher of an administrative period if a teacher covers
a class during one of his or her planning and development periods.
(d) Normal Teaching Load
In order to meet the new State Requirement of 990 instructional hours per year, the maximum
teaching time at the secondary level shall be increased to 240 minutes per day. Teachers shall not be required
to teach more than 165 minutes without a lunch break, planning and development period, or an administrative
duty. Teachers shall receive a minimum of 240 minutes of planning and development time each week.
(e) Duty-Free Lunch
(1) Elementary Schools. The parties agree to provide for every elementary teacher an adequate
duty-free lunch period of at least 40 minutes. This was and shall continue to be effectuated within a teaching
day beginning at 8:30 and not extending beyond 2:30 p.m. with a 40-minute lunch period and a 15-minute
recess. Elementary teachers’ duty-free lunch will be held at regularly scheduled lunch periods.
(2) All secondary school schedules shall provide for a minimum of a twenty-ve minute duty free
lunch for teachers.
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(3) Leaving School Premises. Staff shall be permitted to leave the building during their duty-free
lunch period with the approval of the Headmaster or Principal or Assistant Principal or Teacher-in-Charge.
(f) Limits on Additional Work
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, a teacher shall not be required to be present at a
school for more than the regular working day for that level, unless they agree to do so voluntarily.
(g) Cooperating Teachers
Any teacher requested to accept a trainee shall have at least one week’s advance notice, and may
refuse.
(h) Flexible Workdays for Non-Classroom Professionals
The Headmaster/Principal can develop a exible work year or work day for Guidance Counselors,
Librarians, or any other non-classroom professional so long as the bargaining unit member agrees.
4. Relief from Non-Teaching Tasks
The parties agree that the present practice of requiring teachers to perform non-teaching tasks is
uneconomical; further it has a deteriorating effect on the vitality and effectiveness of the teacher in the
practice of his or her profession. It is therefore agreed as follows:
(a) Elementary Schools
The Committee and the Union recognize the desirability of relieving teachers of non-teaching
duties such as lunch duty, trafc duty, duplicating of materials, collecting money for purposes such as milk,
insurance, pictures and school banking. As a rst step in effectuating these principles, the parties agree that
elementary teachers shall have no bus duty before or after school.
(b) Middle Schools
A person will not be required to perform street duty where police protection is considered necessary
but it is not available. A person is not required to perform trafc patrol.
(c) Teachers relieved by school paras of administrative assignments shall not be assigned to teaching
duties in lieu of such administrative assignments.
(d) No industrial arts, vocational education, or home economics teacher shall be required to perform
work that is not part of the pupil instructional program or part of the teacher’s job duties.
Teachers are encouraged to cooperate in meeting reasonable requests made with reasonable lead time
prior to events related to school activities.
5. Teacher Assignment Procedures
(a) High and Middle Schools
(1) No later than February 1st, programming preference sheets shall be distributed to all teachers.
Programming preferences will be honored to the extent consistent with the provisions of this Agreement. All
preference sheets shall be returned by March 1st. No later than ten (10) school days prior to the end of the
school year, teachers shall be given the following information on their programs for the next school year:
– Subjects and grades of subject to be taught.
– Any special information about particular classes teachers may be required to teach and the grade
and particular type of home room.
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No later than ve (5) school days before the end of the school year, teachers should receive their total
program for the following school year, which shall include the periods and rooms where their assignments
are scheduled. Programs may be considered subject to change if necessary because of changes in subject
enrollments, faculty changes, or programming conicts. Reasons for any such change shall be given by the
Principal or Headmaster to any teacher affected. No teacher shall be required to teach out of certicate and no
teacher will teach out of certicate if it prevents others from being appointed from the rated list.
A teacher may consent to teach outside of his or her primary program area to avoid being involuntarily
excessed, provided the teacher is state certied and the assignment does not cause the layoff or prevent the
recall of another teacher.
(2) Whenever possible teacher programs should follow these guidelines:
– Teachers shall be programmed so as to have a minimum of lesson preparations. Program requests
of teachers shall be taken into consideration in determining this minimum. This policy shall be
followed especially for beginning teachers and teachers having home room classes with maximum
teaching loads.
– Teachers should be assigned to teach in their area of certication.
– There should be no more than three consecutive teaching assignments and no more than four
consecutive working assignments except for teachers normally programmed for double periods.
– The number of different rooms in which assignments occur should be kept to the absolute
minimum.
– Equitable standards should be applied within each school for exemption from home rooms and
building assignments.
(b) Elementary Schools
No later than February 1st preference sheets shall be distributed to teachers. Teachers should indicate
their preferences in order of priority of grade level and type of class, with the understanding that if an opening
exists, such preferences will be honored where it is consistent with the educational needs and requirements
of the particular school.
Teachers should be given an opportunity to discuss their assignment request with their principal. All
preference sheets should be returned to the principal on or before March 1st.
Where there is a vacancy and more than one qualied internal candidate desires the position, the
principal or headmaster has the right to select an individual to ll a particular grade and/or assignment.
With regard to requests as to grade level or special assignments, teachers with the highest seniority
should be given preference if the teachers’ qualications for the position are the same.
Looping at the Elementary Level: If the principal with a majority of the teaching staff at an elementary
school adopts a “looping model,” the principal shall be allowed to assign teachers to implement this program.
Kindergarten classes will be excluded from any looping program.
(c) Rotation
The policy of equitable assignment of teachers for all teaching duties should be followed insofar
as possible. The policy of equitable rotation of teachers for all non-teaching duties (including home room
classes) should be followed insofar as possible, provided, however, no teacher shall be required involuntarily
to perform a specic non-teaching assignment for a period in excess of two (2) school years.
On or before February 1
st
, a list of all non-teaching assignments for which administrative periods
are given in a teachers’ program shall be posted in each school. These assignments may be applied for in the
teacher’s program preference sheet as herein provided.
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An applicant for such a non-teaching assignment who does not receive the assignment shall, upon
his/her request, be given the reasons for not having been selected by the Principal or Headmaster.
(d) Granting Permanent Status To Provisional Teachers:
Principals will be required to make recommendations as to which provisional teachers they want
to make permanent teachers by February 1
st
of each year. Principals will be notied by February 15
th
if
their recommendations have been approved. The Superintendent shall make permanent appointment of
provisional teachers by March 27
th
.
6. Project Promise
(a) All Project Promise positions will be posted as more desirable positions under Article V(I)(2)(a)
and lled by teachers who voluntarily apply and are selected.
(b) Faculty members in designated Project Promise schools who are interested in participating in
Project Promise shall so inform their principals in writing. No such teacher shall be required to ll out a
formal application or submit resumes, transcripts, or letters of recommendation.
(c) At any school which is designated a Project Promise type school as, for example, the Timilty and
Thompson Schools in the 1986-87 school year, a teacher who does not apply for Project Promise or who
applies but is not selected may be excessed or otherwise involuntarily assigned elsewhere in the system.
(d) Hours
Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of Article V(E), all teachers selected for Project Promise
shall be required to work two hours beyond the regular work day on Monday through Friday and may be
required to work three hours on Saturdays.
(e) Work Schedule and Assignments
The teaching schedules and assignments of Project Promise teachers shall be determined by the
individual clusters established at each school; however, all Project Promise teachers shall be entitled to
contractual provisions regarding lunch time, administrative periods, and planning and development time.
(f) Compensation
The extra hours of work, Monday through Friday, shall be compensated at the contractual hourly
rate and the annual salary of Project Promise teachers shall be increased to annualize this premium. Each
Saturday actually worked will be paid at one-half the teacher’s actual per diem rate.
(g) No teacher will be laid off or denied recall rights as a consequence of the Project Promise
program.
7. Summer Program
A voluntary summer program may be available for students in certain of the Boston Public Schools.
The purposes of the summer program shall include enrichment of the educational experience of students,
to provide opportunities for student remediation, to integrate work and community service opportunities
with educational experience, and to allow for greater opportunities for sports, arts, and vocational education.
The School Department shall determine the summer program curriculum, all aspects of operation
and administration of the program, including employment in the program, salary, hours, and conditions of
employment. Employee participation in the summer program shall be voluntary. Selection of employees
shall be as determined by the Department.
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8. Hiring of Substitutes: Class Coverage
(a) Teachers having an instructional program who are allowed to attend an educational convention or
are called for a full-day professional conference or meeting by the Superintendent or a vote of the Committee,
shall be relieved by a per diem substitute and the teacher shall be compensated.
A teacher shall lose no compensation for participation in case conference(s), home visit(s), attendance
at council meeting(s), or attendance at any other approved meeting(s) which take one-half (1/2) or more of
the day.
(b) It is the policy of the Committee that substitutes shall be hired to cover classes of regularly
assigned teachers when they are absent.
(c) In the event the Committee after a good faith effort is unable to hire a substitute for a classroom
teacher who regularly works with a paraprofessional, that paraprofessional may be requested to serve as a
substitute teacher under the following conditions:
(1) The paraprofessional has a teaching certicate or ve or more years of service.
(2) The paraprofessional is requested to substitute only in those classes in which he or she
normally works.
(3) Effective 9/1/22, paraprofessionals covering a classroom when the teacher is absent shall be
paid $13 per hour in addition to their regular salary.
(d) The Department will make a good-faith effort to hire a substitute when a regularly assigned nurse
is absent for more than one day. In any event, a substitute will be provided whenever a nurse is absent for
three or more days.
9. Final Records: Marks
(a) Elementary Schools
No nal records will be required of teachers until May 1st for Grade 5, and 15 days before the close
of school for all other grades.
(b) Middle Schools
Final marks shall not be required of any teacher before May 1st for Grade 8, and 15 days before the
close of school for Grade 6 and 7.
(c) High Schools
The number of marking periods for all schools shall not exceed ve (5) in number. Final marks shall
not be required of any teacher before May 1st for seniors, and 15 days before the close of school for other
students.
(d) Other
(1) Marks may be subject to change if the teacher submits the request in writing to the principal
or headmaster.
(2) Grades for all high school and Latin School students shall be recorded by the data processing
method and no teacher shall be required to record numerical grades on duplicate records at
the school.
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(3) A joint Union/Management Committee shall be established with the specic goal of
developing a program for the computerization of elementary report cards and all other
elementary student records. The committee shall be appointed by the Steering Committee no
later than December 1, 2000, and the recommendations of the committee on computerization
shall be due by May 1, 2001. It is the goal of the Union and the School Department to provide
for the computerization of elementary report cards and records by September, 2001.
(e) Submission Deadline
Teachers at all levels shall have at least 2 school days following any week long vacation to submit
their students’ marking term grades and attendance reports (scanner sheets), making them due no earlier than
noon on the Wednesday following the vacation.
10. Goals (Effective 9/1/2007)
(a) Unit Finals, Assessments
All teachers required to input assessment data of any kind on any section of MyBPS or in spreadsheet
form at the school or central level, but especially math end of unit tests, midyear and nal tests shall be
provided time during the work day that does not conict with the teachers P&D or lunch to input student data
that results from these or other assessments. Otherwise this task is completely voluntary and at the teacher’s
own discretion.
(b) OfcialSchoolDepartmentTests
All BPS and ofcial school tests must be printed, collated and stapled in a timely manner prior to the
need to distribute, and sufcient copies will be provided to teachers.
(c) Grades, Inputting of Data
Grades and warning notices for all high school and Exam School students shall be recorded by the
data processing method and no teacher shall be required to record numerical or letter grades or comments on
duplicate records at the school.
11. Scholarship Standards
The parties agree that a continuing study will be given to suiting the curriculum to the student and
developing optimum teaching-learning conditions. The following are recommended:
(a) Extension of the academically talented program in the Middle Schools.
(b) School rules for dismissal for athletic events will be enforced.
(c) Class interruptions for notice or other matters shall occur only when necessary.
(d) Out of district students shall not be admitted if overcrowding results.
(e) Teachers and assistant headmasters (subject areas) shall receive notice when a curriculum
committee is to be established. Teachers will have an opportunity to submit recommendations to their
curriculum committee.
Proposed major revisions in curriculum will be made available to teachers through their council or
school representative in their area of education for their comment before such revisions are adopted.
(f) A joint committee shall be established to develop a curriculum guide for the extended day
Kindergarten program.
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(g) Individualized Benchmark Testing Effective September 1, 2004, all elementary teachers
for grades K2 - 3 will be provided with substitute teacher coverage while administering individualized
benchmark testing. These teachers will receive substitute coverage for the equivalent of two days - the
equivalent of one in September and the equivalent of one in June-per teacher per year. In dual-language
programs where teachers must complete this benchmark testing in two languages, the teachers will receive
substitute coverage for the equivalent of four days -- two of which shall be in September and the remaining
two in June -- per teacher, per year. The substitute will be compensated at the rate of $15.00 per hour. The
union will facilitate the hiring of retired teachers and others for this purpose. But if a regular substitute teacher
is used, he/she will be paid in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement
B. Special Groups
1. Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten
(a) The schedule of student morning arrival and length of school day for the kindergarten and pre
kindergarten teachers shall be no longer than that for the rest of the staff in an elementary school. The School
Department will use its best efforts, subject to programming needs, to reduce the distance between schools
for K1 and K2 teachers assigned to two schools.
(b) All administrative policies on kindergarten and pre-kindergarten teachers shall be made available
to teachers and principals.
(c) Classes for kindergarten students shall not commence until the Monday following Labor Day.
(d) Involuntary traveling assignments for all K1 and K2 teachers will be made in reverse order of
seniority.
(e) A full-time paraprofessional will be assigned to all K0, K1 and K2 classes.
2. Teachers of Music
(a) Teachers of Music who qualify shall be permitted to rate for the position of Supervisor of Music/
Arts Education.
(b) No member of the Music Department instructional staff may be required to participate in
professional conferences or other activities sponsored by any teacher organization.
3. Industrial Arts and Home Economics Teachers
When a qualied Industrial Arts or Home Economics substitute is not available, the shop is to be
closed.
4. Guidance Counselors
(a) The School Department shall maintain a single list of guidance counselors that includes all
permanent guidance counselors and former guidance advisors and student development counselors (SDCs),
and the term “guidance advisors” shall not be used. This merged list shall be ranked by total years of service
in the Boston School system and used for determining layoff, transfer, excessing, and all other appropriate
purposes under this Agreement.
(b) A joint Union/Management Committee shall be established for Guidance Counselors.
(c) All bilingual guidance counselors shall have the same transfer and assignment rights as all other
guidance counselors to “regular” guidance positions.
(d) Effective 9/1/2007, the school department shall provide opportunities for guidance counselors to
earn PDPs through workshops.
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5. Vocational Education Teachers
When a qualied Vocational Education substitute is not available the shop is to be closed.
Effective 9/1/2007, a citywide task force shall be set up to look at the various specic needs of the
vocational programs in Boston.
6. Coaches
(a) Employees serving in coaching positions prior to September 1, 1980 shall be grandfathered in
such positions which shall not be posted annually, provided, however, on and after September 1, 1981, no
person may hold more than two (2) coaching jobs.
Any person holding more than two (2) coaching jobs prior to September 1, 1981 shall, prior to April,
1981, choose the two (2) coaching jobs he/she wishes to keep; any coaching job not so chosen will be posted
under paragraph (b).
An employee will lose grandfather protection based on an “unsatisfactory” evaluation rating of his
performance as a coach.
(b) Coaching vacancies arising after September, 1980 shall be for a term of one year only,
notwithstanding any contrary prior practice, and shall be reported annually.
(c) (1) All coaching positions shall be lled by qualied members of the teachers’ or paraprofessionals’
bargaining unit, except as provided in sections (2) and (4) below.
(2) If no bargaining unit member applies for a specic coaching position or if the only applicant
or applicants have previously been rated unsatisfactory as a coach, the School Department
may hire a coach from outside the bargaining unit. Such positions shall be reposted the
following year and the incumbent shall be eligible for reappointment as long as there is no
break in service.
(3) Any coach who is promoted out of the bargaining unit shall not retain his or her coaching
position.
(4) Non-bargaining unit members who coached during the 1985-86 school year shall remain
eligible for reappointment to a coaching position in the same sport in the same school.
(5) New coaching appointments shall be recommended by the personnel subcommittee of the
School Site Council at each school.
(d) Coaches shall be evaluated annually by the Principal/Headmaster in consultation with the
Athletic Director.
(e) The parties, having a joint interest in exploring options for expanding and maximizing the quality
and depth of the school system’s athletic programs through collaboration with the nonprot Boston School
Sports and Fitness Corporation (“BSSFC”), agree to maintain a Coaches Committee composed of four (4)
representatives of the School Department appointed by the Superintendent, four (4) coaches appointed by the
Union, and two representatives appointed by BSSFC.
This Coaches Committee shall continue to meet and make recommendations relative to coaches’
issues. The Coaches Committee’s recommendations shall be considered by the Steering Committee.
(f) The Coaches Committee will determine a rules-based way to add athletic coaches and/or athletic
programming and make recommendations to the Senior Director of Athletics regarding those additions.
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7. Swimming Instructors
This Section denes the full agreement between the parties concerning swimming instructors.
(a) Salaries
Swimming instructors will be paid according to the teachers’ salary schedule and advance annually
to the next higher step, except that the salary of a swimming instructor without teacher certication shall be
capped at Step 5.
(b) Layoff and Recall
The layoff and recall procedures for swimming instructors will be that specied in Article V (L)
of this Agreement. For that purpose, swimming instructors shall be considered as a separate program and
certication area.
(c) FringeBenets
Swimming instructors will receive health and welfare fund, sick leave, group health insurance,
military and reserve leave, and maternity leave under this Agreement, and personal leave as provided under
the Paraprofessional’s Agreement.
(d) Payroll Deductions for Union Dues
The Union shall secure authorizations for payroll deductions for Union dues and shall provide
electronic copies of such authorizations to the Committee’s Chief Human Capital Ofcer or their designee.
Such authorizations may be revocable as provided by law. The Committee will request the Treasurer of the
City of Boston to submit such sums in total to the Union Treasurer no later than 30 days after such deduction
was made.
Upon request by the Union, the School Committee shall, to the extent allowed by law, provide the
Union with the name, employee identication number, and assignment of any employee from whom it has
received a written request to revoke dues deductions.
(e) Discipline and Discharge
No swimming instructor who has served a probationary period in excess of thirty (30) school days
shall be disciplined or discharged except for just cause.
(f) Grievance and Arbitration Procedure
Grievances as dened in this section 7 will be processed through the grievance and arbitration
procedure under Article X of this Agreement.
8. COSE
a. Effective 9/1/2023, all Boston Public Schools (“BPS” or “District”) Coordinators of Special
Education (COSE) will have a cumulative individual caseload of 135 cases. Cases will count as follows:
i. 504 plans will count as 1.0 cases for the 2023-2024 school year (SY).
ii. All evaluations will count as 1.0 cases, even if they do not result in an Individualized Education
Plan (IEP). One student cannot count for more than one case.
iii. IEPs will count as 1.0 case.
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b. If a student transfers mid-year and requires a reconvene, that student will count on the caseload of
both the receiving and sending COSE.
c. If a case requires more than three meetings, COSE reserves the right to request additional support
from the central ofce of Special Education. Central ofce support can vary depending on the need of the
case, but BPS acknowledges that some cases are more complex than others and may require additional
support from central staff. Notwithstanding the above, COSE shall not receive additional compensation in
connection with a request for extra support, regardless of whether or not such support is received,
d. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, the BPS shall compensate the COSE for the time spent
on each additional case should a COSE’s annual caseload exceed an individual caseload of 135 cases for
the school year. Such compensation shall be for nine (9) hours at the prevailing contractual hourly rate. The
parties shall meet at the end of the school year to calculate the amount owed, if any, to COSE.
:
e. For SY 23-24 and SY 24-25, the District will send each COSE a caseload report ve times a year
(on October 15, January 15, March 15, May 15, and the last school day of the year), including student name
and ID number, COSE will have ten (10) school days to submit, via a Google form, a dispute about the
caseload calculation to the District. The District will review the dispute once the 10-day period is complete
and provide a response.
f. Effective immediately, and for school years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, the District will regularly
post positions in an attempt to provide 0.6 FTE clerks to each 1.0 FTE COSE. A COSE will work with
no more than two (2) different clerks when feasible. Eligible COSE shall receive one-half of the average
salary payable to a 0.6 FTE clerk prorated for the number of days the COSE did not receive clerical support
as provided by this paragraph during the applicable school year, for any period(s) of ten (10) or more
consecutive days without support. This proposal is made without waiving any argument or rights related to
pending grievances and the related settlements.
g. BPS will notify COSE of their assignment (pairing) by March 15th yearly. If the COSE’s
assignment is reduced beyond 0.5 FTE, they will also receive an excess notice and access to the COSE
Pool. The District will make the 2023-2024 school year pairings available by April 18, 2023. The excessing
deadline for the 2022-2023 school year will be extended to May 1, 2023.
h. To the best of BPS’s ability, COSE will not be assigned to more than two (2) schools, and their
locations will be in close proximity to each other.
i. For the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 School Years, there will be two full-time COSE who will split
their time between 0.6 central ofce and 0.4 school-based to support compliance cases. Centrally, they will
work with the Executive Director of Special Education to help COSE with tasks that shall include but are
not limited to mentoring, training, and building capacity to meet compliance and instructional best practices.
The District will post the positions following Article V-I-1(b) of the relevant collective bargaining agreement.
The Executive Director of Special Education will select the most qualied candidates. The job description
and compensation will be mutually agreed upon. The COSE will continue maintaining their seniority and
assignment attachment rights to their previous position.
j. COSE will be allowed to participate in the PTPP.
k. Supplies shall be made available to COSE at each school he/she serves.
l. COSE shall be paid under the teacher salary schedule. The work year for COSE shall be the
teacher work year. In addition, COSE may be allotted summer work to be compensated at the contractual
hourly rate and to be scheduled cooperatively by the Assistant Superintendent of Special Education and
Support Services and the COSE, with such scheduling to be completed by July 15
th
.
m. The Superintendent shall designate individuals to evaluate COSE.
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9. Hub Community School Coordinators
The Hub Community Schools Coordinators shall be paid in accordance with the following three
Steps:
Salary
Effective September 1, 2021 – August 31, 2022
Hub Coordinators
SA14
Grade 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
79,320 82,749 86,332
Effective September 1, 2022 – August 31, 2023
Hub Coordinators
SA14
Grade 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
82,096 85,645 89,354
Effective September 1, 2023 – August 31, 2024
Hub Coordinators
SA14
Grade 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
84,559 88,215 92,034
The Coordinators will work 8 hours each school day and their work year will be 223 days. The work
year shall include the 180 days that students are in school (the “school year”), and 43 days outside of the
school year. The additional 43 days shall be scheduled collaboratively between the Coordinator and their
supervisor.
The BTU and BPS will continue negotiations over contractual language, working conditions, and job
descriptions for Hub Community Schools Coordinators.
10. SEIMS Arbitration
1. Elementary Resource Room Teachers, Elementary Substantially Separate Teachers, Itinerant
Teachers. Each of said teachers shall be provided ninety (90) minutes in each week. A ninety (90) minute
period may be segmented into two (2) forty-ve (45) minute periods in the discretion of the Department.
Such period(s) shall be used primarily to perform SEIMS duties and/or secondarily SPED related duties
as may be assigned by the Department or as may be determined by the teacher in the absence of such
assignment, provided, however, the following duties shall not be considered as SPED related duties to be
performed during the aforesaid 90 minutes each week.
a. Participating in 766 Team Meeting.
b. Conducting Formal Assessments.
c. Monitoring 502.1’s, provided however, in the case of Itinerant teachers only, said monitoring
may be required in one of said teachers 45’’ periods each week. The other 45’’ period of said Itinerant teacher
shall be dedicated to perform SEIMS duties only.
d. Completing Compliance Assurance Checklist
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e. Secondary Resource Room Teachers and Secondary Substantially Separate Teachers. Each of
said teachers shall have two (2) of their scheduled administrative periods each week dedicated to SEIMS
duties or other SPED-related duties in accordance with paragraph #4 herein.
f. In the event the Department fails in any instance to provide the required administrative period
to a teacher, the Committee shall pay twelve dollars ($12.00) for each full forty-ve (45) minute period not
provided.
2. The parties agree to promptly establish a Joint Committee consisting of four COSE appointed
by the President of the BTU and three administrators appointed by the Superintendent. Decisions of the
Committee shall be made by majority vote with the responsible administrator voting with the majority.
The Committee shall deal with such issues as it may deem appropriate including but not limited to, the
presentation of In-Service programs to regular education teachers concerning referrals, and SEIMS related
matters.
3. Early Childhood Substantially Separate teachers shall be give 90 minutes of administrative time
on the day of which no children are assigned, for SEIMS and other SPED related activities.
11. Department of Implementation Personnel
Information Transportation Assignment Transfer
9/1/2021-8/31/2022 Ofcer Ofcer Specialist
Base 83,117 96,816 110,347
After 8 Yrs 88,029 101,726 115,261
Information Transportation Assignment Transfer
9/1/2022-8/31/2023 Ofcer Ofcer Specialist
Base 86,026 100,205 114,209
After 8 Yrs 91,110 105,286 119,295
Information Transportation Assignment Transfer
9/1/2023-8/31/2024 Ofcer Ofcer Specialist
Base 88,607 103,211 117,636
After 8 Yrs 93,843 108,445 122,874
(b) Length of the Work Year
The work year shall be 12 months, but not to exceed 215 workdays. Vacation days will not be
scheduled between the rst Monday in August and October 1.
(c) Length of the Work Day
The regular workday shall be 6 hours and 55 minutes (exclusive of lunch).
(d) Overtime
Effective July 1, 2007, group III will no longer be entitled to compensatory time-off. However, any
compensatory time-off accrued prior to July1, 2007 will be valid. Overtime hours will be compensated at
the contractual hourly rate.
(e) Health and Welfare Fund
Department of Implementation personnel in the teachers bargaining unit will be included under the
provisions of Article VIII(O) of this Agreement.
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(f) Discipline and Discharge
Department of Implementation personnel who have completed sixty (60) days shall not be disciplined
or discharged without just cause.
(g) Right of Return
An employee of the Department of Implementation who may be laid off from a position and who
was formerly a permanent teacher in the bargaining unit will be placed in the teacher excess pool. All years
spent in the Department of Implementation will count towards seniority.
(h) Assignment with Salary Groupings
Department of Implementation personnel within the same salary grouping may be assigned as
needed to any position within that grouping.
(i) AdditionalRightsandBenets
Department of Implementation personnel shall have all rights and benets of this teachers’
Agreement.
(j) Layoff and Recall
Layoff and recall shall be by seniority by job title.
12. Investigative Counselors
(a) Salary
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
Basic 93,743 97,024 99,935
After 8 years 98,542 101,991 105,051
(b) Length of Work Year
The work year shall be the regular school year plus twenty-two (22) days.
(1) Summer work assignments shall be scheduled cooperatively by the responsible administrator
and the investigative counselors; the summer schedule shall be completed by June 1 of each year.
(2) No investigative counselor shall be required to work during school vacation weeks.
(c) Length of Work Day
The regular work day shall be eight (8) hours and 10 minutes, inclusive of lunch.
(d) Overtime
Compensatory time-off on an hour-for-hour basis shall be granted for the rst thirty (30) hours of
overtime worked. Overtime hours in excess of 30 hours shall be compensated at the contractual hourly rate.
(e) Health and Welfare Fund
Investigative counselors shall be included under the provisions of Article VIII(P) of this Agreement.
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(f) Discipline and Discharge
Investigative counselors who have completed sixty (60) days shall not be disciplined or discharged
without just cause.
(g) Right of Return
Investigative counselors who may be laid off and were formerly permanent teachers or
paraprofessionals in the Boston Public School system will be placed in the appropriate excess pool. All years
spent as an investigative counselor will count towards seniority.
(h) AdditionalRightsandBenets
Investigative counselors shall have all rights and benets of this Agreement.
13. Supervisors of Attendance
All relevant provisions of this Agreement shall be applicable to Supervisors of Attendance except:
Article VIII(A)-(F), (G)(5) and (N); Article V(A)(1)-(5), (A)(7), (B)(1)-(10), (B)(12)-(13), (E), and (F).
The following provisions of the 1986-89 Supervisors of Attendance Contract shall be retained:
– Appendix A except for paragraph 4;
– Article III with modications to Section A through D as agreed herein.
(a) Salary
Supervisors of Attendance shall be compensated based on the salary schedule.
(b) Health and Welfare Fund
Supervisors of Attendance shall be included under the provisions of Article VIII(P) of this Agreement.
(c) Career Award
Supervisors of Attendance shall receive career awards in accordance with Article VIII(N) of this
Agreement.
(d) Work Day
Same as 1996 - 1997, plus 10 minutes.
(e) Work Year
The Supervisors of Attendance shall work each day scheduled in the school calendar, except snow
days, normal school holidays, and school vacations. Supervisors of Attendance shall work the ten normal
work days (Monday-Friday) immediately after or immediately prior to the regular teacher work year to
perform attendance-related duties as needed.
The Supervisors of Attendance will continue to perform job-related activities such as court
appearances, visitation, etc., outside the normally scheduled work day and year including evenings,
Saturdays, and vacation days.
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(f) Assignment
The parties agree that:
(1) Each Supervisor of Attendance shall be assigned to a cluster/building ofce;
(2) Each Supervisor of Attendance shall be responsible for a geographic region of the city; and
(3) The court liaison Supervisor of Attendance shall have Citywide responsibility.
(g) Transferring, Excessing, and Layoff
The Supervisor of Attendance shall be included in the appropriate sections of this teachers’ contract
for the purposes of transfer excessing, and layoffs.
(h) Work Space
Each Supervisor of Attendance shall be provided an adequate work station in the cluster ofce
(including access to a telephone and a secure ling cabinet) to perform work and to maintain records.
(i) Performance Evaluation
Supervisors of Attendance shall be evaluated by the appropriate Cluster/Building Leader or designee
on the evaluation form entitled Supervisor of Attendance using procedures as outlined in Article V(G) of this
Agreement.
(j) Meeting
Supervisors of Attendance shall meet monthly with a designated central ofce administrator for the
purpose of reviewing work-related issues.
(k) Grievance/Arbitration
Same as that delineated in Article X, except: Step 1: Cluster/Building Leader or Designee Step 2:
Ofce of Human Resources Step 3: Superintendent or Designee.
(l) Right of Return
Supervisors of Attendance who may be laid off and were formerly permanent teachers or
paraprofessionals in the Boston Public School system will be placed in the appropriate reassignment pool. All
years spent as a Supervisor of Attendance in the Boston Public School system will count towards seniority.
(m) Discipline and Discharge
So long as Supervisors of Attendance remain in Civil Service, discipline and discharge procedures
shall be under Civil Service laws, regulations, and procedures as amended by Chapter 613. Supervisors of
Attendance who have completed six (6) months shall not be disciplined or discharged without just cause.
The grievance arbitration provisions of Article X shall apply to those employees who have successfully
completed six (6) months of employment with the Boston Public Schools.
(n) Substitute Coverage
The School Department shall make every effort to provide substitute coverage for any Supervisor of
Attendance who is absent for more than ve consecutive work days.
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(o) The BPS will employ six supervisors of attendance (SOAs) through school year 2020-2021.
After the date of ratication of the 2018-2021 agreement, the BTU and BPS will meet to discuss the job
description/responsibilities of the SOAs to ensure the work of SOAs is aligned with the BPS and BTU’s
shared goal of effectively and efciently supporting students with extensive absences.
14. Adult Learning Center Educators
Instructors at the Adult Learning Center are included in the teacher bargaining unit and shall be paid
in accordance with the Teachers salary schedule rates, differentials, health and welfare benets, etc., as set
out in Article VIII of the Teachers contract.
15. Nurses
1) The parties agree to incorporate the Nurses Agreement in effect at the time of this Agreement
and dated August 30, 1993. The parties further agree that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or
the prior contract to the contrary the system wide ratio of nurses to students shall be 1 to 700. A joint labor
management committee of four administrators appointed by the Superintendent and four nurses appointed by
the BTU shall be established. The rst objective of this committee shall be to develop a workable coverage
plan for absences. No nurse shall be assigned to more than two schools.
2) Student nurse observers shall be assigned to nurses who agree to have them. The colleges and
hospitals sending them should be asked to send appropriate lecturers to School Nurse In-Service Programs.
3) The School Department shall provide the kind of training which is required by the Department
of Education, e.g., CPR and rst aid training, to nurses at no cost during regularly scheduled professional
development time.
4) In School Year 2007-2008 nurses will be able to substitute professional Continuing Education
Units (“CEU”) for 6 hours of the professional development hours discussed Art. V, Section E.1 10. The six
(6) hours shall be used for CPR training. In School Years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 nurses may substitute up
to 9 hours for professional development for this purpose if the Joint Labor Management Committee deems
this necessary. At least six (6) hours shall be used for CPR training. The CPR/First Aid certication renewal
class shall take place on the workday following the Christmas vacation.
5) Effective 9/1/2007, there shall be a minimum of 6 Health Paraprofessionals in each year of this
contract that expires on August 31, 2010.
6) There will be at least 1.0 FTE nurse in every school building; the district will begin to implement
this in school year 19-20 and nish in school year 20-21. Nurses in schools with low acuity may be available
to help with other nursing work from other schools, provided the work does not require them to leave
their assigned school. This additional work may include: input screening data; inputting immunization
information; following up on immunization and screening; and referrals and case management support. The
Nurse JLMC will, at the beginning of the school year, review the acuity and caseloads of each nurse at
each school and then will have, as a standing monthly agenda item, a review of the data in cases where
nurses who have a lower caseload are helping with other work as dened above. The JLMC will make
recommendations regarding acuity to the Assistant Superintendent or his/her designee regarding acuity.
Ultimately, the Assistant Superintendent maintains the right of assignment for nurses.
The BPS will make a good faith effort to assign substitute nurses when a regularly assigned nurse
is absent. The regularly assigned nurse shall follow procedures currently in place for teaching staff to notify
OHC of their absence.
16. 636 Coordinators
Layoff and recall of 636 Coordinators shall be by seniority.
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17. Clinical Coordinators
Effective September 1, 1994, clinical coordinators will be placed on the salary grid plus 10% for the
eleventh month.
18. All Itinerant Service Providers:
(School Psychologists, District Social Workers, Speech and Language Pathologists,
Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Adaptive Physical Education Teachers, Vision
Teachers).
(a) At least one of the all-day professional days each school year shall be planned and implemented
by the joint union/management committee for the Itinerant Service Providers.
One half of all contractually required professional development time will be allocated for centralized
professional development for all itinerant service providers, including school psychologists, district social
workers, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, nurses, and evaluation
team facilitators.
(b) The mileage rate for reimbursement shall be at the IRS rate. All Itinerant Service Providers
(ISPs) shall be given the option of receiving a yearly payment of $600.00 as reimbursement for mileage and
auto expenses or lling out monthly mileage statements and receiving full reimbursement for documented
mileage. There shall be no cap on the number of miles allowed as long as they are documented. Once
documentation of mileage expenses in excess of $600 has been submitted, an ISP will receive that $600
payment in succeeding years provided the ISP’s direct supervisor veries that the ISP’s travel schedule is
substantially unchanged.
Individuals who opt for the lump sum $600.00 payment shall be reimbursed in addition to the
$600.00 for mileage outside the City of Boston.
(c) The School Department will provide the testing kits and other protocols to all itinerant service
providers. In addition, the BPS will budget $200 per itinerant service provider for supplies related to their
discipline. Itinerants will be surveyed by their supervisor for input in developing a departmental catalogue of
approved supplies, Itinerant service providers, upon request, will receive $200 per year in materials from this
departmental catalogue.
(d) With the School Department approval of subject matter and provider, fteen (15) contact hours
of continuing education shall equal one (1) in-service credit for nurses, speech and language pathologists,
school psychologists, district social workers, guidance counselors, occupational and physical therapists,
vision teachers and, effective 9/1/2007, clinical social workers, and effective 9/1/12, lead sign language
interpreters.
(e) For the group listed in the heading above a joint Union/Management Committee shall be created
consisting of seven (7) union members appointed by the Union and seven (7) administrators appointed by the
Superintendent.
(f) All occupational and physical therapists shall be provided documentation e.g. therapists logs
or equivalent, once a year, of the number of students who have received services and the number of FTE
therapists.
(g) All occupational therapists, physical therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, School
Psychologists, Nurses, Adaptive Physical Education Specialists, Vision Teachers, and Social Workers will be
reimbursed for their application and testing fees for National Board Certication. This reimbursement will
be distributed upon successful completion of their respective national approval. From September 1, 2006 to
August 31, 2010, the budget for this program will be $15,000.
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(h) A separate yearly budget will be allocated for the related service provider disciplines (Including
but not limited to, occupational, physical and speech and language therapies, vision services, psychology,
adapted physical education, Guidance Counselors, Student Support Coordinators, and nurses), for planning
and implementation of relevant professional development to satisfy contractual professional development
requirements. The BTU and administrative members of the joint union management committee will plan the
allocation of these funds for discipline specic professional development. The BTU will provide space for
the meetings to be held when available.
19. Student Support Coordinators
A joint Union/Management Committee shall be established for Student Support Coordinators.
Effective 9/1/07, a joint Union/Management Committee shall be established for Clinical Social Workers.
20. Tech Support Personnel
Stipends received by Tech Support Personnel for Tech Support work shall be subject to retirement
deductions.
21. Performing Arts Teachers
Effective September 1, 2005, Performing Arts teachers, including theater, music, dance, drama,
and choral group teachers, who conduct regular after school rehearsals and practices culminating in nal
productions and/or festivals shall be compensated for such after school time with a stipend of $1,600.00 per
year.
22. Reading Recovery Teachers
Schools can choose Reading Recovery Teachers from applicants who are licensed as reading
teachers or elementary or both so long as no reading teacher is currently on lay off and provided the teacher
successfully completes the Reading Recovery Training.
23. JROTC
There will be a Joint Labor/Management Committee for JROTC that will submit a recommendation
for this program by July 1, 2007.
24. Restorative Practice
In SY 2017-2018, the BPS will hire and maintain, after consultation with the BTU president or her
designee, a district-wide Restorative Practice Coach In a BTU position that shall oversee Restorative Practice
Implementation and support school-based coordinators in the district.
The Coach will organize a minimum of 12 hours of compensated professional development for
school-based RP coordinators, in partnership with the BTU Restorative Practice Organizing Committee.
Alternatively, the 12 hours can be arranged into 2 all-day sessions, with release time provided.
The Coach shall work the regular teacher workday and work year plus 18 days, and shall be
compensated in accordance with the BTU salary grid plus a differential of 10%. All compensation paid shall
be retirement worthy.
In addition, the BTU and BPS shall collaboratively determine three schools to hire educators for the
purpose of implementing Restorative Practices across the school. These positions may be either Community
Field Coordinators or hybrid teacher roles, where teachers are released from classroom duties to coordinate
Restorative Practices across the schools where they teach.
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C. Alternative Service Providers
1. Educational Contracts
Before the School Department enters into any outside educational contracts that directly affect the
teaching-learning situation in the classroom, the contract shall be submitted for discussion by the Steering
Committee.
Prior to the bringing of any grievance resulting from such a contract to arbitration, the Union shall
submit the dispute for consideration by the Steering Committee. If within thirty (30) days of its presentation
the Steering Committee reaches a decision on how to resolve the grievance, it shall be considered resolved
and shall not be appealable to arbitration.
2. Volunteers
The Union shall continue its policy of not ling grievances against the use of volunteers in the school
system, provided such volunteerism does not result in the layoff of or failure to recall any member of the
bargaining unit, nor the excessing of any member of the bargaining unit from a school that has not adopted
shared decision-making.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or prior arbitration decisions affecting
voluntary programs as dened herein, the School Department may make any contract or arrangement
for the provision of voluntary programs or services which enhance the educational output of the schools
with organizations or individuals who are not part of the bargaining unit, provided that such contracts or
arrangements have the effect of augmenting services and personnel rather than replacing them, and provided
further, that such contracts or arrangements shall not result in the layoff or excessing of unit personnel or
preclude the recall of unit personnel. The term “voluntary” as used in this paragraph means that the School
Committee shall not pay directly or indirectly for the services or programs.
D. ArmativeAction
The parties agree that in situations where the School Department is under a Federal Court Order to
reach a specied percentage of black or other minority teachers by a time certain, such compliance shall be
attained through annual incremental progress. In situations where the percentage of black or other minority
teachers within a school building is signicantly less than the system-wide percentage for that particular
level, the Union and the Department will jointly identify schools in need of such effort and will develop an
agreed-upon procedure to address this problem.
The School Department will advertise and target all bargaining unit positions at the examination
schools for minorities until those schools meet their court-ordered percentages for minority representation
on the faculty. Circulars will clearly state that these procedures are undertaken to comply with federal court
orders. The Union agrees not to grieve these postings.
The School Department agrees that if it is unable to reach the court-mandated percentages of
minority faculty by the 1990 deadline, it will not undertake involuntary excessing to meet the goals at that
time. Instead, both parties agree to petition the court for an extension of time to achieve compliance.
The School Department will identify schools where minority representation among teachers is
signicantly less than the system-wide percentage for that particular level and will work in cooperation
with the Union and the School Site Council (or Principal/ Headmaster if there is no School Site Council) to
increase that percentage.
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E. Length of School Year/School Day and Calendar
1. Length of School Year
(a) In General
1. Effective for the 1997-1998 school year and thereafter, the work year of teachers, other than new
teachers who may be required to attend three (3) days of orientation, will begin the day after Labor Day and
will terminate no later than June 30, but will in no event exceed one hundred eighty-three (183) days. The
“work year” will include days when pupils are in attendance, orientation days at the beginning of the school
year, conference days, in-service training days, curriculum development days, and any other days on which
teacher attendance is required.
2. The three days in excess of the 180 days required by law shall be scheduled on the school
calendar (or any revision thereof with appropriate notice) during the work year, but not on a day on which
pupils are scheduled, and not on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, or during a normal intercession. These
additional three days shall be used for in-service training, curriculum development, or other programmed
professional purposes.
3. The Union shall be allowed to participate in orientation programs for new teachers.
4. The teacher and paraprofessional work year will begin the day after the Labor Day holiday.
The activities for the rst thirty minutes of this rst day will be determined at the discretion of the building
administrator. Teachers and paraprofessionals will spend the remainder of the rst day organizing and
preparing their classrooms. The activities for the rst thirty minutes of the second day will be determined at
the discretion of the building’s union representative. Teachers will spend the remainder of the second day
engaged in professional development.
5. The student year will begin on the Thursday after Labor Day.
6. Classes for kindergarten students shall not commence until the Monday following Labor Day.
7. Eighteen hours of professional development activities beyond the regular school day hours
shall be scheduled annually. These eighteen hours shall focus on advancing the goals and objectives of the
individual school’s Whole School Improvement Plan.
For all professional development hours, the ILT in each school shall hold a meeting with the faculty
each April to solicit ideas for the content of professional development in the following school year.
8. The building administrator may establish the professional development schedule provided that
the meeting schedule be provided to the staff no later than the end of school for the preceding year, none of
the time be scheduled over the summer unless there is a waiver vote under the CBA, and provided that no
professional development time be scheduled on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, and must be at least two
hours in length.
9. Professional development schedules should be nalized by the end of the preceding school year.
For the 1997-98 school year this deadline will be extended to October 15th if necessary. If the administrator
and the faculty fail to agree on a professional development schedule, three six-hour professional development
days shall be added to the end of the school year.
10. Teachers shall be required to participate in eighteen hours of professional development plus one
full day of professional development which shall be scheduled on the work day following the Christmas
vacation or the April vacation, at the discretion of management. This full day of professional development
may be converted to professional development hours by a majority vote of the faculty. Teachers will receive a
PDP certicate at the end of the school year for all time spent in professional development activities. Teachers
may combine PDP activities year-to-year to comply with state requirements.
54
The professional development schedule for a school year shall be nalized before the end of the
previous school year and the schedule shall be distributed to the staff. In the event that more than 25% of the
staff is new to the building the following September, the faculty may re-vote. The vote must be completed by
9/15. The vote will be held by secret ballot with ve days’ notice to staff.
11. If a principal/headmaster so determines the need, up to ten additional hours of professional
development can be required for the whole staff or some portion of the staff. The ten hours referenced
may be extended to fteen hours solely for the purpose of providing fteen-hour training mandated by the
Department of Justice to serve multiple ELD level groupings. This provision sunsets with the Department
of Justice agreement. The teachers required to engage in this professional development will schedule these
hours and the principal/headmaster will determine the content. Teachers will be paid on a pro-rata basis on
their annual salary for this additional time. Such payment will be subject to retirement deductions.
12. The parties will explore the feasibility of early release days for students scheduled within the
school year to allow time for school staff to collaborate together in the development of effective programming
for students.
2. Length of the School Day
(a) The length of the teacher day at all levels will increase by ten minutes.
(b) The fteen minutes before and fteen minutes after school time for teachers shall be reduced to a
total of twenty minutes, ten minutes before and ten minutes after school. The faculty, by a majority vote and
with the approval of the principal, may change the allocation of the twenty minutes before and after school
time.
3. School Calendar
The School calendar prepared and promulgated by the School Department in advance of the
beginning of a school year shall provide for three (3) one-week intercessions in December, February, and
April.
Sessions of the day schools shall be suspended on Saturdays, Sundays, and the following named
holidays and vacations: Indigenous People’s Day,, the Veterans Day holiday, from Thanksgiving Day until
the following Monday, from the rst school day immediately preceding Christmas to and including the rst
day of the following January, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the week in which the twenty-second of February
falls, Good Friday, the week in which the nineteenth of April falls, Memorial Day, and Juneteenth. Whenever
any of the aforesaid holidays falls on Sunday, the schools shall not be in session on the following Monday.
4. Length of Pupil Day
The length of the pupil school day shall not be less than the time required by the State Board of
Education.
5. School Adjustment Counselors
Hours for School Adjustment Counselors shall be as are required by them to complete their case
load, but in no event shall their work day terminate prior to 2:30 p.m.
6. School Nurses
School Nurses shall not be required to remain in the building after administrative personnel leave.
55
7. The Day Before Thanksgiving and the Last Two Days of School
On the day before Thanksgiving and the last two days of the school year, pupils may be dismissed
two (2) hours and thirty (30) minutes earlier than their regularly scheduled dismissal time and school-based
staff, on the day before Thanksgiving, will be dismissed two (2) hours and twenty (20) minutes earlier than
their regularly scheduled work day. Notwithstanding the early dismissal of pupils on the last two days of the
school year, school-based staff are required to work their regularly scheduled work day.
8. Parent-Teacher Meetings
Teachers will be available to attend two (2) evening parent-teacher meetings during the school year.
Such meetings shall be planned by the building administrator in cooperation with the faculty senate and the
parent council with one (1) month’s advance notice. Such meetings shall not be scheduled to exceed two (2)
hours each. Adequate security will be provided by the School Department.
On or before October 1 of each year, each School Site Council will schedule a parent orientation
session. School Site Councils may use at least one of the school’s two two-hour parent conference time slots
for this parent orientation session.
Each teacher in a school will notify the Principal/Headmaster of the weekly non-instructional time
period during which it is convenient for that teacher to be available to meet with parents.
In September of each year all teachers shall prepare a brief outline or syllabus (one to three pages)
which includes: the student learning objectives for the year, the curriculum materials they plan to cover, and
any student learning products or projects which students are expected to produce during the school year.
This outline may be supplemented with information about the amount of time students are expected
to spend on homework; student attendance requirements; what students are expected to bring to class (or not
bring to class); and any other information that the teacher deems appropriate to help parents understand what
is expected of students. Teachers shall not be required to repeat any information which is distributed by the
school to all parents, e.g., code or discipline, homework policy, school handbook.
Two copies of this outline or syllabus shall be given to parents at the rst parent teacher meeting of
the school year. One copy must be signed by the parent and returned to the teacher indicating the parent’s
understanding of the curriculum and expectations and agreeing to cooperate with the teacher in meeting the
educational objectives set for the year. Parents who do not attend the meeting shall have copies mailed to
them by the principal at School Department expense with a stamped return envelope to return the signed
copy to the school.
All K-5 elementary homeroom teachers will arrange for individual parent/teacher conferences in
the fall.
The school will include along with the outline or syllabus given to parents each September a schedule
of times that the teachers are available to meet with parents for an individual conference about their children.
Individual parent/teacher conferences shall be held at the school at a time that is mutually agreed
upon by the parent and the teacher. If a parent is unable to come to a conference at the school, the teacher/
parent conference regarding the child’s school performance shall be conducted by telephone.
Follow-up individual conferences with all parents in the spring shall be encouraged; however,
teachers shall schedule a second individual conference with any parent whose child is in danger of not being
promoted to the next grade.
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9. Extended Learning Time
(A) In addition to the current length of their respective days, effective September 1, 2015, all
Schedule “A” schools shall increase their work day by forty (40) minutes per day for additional instructional
time. The parties agree it is preferable that Tier 3 schools on Schedule “A” start as early as possible. To
that end the school department shall use its best efforts to examine the transportation changes necessary to
effectuate that goal. The school department shall periodically update BTU on its progress in achieving that
goal but in any event shall notify BTU no later than January 15 of the starting student time for all Schedule
“A” schools. BPS reserves the right to make changes and adjust start times on an as needed basis and will
notify the BTU immediately of said changes. BPS agrees to give educators the ability to excess themselves in
the event of a change within two weeks of notication. The parties agree that schools should think creatively
about extended learning time and utilize the time to increase students’ access to academic interventions,
instructional support, and enrichment learning opportunities such as drama, the arts, engineering/coding,
physical education, and foreign languages. Schools are encouraged to be thoughtful about using the extended
time to support the students’ learning needs and encouraged to use the time to enrich our students’ lives with
high-quality, rigorous learning activities. The parties agree that this ELT Agreement shall be phased in over a
period of three (3) years, beginning with Phase I, twenty (20) schools in SY 2015/16. The schools for Phase
I, SY 2015/16, shall be agreed upon by the parties on or before January 30, 2015. The schools for Phase II,
SY 2016/17, shall be agreed upon by the parties on or before January 15, 2016. The remaining Schedule
“A” schools, Phase III, shall be phased in at the start of SY 2017/18. The school department and the union
shall collaborate in identifying the schools designated for implementation in all three phases and shall also
collaborate and cooperate in efforts to adjust bus schedules to effectuate the purposes of this agreement.
(B) The principal/headmaster, in concert with the faculty, and school site council, shall plan how this
time shall be allocated and worked into the weekly schedule. Faculty chosen by the staff in the building shall
meet with the Instructional Leadership Team and the building administrator three times per year to assess,
review, and change, if decided, how the extended time shall be allocated.
(C) Teachers shall be accorded a block of forty (40) consecutive minutes of teacher directed planning
and collaboration time within the regular work day, as extended by paragraph 9(A) above. Specialists in
Schedule “A” schools can use 6 of the 18 hours of professional development, afforded under Article V.E.I
(a).7 of the 2013-2016 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), to meet with other specialists in Schedule
“A” schools or with school-based grade level and/or content area teams. When and if possible, schools
are encouraged to schedule accordingly to allow specialists to meet in school-based teams. Teachers not
afforded the block of 40 consecutive minutes, in violation of this clause, shall be paid 1/5 of the per diem
substitute teacher rate. Each Schedule “A” school that has implemented extended learning time shall have a
designated budget for educational resources, materials, supplies, and other relevant purchases for the support
of extended learning time. The value of the budget at each school will be the equivalent of $200 per full time
teacher. The use of these funds will be teacher directed and teacher determined through a process developed
by the Joint Task Force identied in paragraph 9(J) below. These budgets will be drawn from funds to be
raised collaboratively by the BTU, City of Boston, and BPS for this purpose. Any changes to the continuation
of this funding beyond the rst school year (i.e. SY 2015-2016), and in subsequent years, will be based on
mutual consent of the President of the Boston Teachers Union and the Superintendent of the Boston Public
Schools.
TFT will be eliminated as a formal planning structure and the time will be used for other planning
purposes.
• Time formerly used as TFT will become P&D time in elementary grades (which could be a 5
th
P&D where schedules allow)
• Time formerly used as TFT may be incorporated into CPT in middle grades
(D) In SY 2014-2015 the School Department shall allocate one third of $400,000 to be distributed
among the Phase I Schedule “A” schools with an allocation prorated by the number of students in each Phase
I Schedule “A” school. In SY 2015-16 the School Department shall allocate one third of $400,000 to be
distributed among the Phase II Schedule “A” schools, prorated by the number of students in Phase II Schedule
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“A” schools. In SY 2016/17 the remaining one third of the allocated $400,000 shall distributed among the Phase
III schools, prorated by the number of students in Phase III Schedule “A” schools. The apportioned money shall
be used to support the planning and implementation of the extended school day before the respective school
year begins.
The School Site Council at each school shall approve a plan for directing these funds, including
stipends for participants and shall select the teachers and paraprofessionals chosen to receive the funds.
All plans shall be reviewed by the network superintendent and approved by the Joint Task Force listed in
paragraph J below.
Beginning in the summer before SY 2015-2016 the School Department shall implement trainings in
the effective facilitation of professional learning and use of collaborative time. The Joint Task Force charged
with overseeing the implementation of this Agreement shall review and approve the content and format of
the training.
Beginning in SY 2015-2016, teachers selected by the School Site Council shall be eligible to receive
a stipend of one thousand dollars ($1000) per work year and shall be responsible for planning and facilitating
the teacher collaboration time for the work year. It is the parties’ intention that the number of educators eligible
to receive the stipend shall be chosen on a ratio of one (1) for every ve (5) teachers in the school. In addition
to the one-time allocation of $400,000 described above, and not in lieu thereof, the school department shall
allocate, annually, funds sufcient to enable schools that have begun implementing the extended learning
time called for in this agreement to pay the stipends described in this paragraph to teachers selected by their
School Site Council. The payment of these stipends shall continue from year to year in a Schedule “A”
school once it has begun an extended learning time schedule and funding for it is not a one-time allocation.
Teachers trained in these practices and receiving the stipend shall not be required to facilitate other
collaborative structures but may do so at the employee’s discretion.
(E) The Joint Task Force charged with overseeing the implementation of this Agreement shall
review and approve the content and format of the training.
This Agreement shall not apply on the date of its execution to any school designated as of December
4, 2014 as a Horace Mann Charter School, a Turnaround School (Level 4), a Level 5 School, a Pilot School,
an Innovation School, schools currently operating an Extended Learning Time Program, or such others as
are shown on Schedule “B” subject, however, to paragraphs E4 and E5 below. The schools exempted from
this Agreement as of the date this Agreement rst takes effect are reected on Schedule “B” annexed hereto.
Nothing in this Agreement is intended to the faculty of a Schedule “A” school from voting to accept
Pilot or Innovation School status, or from being designated a Horace Mann Charter School, nor does this
Agreement interfere with the right of the Commissioner of Education to designate a current Schedule “A”
school a Level 4 or a Level 5 School in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the Department
of Elementary and Secondary Education. The hours added to the teacher work day by the terms of this
Agreement and the compensation payable for those hours shall be deemed the normal teacher work day and
any hours added thereto, whether by the terms of a subsequently adopted RFP, Election to Work Agreement
or Innovation Plan shall be compensated in accordance with the following schedule:
Hours0to120(newbaseline): Contracthourlyratefortherst96hours
Hours 121 to 215: Uncompensated
Hours 216 to 265: Paid by Pilot or Innovation School as determined by the
Applicable Pilot, RFP or Innovation Plan
In all Schedule “A” schools, the new baseline schedule for that school shall be that described in this
Agreement.
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The parties agree that the JRC award governing Turnaround Schools remains operative for the life
of the current collective bargaining agreement (or any extensions or renewals thereof). Any current Schedule
“A” school that becomes designated a Turnaround School hereafter shall remain subject to the additional 190
hours stated therein, except that the rst 120 hours added to the teacher day by reason of this agreement (40
minutes/day x 180 days) shall count towards satisfaction of the 190 additional hours called for in the Joint
Resolution Committee (“JRC”) award and shall be compensated at the rate specied in this agreement. The
hours, if any, worked in excess of 120 shall be compensated at the JRC hourly rate of $21.58.
Any school exempt from this agreement as of December 4, 2014 shall become subject to its terms as
a Schedule “A” school immediately following a change in its status as listed on Schedule “B” and prior to its
assuming a status different from that shown on Schedule “B” such that the regular work day for staff therein
and compensation for the extended instructional time shall be the same as if it were a Schedule “A” school
prior to any further change in its status or designation.
All Schedule “A” schools shall adopt their upcoming year’s schedule by June 15 of the preceding
school year. All current Schedule “A” schools, and those schools becoming a Schedule “A” school hereafter
shall have their schedule of 18 hours of professional development created and approved in accordance with
Article VEl(a)(8)-(10) of the 2010-2013 collective bargaining agreement.
All staff assigned to a Schedule “A” school will work the extended day, except that itinerant staff
shall work the extended day only on the day(s) they are assigned to a Schedule “A” school, with pay prorated
as appropriate.
Itinerant staff who work in Schedule “A” schools shall be given their schedule for a given school
year on or before August 15.
All paraprofessionals in Schedule “A” schools shall work the extended day.
Disagreements over the scheduling of staff, including itinerants and paraprofessionals, shall be
resolved by September 30 of a given school year by a panel of three individuals, one chosen by the BTU,
one by the Superintendent, and a third jointly designated by the parties. The decision of the panel shall be
reduced to writing and is nal.
(F) Staff compensation shall be codied on a new pay grid, hereinafter known as the “Schedule ‘A’
Pay Grid. Every step and lane shall be $4,464.02 higher than the applicable schedule effective September
1, 2015. The parties agree that this compensation shall be deemed a part of each employee’s base pay for
their newly established workday under the collective bargaining agreement. It shall be subject to retirement
deductions and shall be included in the calculation of a day’s pay for sick leave and severance pay purposes.
If a faculty member leaves a Schedule “A” school and moves to a Schedule B school, his or her pay shall
revert to the non-Schedule “A” pay grid.
(G) All Schedule “A” schools shall have the option of having teacher planning and development time
increased by seven (7) minutes each day, ve days per week, or having a block of 35 additional minutes per
week. Exercise of the option shall be by vote of the School Site Council taken in June.
(H) In the event of a conict between the terms of this agreement concerning ELT any future
RFP, Election to Work Agreement or governing document for a school hereafter adopting Pilot School or
Innovation School status, or between this agreement and the charter of any school hereafter chartered as a
Horace Mann Charter School or between the terms of this agreement and proposed Turnaround Plan of a
Schedule “A” school designated hereafter as a Level 4 or Level 5 School, the terms of this agreement shall
prevail.
(I) Disputes over the interpretation or application of this agreement shall be resolved in accordance
with the expedited arbitration procedures of the collective bargaining agreement.
59
(J) There shall be a seven (7) member Joint Task Force created to oversee the implementation of this
ELT agreement, three members designated by the superintendent, three members designated by the president
of the BTU and a seventh member selected jointly by the parties hereto.
The following attachments are incorporated into this Agreement:
Schedule A School List (as of the date if the signing of this agreement)
Adams Guild King Perry
Alighieri Montessori Hale Lee Philbrick
Bates Harvard Kent Lyon Quincy
Beethoven Hennigan Manning Roosevelt
Bradley Hernandez Mather Russell
Carter Higginson McKay Shaw PA
Chittick Higginson Lewis Mendell Sumner
Condon Holmes Mozart Taylor
Conley Horace Mann K-8 Murphy Tobin
Curley Hurley O’Donnell Tynan
Edison Kennedy PJ Ohrenberger Warren Prescott
Ellis Kenny Otis Winship
Everett Kilmer Perkins
Schedule B School List (as of the date of the signing of this agreement)
Another Course to College East Boston EEC Mattahunt
Baldwin Early Learning Academy’ East Boston High McCormack
Blackstone Eliot McKinley Elem
Boston Adult Tech Academy Ellison Parks McKinley Middle
Boston Arts Academy English High McKinley Prep
Boston Comm Leadership Academy Excel High McKinley South End
Boston Day and Evening Academy Fenway High Mildred Avenue
Boston Green Academy Frederick Muniz Academy
Boston International High Gardner New Mission
Boston Latin Academy Greater Egleston O’Bryant
Boston Latin School Greenwood S. Orchard Gardens
Boston Teachers Union Grew Quincy Upper
Brighton High Haley Snowden International
Burke High Haynes TechBoston Academy
Channing Henderson Trotter
Charlestown High Horace Mann 9-12 Umana
Clap Innovation Kennedy Health UP Boston
Community Academy Kennedy JF
UP Dorchester Academy
Community Academy Science & Health Lee Academy UP Holland
Dearborn Lyndon West Zone ELC
Dever Madison Winthrop
Dudley Street Neighborhood Mason Young Achievers
This agreement is tentative and must be executed no later than January 5, 2015.
Thereafter, its terms shall be subject to ratication by the School Committee of the City of Boston
and the membership of the Boston Teachers Union. For School Year 2014-2015 this Agreement is also
subject to appropriation by the Boston City Council.
60
F. Performance Evaluation
1. Purpose of Educator Evaluation
The parties agree that the evaluation process should be fair, transparent and humane for all educators.
This contract language is locally negotiated and based on M.G.L., c.71, § 38; M.G.L. c.150E; the
Educator Evaluation regulations, 603 CMR 35.00 et seq.; and the Model System for Educator Evaluation
developed and which may be updated from time to time by the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education. See 603 CMR 35.02 (denition of model system). In the event of a conict between this collective
bargaining agreement and the governing laws and regulations, the laws and regulations will prevail.
The regulatory purposes of evaluation are:
• To promote student learning, growth, and achievement by providing Educators with feedback
for improvement, enhanced opportunities for professional growth, and clear structures for
accountability, 603 CMR 35.01(2)(a);
• To provide a record of facts and assessments for personnel decisions, 35.01(2)(b};
• To ensure that every school committee has a system to enhance the professionalism and
accountability of teachers and administrators that will enable them to assist all students to perform
at high levels, 35.01(3); and
• To assure effective teaching and administrative leadership, 35.01(3).
2. Denitions (* indicates denition is generally based on 603 CMR 35.02)
*Artifacts of Professional Practice: Products of an Educator’s work and student work samples that
demonstrate the Educator’s knowledge and skills with respect to specic performance standards.
Caseload Educator: Educators who teach or counsel individual or small groups of students through
consultation with the regular classroom teacher, for example, school nurses, guidance counselors, speech and
language pathologists, and some reading specialists and special education teachers.
Classroom teacher: Educators who teach preK-12 whole classes, and teachers of special subjects
such as art, music, library, and physical education. May also include special education teachers and reading
specialists who teach whole classes.
Categories of Evidence: Multiple measures of student learning, growth, and achievement,
judgments based on observations and artifacts of professional practice, including unannounced observations
of practice of any duration; and additional evidence relevant to one or more Standards of Effective Teaching
Practice (603 CMR 35.03).
*Educator(s): Inclusive term that applies to all classroom teachers and caseload educators, unless
otherwise noted.
*Educator Plan: The growth or improvement actions identied as part of each Educator’s
evaluation. The type of plan is determined by the Educator’s career stage, overall performance rating, and the
rating of impact on student learning, growth and achievement. There shall be four types of Educator Plans:
Developing Educator Plan shall mean a plan developed by the Educator and the Evaluator
for one school year or less for an Educator without Professional Teacher Status (PTS); or, at the
discretion of an Evaluator, for an Educator with PTS in a new assignment.
Self-Directed Growth Plan shall mean a plan developed by the Educator for one or two
school years for Educators with PTS who are rated procient or exemplary.
61
Directed Growth Plan shall mean a plan developed by the Educator and the Evaluator of
one school year or less for Educators with PTS who are rated needs improvement.
Improvement Plan shall mean a plan developed by the Evaluator of at least 30 calendar
days and no more than one school year for Educators with PTS who are rated unsatisfactory with
goals specic to improving the Educator’s unsatisfactory performance. In those cases where an
Educator is rated unsatisfactory near the close of a school year, the plan may include activities during
the summer preceding the next school year.
*ESE: The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
*Evaluation: The ongoing process of dening goals and identifying, gathering, and using
information as part of a process to improve professional performance (the “formative evaluation” and
“formative assessment”) and to assess total job effectiveness and make personnel decisions (the “summative
evaluation”).
*Evaluator: Any person designated by a superintendent who has primary or supervisory
responsibility for observation and evaluation. The superintendent is responsible for ensuring that all
Evaluators have training in the principles of supervision and evaluation. Each Educator will have one
primary Evaluator at any one time responsible for determining performance ratings.
Primary Evaluator shall be the person who determines the Educator’s performance ratings
and evaluation.
Supervising Evaluator shall be the person responsible for developing the Educator Plan,
supervising the Educator’s progress through formative assessments, evaluating the Educator’s
progress toward attaining the Educator Plan goals, and making recommendations about the evaluation
ratings to the primary Evaluator at the end of the Educator Plan. The Supervising Evaluator may be
the primary Evaluator or his/her designee.
Teaching Staff Assigned to More Than One Building: Each Educator who is assigned to
more than one building will be evaluated by the appropriate administrator where the individual is
assigned most of the time. The principal of each building in which the Educator serves must review
and sign the evaluation, and may add written comments. In cases where there is no predominate
assignment, the superintendent will determine who the primary evaluator will be.
Notication: The Educator shall be notied in writing of his/her primary Evaluator and
supervising Evaluator, if any, at the outset of each new evaluation cycle. The Evaluator(s) may be
changed upon notication in writing to the Educator.
Evaluation Cycle: A ve-component process that all Educators follow consisting of 1) Self
Assessment; 2) Goal-setting and Educator Plan development; 3) Implementation of the Plan; 4) Formative
Assessment/Evaluation; and 5) Summative Evaluation.
*Experienced Educator: An educator with Professional Teacher Status (PTS).
*Family: Includes students’ parents, legal guardians, foster parents, or primary caregivers.
*Formative Assessment: The process used to assess progress towards attaining goals set forth in
Educator plans, performance on standards, or both. This process may take place at any time(s) during the
cycle of evaluation, but typically takes place at mid-cycle.
*Formative Evaluation: An evaluation conducted at the end of Year 1 for an Educator on a 2-year
Self-Directed Growth plan which is used to arrive at a rating on progress towards attaining the goals set
forth in the Educator Plan, performance on Standards and Indicators of Effective Teaching Practice, or both.
62
*Goal: A specic, actionable, and measurable area of improvement as set forth in an Educator’s plan.
A goal may pertain to any or all of the following: Educator practice in relation to Performance Standards,
Educator practice in relation to indicators, or specied improvement in student learning, growth and
achievement. Goals may be developed by individual Educators, by the Evaluator, or by teams, departments,
or groups of Educators who have the same role.
*Measurable: That which can be classied or estimated in relation to a scale, rubric, or standards.
Multiple Measures of Student Learning: Measures must include a combination of classroom,
school and district assessments, student growth percentiles on state assessments, if state assessments are
available, and student MEPA gain scores. This denition may be revised as required by regulations or
agreement of the parties upon issuance of ESE guidance expected by July 2012.
*Observation: A data gathering process that includes notes and judgments made during one or more
classroom or worksite visits(s) of any duration by the Evaluator and may include examination of artifacts of
practice including student work. An observation may occur in person or through video. Video observations
will be done openly and with knowledge of the Educator. The parties agree to bargain the protocols of video
observations should either party wish to adopt such practice. Classroom or worksite observations conducted
pursuant to this article must result in feedback to the Educator. Normal supervisory responsibilities of
department, building and district administrators will also cause administrators to drop in on classes and
other activities in the worksite at various times as deemed necessary by the administrator. Carrying out these
supervisory responsibilities, when they do not result in targeted and constructive feedback to the Educator,
are not observations as dened in this Article.
Parties: The parties to this agreement are the Boston School Committee and the Boston Teachers
Union.
*Performance Rating: Describes the Educator’s performance on each performance standard and
overall. There shall be four performance ratings:
Exemplary: the Educator’s performance consistently and signicantly exceeds the
requirements of a standard or overall. The rating of exemplary on a standard indicates that practice
signicantly exceeds procient and could serve as a model of practice on that standard district-wide.
Procient:the Educator’s performance fully and consistently meets the requirements of a
standard or overall. Procient practice is understood to be fully satisfactory.
Needs Improvement: the Educator’s performance on a standard or overall is below
the requirements of a standard or overall, but is not considered to be unsatisfactory at this time.
Improvement Is necessary and expected.
Unsatisfactory: the Educator’s performance on a standard or overall has not signicantly
improved following a rating of needs improvement, or the Educator’s performance is consistently
below the requirements of a standard or overall and is considered inadequate, or both.
*Performance Standards: Locally developed standards and indicators pursuant to M.G.L. c. 71, §
38 and consistent with, and supplemental to 603 CMR 35.00. The parties may agree to limit standards and
indicators to those set forth in 603 CMR 35.03.
*Professional Teacher Status: PTS is the status granted to an Educator pursuant to M.G.L. c. 71,
§ 41.
Rating of Overall Educator Performance: The Educator’s overall performance rating is based on
the Evaluator’s professional judgment and examination of evidence of the Educator’s performance against
the four Performance Standards and the Educator’s attainment of goals set forth in the Educator Plan, as
follows:
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Standard 1: Curriculum, Planning and Assessment
Standard 2: Teaching All Students
Standard 3: Family and Community Engagement
Standard 4: Professional Culture
Attainment of Professional Practice Goal(s) Attainment of Student Learning Goal(s)
Role-Specic Indicators: Interpretive guidance about applying the Teacher or Specialized
Instructional Support Personnel rubric for specic roles with specialized skills, knowledge, and responsibilities.
They do not replace the rubric language but assist in interpreting the rubric for specic employees including
but not limited to Librarians, Nurses, Counselors, and certain Related Service Providers. In some cases,
supplemental rubric language may be provided (e.g., Role-Specic Indicators for School Counselors).
*Rubric: A scoring tool that describes characteristics of practice or artifacts at different levels
of performance. The rubrics for Standards and Indicators of Effective Teaching Practice are used to rate
Educators on Performance Standards, these rubrics consists of:
Standards: Describes broad categories of professional practice, including those required in 603
CMR 35.03.
Indicators: Describes aspects of each standard, including those required in 603 CMR 35.03.
Elements: Denes the individual components under each indicator.
Descriptors: Describes practice at four levels of performance for each element.
*Summative Evaluation: An evaluation used to arrive at a rating on each standard, an
overall rating, and as a basis to make personnel decisions. The summative evaluation includes
the Evaluator’s judgments of the Educator’s performance against Performance Standards and the
Educator’s attainment of goals set forth in the Educator’s Plan.
*Superintendent: The person employed by the school committee pursuant to M.G.L. c. 71 §59 and
§59A. The superintendent is responsible for the implementation of 603 CMR 35.00.
*Teacher: An Educator employed in a position requiring a certicate or license as described in 603
CMR 7.04(3)(a, b, and d) and in the area of vocational education as provided in 603 CMR 4.00. Teachers
may include, for example, classroom teachers, librarians, guidance counselors, or school nurses.
*Trends in Student Learning: At least two years of data from the district determined measures and
state assessments used in determining the Educator’s rating on impact on student learning as high, moderate
or low.
3. Evidence Used In Evaluation
The following categories of evidence shall be used in evaluating each Educator:
Multiple measures of student learning, growth, and achievement, which shall include:
Measures of student progress on classroom assessments that are aligned with the Massachusetts
Curriculum Frameworks or other relevant frameworks and are comparable within grades or subjects in a
school;
64
Measures of student learning related to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks or the
Massachusetts Vocational Technical Education Frameworks or other relevant frameworks that are
comparable across grades and/or subjects district-wide. These measures may include: portfolios, approved
commercial assessments and district-developed pre- and post-unit and course assessments, and capstone
projects. One such measure shalt be the MCAS Student Growth Percentile (SGP) or Massachusetts English
Prociency Assessment gain scores, if applicable, in which case at least two years of data is required;
Measures of student progress and/or achievement toward student learning goals set between the
Educator and Evaluator for the school year or some other period of time established in the Educator Plan;.
For Educators whose primary role is not as a classroom teacher, the appropriate measures of the Educator’s
contribution to student learning, growth, and achievement set by the district. The measures set by the district
should be based on the Educator’s role and responsibility.
Judgments based on observations and artifacts of practice including:
Unannounced observations of practice of any duration;
Announced observation(s) for non-PTS Educators in their rst year of practice in a school, Educators
on Improvement Plans, and as determined by the Evaluator;
Examination of Educator work products; Examination of student work samples.
Evidence relevant to one or more Performance Standards, including but not limited to:
Evidence compiled and presented by the Educator, including:
Evidence of fulllment of professional responsibilities and growth such as self-assessments, peer
collaboration, professional development linked to goals in the Educator plans, contributions to the school
community and professional culture;
Evidence of active outreach to and engagement with families; Evidence of progress towards
professional practice goal(s); Evidence of progress toward student learning outcomes goal(s).
iv) Student and Staff Feedback – see #22-23, below; and
v) Any other relevant evidence from any source that the Evaluator shares with the Educator. Other
relevant evidence could include information provided by other administrators such as the superintendent.
4. Rubric
The rubrics are a scoring tool used for the Educator’s self assessment, the formative assessment,
the formative evaluation and the summative evaluation. The districts may use either the rubrics provided by
ESE or comparably rigorous and comprehensive rubrics developed or adopted by the district and reviewed
by ESE.
The parties agree that Role Specic Indicators approved jointly by BPS and the BTU may be
used by Educators and Evaluators as guidance in interpreting the performance standards (rubric) for non-
classroom teaching roles addressed by DESE regulations and are intended to foster shared understanding of
expectations for an employee’s demonstration of highly specialized skills, knowledge, and responsibilities.
5. Evaluation Cycle: Training
Prior to the implementation of the new evaluation process contained in this article, districts shall
arrange training for all Educators, principals, and other evaluators that outlines the components of the new
evaluation process and provides an explanation of the evaluation cycle. The district through the superintendent
shall determine the type and quality of training based on guidance provided by ESE.
65
By November 1
st
of the rst year of this agreement, all Educators shall complete a professional
learning activity about self-assessment and goal-setting satisfactory to the superintendent or principal. Any
Educator hired after the November 1
st
date, and who has not previously completed such an activity, shall
complete such a professional learning activity about self-assessment and goal-setting within three months of
the date of hire. The district through the superintendent shall determine the type and quality of the learning
activity based on guidance provided by ESE.
6. Evaluation Cycle: Annual Orientation
At the start of each school year, the superintendent, principal or designee shall conduct a meeting
for Educators and Evaluators focused substantially on educator evaluation. The superintendent, principal or
designee shall:
Provide an overview of the evaluation process, including goal setting and the educator plans.
Provide all Educators with directions for obtaining a copy of the forms used by the district. These
may be electronically provided.
The faculty meeting may be digitally recorded to facilitate orientation of Educators hired after the
beginning of the school year.
7. Evaluation Cycle: Self-Assessment
Completing the Self-Assessment
The evaluation cycle begins with the Educator completing and submitting to the Primary or
Supervising Evaluator a self-assessment by October 1
st
or within four weeks of the start of their employment
at the school.
The self-assessment includes:
• An analysis of evidence of student learning, growth and achievement for students under the
Educator’s responsibility.
• An assessment of practice against each of the four Performance Standards of effective practice
using the district’s rubric.
Proposed goals to pursue:
• At least one goal directly related to improving the Educator’s own professional practice.
• At least one goal directed related to improving student learning.
Proposing the goals
Educators must consider goals for grade-level, subject-area, department teams, or other groups of
Educators who share responsibility for student learning and results, except as provided in (ii) below. Educators
may meet with teams to consider establishing team goals. Evaluators may participate in such meetings.
For Educators in their rst year of practice, the Evaluator or his/her designee will meet with each
Educator by October 1
st
(or within four weeks of the Educator’s rst day of employment if the Educator begins
employment after September 15
th
) to assist the Educator in completing the self-assessment and drafting the
professional practice and student learning goals which must include induction and mentoring activities.
Unless the Evaluator indicates that an Educator in his/her second or third years of practice should
continue to address induction and mentoring goals pursuant to 603 CMR 7.12, the Educator may address
shared grade level or subject area team goals.
For Educators with PTS and ratings of procient or exemplary, the goals may be team goals. In
addition, these Educators may include individual professional practice goals that address enhancing skills
that enable the Educator to share procient practices with colleagues or develop leadership skills.
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For Educators with PTS and ratings of needs improvement or unsatisfactory, the professional
practice goal(s) must address specic standards and indicators identied for improvement. In addition, the
goals may address shared grade level or subject area team goals.
8. Evaluation Cycle: Goal Setting and Development of the Educator Plan
Every Educator has an Educator Plan that includes, but is not limited to, one goal related to the
improvement of practice; one goal for the improvement of student learning. The Plan also outlines actions the
Educator must take to attain the goals established in the Plan and benchmarks to assess progress. Goals may
be developed by individual Educators, by the Evaluator, or by teams, departments, or groups of Educators
who have similar roles and/or responsibilities. See Sections 15-19 for more on Educator Plans.
To determine the goals to be included in the Educator Plan, the Evaluator reviews the goals the
Educator has proposed in the Self-Assessment, using evidence of Educator performance and impact on
student learning, growth and achievement based on the Educator’s self-assessment and other sources that
Evaluator shares with the Educator. The process for determining the Educator’s impact on student learning,
growth and achievement will be determined after ESE issues guidance on this matter. See #22, below.
Educator Plan Development Meetings shall be conducted as follows:
Educators in the same school may meet with the Evaluator in teams and/or individually at the end of
the previous evaluation cycle or by October 15
th
of the next academic year to develop their Educator Plan.
Educators shall not be expected to meet during the summer hiatus.
For those Educators new to the school, the meeting with the Evaluator to establish the Educator Plan
must occur by October 15
th
or within six weeks of the start of their assignment in that school.
The Evaluator shall meet individually with Educators with PTS and ratings of needs improvement
or unsatisfactory to develop professional practice goal(s) that must address specic standards and indicators
identied for improvement. In addition, the goals may address shared grade level or subject matter goals.
The Evaluator completes the Educator Plan by November 1
st
. The Educator shall sign the Educator
Plan within 5 school days of its receipt and may include a written response. The Educator’s signature
indicates that the Educator received the plan in a timely fashion. The signature does not indicate agreement or
disagreement with its contents. The Evaluator retains nal authority over the content of the Educator’s Plan.
9. Evaluation Cycle: Observation of Practice and Examination of Artifacts – Educators
without PTS
In the rst year of practice or rst year assigned to a school:
The Educator shall have at least one announced observation during the school year using the protocol
described in section 11B, below.
The Educator shall have at least four unannounced observations during the school year.
In their second and third years of practice or second and third years as a non-PTS Educator in the
school:
The Educator shall have at least three unannounced observations during the school year.
10. Evaluation Cycle: Observation of Practice and Examination of Artifacts – Educators with
PTS
The Educator whose overall rating is procient or exemplary must have at least one unannounced
observation during the evaluation cycle.
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The Educator whose overall rating is needs improvement must be observed according to the Directed
Growth Plan during the period of Plan which must include at least two unannounced observations. The
Educator whose overall rating is unsatisfactory must be observed according to the Improvement Plan which
must include both unannounced and announced observation. The number and frequency of the observations
shall be determined by the Evaluator, but in no case, for improvement plans of one year, shall there be fewer
than one announced and four unannounced observations. For Improvement Plans of six months or fewer,
there must be no fewer than one announced and two unannounced observations.
11. Observations
The Evaluator’s rst observation of the Educator should take place by November 15
th
. Observations
required by the Educator Plan should be completed by May 15
th
. The Evaluator may conduct additional
observations after this date.
The Evaluator is not required nor expected to review all the indicators in a rubric during an
observation.
Unannounced Observations
Unannounced observations may be in the form of partial or full-period classroom visitations,
Instructional Rounds, Walkthroughs, Learning Walks, or any other means deemed useful by the Evaluator,
principal, superintendent or other administrator.
The Educator will be provided with at least brief written feedback from the Evaluator within 3-5
school days of the observation. The written feedback shall be delivered to the Educator in person, by email,
placed in the Educator’s mailbox or mailed to the Educator’s home.
The feedback must include notication in writing after any observation which causes the observer to
believe that the educator’s performance may be less than procient in any standard or overall. In such cases,
the observation must be followed up by at least one observation of at least 30 minutes in duration within 30
school days.
Announced Observations
All non-PTS Educators in their rst year in the school, PTS Educators on Improvement Plans and
other educators at the discretion of the evaluator shall have at least one Announced Observation.
The Evaluator shall select the date and time of the lesson or activity to be observed and discuss with
the Educator any specic goal(s) for the observation.
Within 5 school days of the scheduled observation, upon request of either the Evaluator or Educator,
the Evaluator and Educator shall meet for a pre-observation conference. In lieu of a meeting, the Educator
may inform the Evaluator in writing of the nature of the lesson, the student population served, and any other
information that will assist the Evaluator to assess performance.
The Educator shall provide the Evaluator a draft of the lesson, student conference, IEP plan or activity.
If the actual plan is different, the Educator will provide the Evaluator with a copy prior to the observation.
The Educator will be notied as soon as possible if the Evaluator will not be able to attend the
scheduled observation. The observation will be rescheduled with the Educator as soon as reasonably practical.
Within 5 school days of the observation, the Evaluator and Educator shall meet for a post-observation
conference. This timeframe may be extended due to unavailability on the part of either the Evaluator or the
Educator, but shall be rescheduled within 24 hours if possible.
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The Evaluator shall provide the Educator with written feedback within 5 school days of the post-
observation conference. For any standard where the Educator’s practice was found to be unsatisfactory or
needs improvement, the feedback must:
• Describe the basis for the Evaluator’s judgment.
• Describe actions the Educator should take to improve his/her performance.
• Identify support and/or resources the Educator may use in his/her improvement.
• State that the Educator is responsible for addressing the need for improvement.
12. Evaluation Cycle: Formative Assessment
A specic purpose for evaluation is to promote student learning, growth and achievement by
providing Educators with feedback for improvement. Evaluators are expected to make frequent unannounced
visits to classrooms. Evaluators are expected to give targeted constructive feedback to Educators based on
their observations of practice, examination of artifacts, and analysis of multiple measures of student learning,
growth and achievement in relation to the Standards and Indicators of Effective Teaching Practice.
Formative Assessment may be ongoing throughout the evaluation cycle but typically takes places
mid-cycle when a Formative Assessment report is completed. For an Educator on a two-year Self-Directed
Growth Plan, the mid-cycle Formative Assessment report is replaced by the Formative Evaluation report at
the end of year one. See section 13, below.
The Formative Assessment report provides written feedback and ratings to the Educator about
his/her progress towards attaining the goals set forth in the Educator Plan, performance on Performance
Standards and overall, or both.
No less than two weeks before the due date for the Formative Assessment report, which due date
shall be established by the Evaluator with written notice to the Educator, the Educator shall provide to
the Evaluator evidence of family outreach and engagement, fulllment of professional responsibility and
growth, and progress on attaining professional practice and student learning goals. The educator may provide
to the evaluator additional evidence of the educator’s performances against the four Performance Standards.
Upon the request of either the Evaluator or the Educator, the Evaluator and the Educator will meet
either before or after completion of the Formative Assessment Report.
The Evaluator shall complete the Formative Assessment report and provide a copy to the Educator.
All Formative Assessment reports must be signed by the Evaluator and delivered face-to-face, by email or to
the Educator’s school mailbox or home.
The Educator may reply in writing to the Formative Assessment report within 5 school days of
receiving the report.
The Educator shall sign the Formative Assessment report within 5 school days of receiving the report.
The signature indicates that the Educator received the Formative Assessment report in a timely fashion. The
signature does not indicate agreement or disagreement with its contents.
As a result of the Formative Assessment Report, the Evaluator may change the activities in the
Educator Plan.
If the rating in the Formative Assessment report differs from the last summative rating the Educator
received, the Evaluator may place the Educator on a different Educator Plan, appropriate to the new rating.
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13. Evaluation Cycle: Formative Evaluation for Two Year Self-Directed Plans Only
Educators on two year Self-Directed Growth Educator Plans receive a Formative Evaluation report
near the end of the rst year of the two year cycle. The Educator’s performance rating for that year shall be
assumed to be the same as the previous summative rating unless evidence demonstrates a signicant change
in performance in which case the rating on the performance standards may change, and the Evaluator may
place the Educator on a different Educator plan, appropriate to the new rating.
The Formative Evaluation report provides written feedback and ratings to the Educator about his/
her progress towards attaining the goals set forth in the Educator Plan, performance on each performance
standard and overall, or both.
No less than two weeks before the due date for the Formative Evaluation report, which due date shall
be established by the Evaluator with written notice provided to the Educator, the Educator shall provide to
the Evaluator evidence of family outreach and engagement, fulllment of professional responsibility and
growth, and progress on attaining professional practice and student learning goals. The educator may also
provide to the evaluator additional evidence of the educator’s performance against the four Performance
Standards.
The Evaluator shall complete the Formative Evaluation report and provide a copy to the Educator.
All Formative Evaluation reports must be signed by the Evaluator and delivered face-to-face, by email or to
the Educator’s school mailbox or home.
Upon the request of either the Evaluator or the Educator, the Evaluator and the Educator will meet
either before or after completion of the Formative Evaluation Report.
The Educator may reply in writing to the Formative Evaluation report within 5 school days of
receiving the report.
The Educator shall sign the Formative Evaluation report within 5 school days of receiving the report.
The signature indicates that the Educator received the Formative Evaluation report in a timely fashion. The
signature does not indicate agreement or disagreement with its contents.
As a result of the Formative Evaluation report, the Evaluator may change the activities in the
Educator Plan.
If the rating in the Formative Evaluation report differs from the last summative rating the Educator
received, the Evaluator may place the Educator on a different Educator Plan, appropriate to the new rating.
14. Evaluation Cycle: Summative Evaluation
The evaluation cycle concludes with a summative evaluation report. For Educators on a one or two
year Educator Plan, the summative report must be written and provided to the educator by May 15
th
.
The Evaluator determines a rating on each standard and an overall rating based on the Evaluator’s
professional judgment, an examination of evidence against the Performance Standards and evidence of the
attainment of the Educator Plan goals.
The professional judgment of the primary evaluator shall determine the overall summative rating
that the Educator receives.
For an educator whose overall performance rating is exemplary or procient and whose impact on
student learning is low, the evaluator’s supervisor shall discuss and review the rating with the evaluator and
the supervisor shall conrm or revise the educator’s rating. In cases where the superintendent serves as the
primary evaluator, the superintendent’s decision on the rating shall not be subject to review.
70
The summative evaluation rating must be based on evidence from multiple categories of evidence.
MCAS Growth scores shall not be the sole basis for a summative evaluation rating.
To be rated procient overall, the Educator shall, at a minimum, have been rated procient on
the Curriculum, Planning and Assessment and the Teaching All Students Standards of Effective Teaching
Practice.
No less than four weeks before the due date for the Summative Evaluation report, which due date
shall be established by the Evaluator with written notice provided to the Educator, the Educator will provide
to the Evaluator evidence of family outreach and engagement, fulllment of professional responsibility and
growth, and progress on attaining professional practice and student learning goals. The educator may also
provide to the evaluator additional evidence of the educator’s performance against the four Performance
Standards.
The Summative Evaluation report should recognize areas of strength as well as identify
recommendations for professional growth.
The Evaluator shall deliver a signed copy of the Summative Evaluation report to the Educator face to
face, by email or to the Educator’s school mailbox or home no later than May 15
th
.
The Evaluator shall meet with the Educator rated needs improvement or unsatisfactory to discuss the
summative evaluation. The meeting shall occur by June 1
st
.
The Evaluator may meet with the Educator rated procient or exemplary to discuss the summative
evaluation, if either the Educator or the Evaluator requests such a meeting. The meeting shall occur by June 10
th
.
Upon mutual agreement, the Educator and the Evaluator may develop the Self-Directed Growth Plan
for the following two years during the meeting on the Summative Evaluation report.
The Educator shall sign the nal Summative Evaluation report by June 15
th
. The signature indicates
that the Educator received the Summative Evaluation report in a timely fashion. The signature does not
indicate agreement or disagreement with its contents.
The Educator shall have the right to respond in writing to the summative evaluation which shall
become part of the nal Summative Evaluation report.
A copy of the signed nal Summative Evaluation report shall be led in the Educator’s personnel le.
15. Educator Plans – General
Educator Plans shall be designed to provide Educators with feedback for improvement, professional
growth, and leadership; and to ensure Educator effectiveness and overall system accountability. The Plan
must be aligned to the standards and indicators and be consistent with district and school goals.
The Educator Plan shall include, but is not limited to:
At least one goal related to improvement of practice tied to one or more Performance Standards;
At least one goal for the improvement the learning, growth and achievement of the students under
the Educator’s responsibility;
An outline of actions the Educator must take to attain the goals and benchmarks to assess progress.
Actions must include specied professional development and learning activities that the Educator will
participate in as a means of obtaining the goals, as well as other support that may be suggested by the
Evaluator or provided by the school or district. Examples may include but are not limited to coursework, self-
study, action research, curriculum development, study groups with peers, and implementing new programs.
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It is the Educator’s responsibility to attain the goals in the Plan and to participate in any trainings
and professional development provided through the state, district, or other providers in accordance with the
Educator Plan.
16. Educator Plans: Developing Educator Plan
The Developing Educator Plan is for all Educators without PTS, and, at the discretion of the
Evaluator, Educators with PTS in new assignments.
The Educator shall be evaluated at least annually.
17. Educator Plans: Self-Directed Growth Plan
A Self-Directed Growth Plan is for those Educators with PTS who have an overall rating of procient
or exemplary. A Self-Directed Growth Plan may be of one or two years. For a two-year plan, a formative
evaluation report is completed at the end of year 1 and a summative evaluation report at the end of year 2.
18. Educator Plans: Directed Growth Plan
A Directed Growth Plan is for those Educators with PTS whose overall rating is needs improvement.
The goals in the Plan must address areas identied as needing improvement as determined by the
Evaluator.
The Evaluator shall complete a summative evaluation for the Educator at the end of the period
determined by the Plan, but at least annually, and in no case later than June 10th.
For an Educator on a Directed Growth Plan whose overall performance rating is at least procient,
the Evaluator will place the Educator on a Self-Directed Growth Plan for the next Evaluation Cycle.
For an Educator on a Directed Growth Plan whose overall performance rating is not at least procient,
the Evaluator will rate the Educator as unsatisfactory and will place the Educator on an Improvement Plan
for the next Evaluation Cycle.
19. Educator Plans: Improvement Plan
An Improvement Plan is for those Educators with PTS whose overall rating is unsatisfactory.
The parties agree that in order to provide students with the best instruction, it may be necessary from
time to time to place an Educator whose practice has been rated as unsatisfactory on an Improvement Plan
of no fewer than 30 calendar days and no more than one school year. In the case of an Educator receiving a
rating of unsatisfactory near the close of one school year, the Improvement Plan may include activities that
occur during the summer before the next school year begins.
The Evaluator must complete a summative evaluation for the Educator at the end of the period
determined by the Evaluator for the Plan.
An Educator on an Improvement Plan shall be assigned a Supervising Evaluator (see denitions). The
Supervising Evaluator is responsible for providing the Educator with guidance and assistance in accessing
the resources and professional development outlined in the Improvement Plan. The primary evaluator may
be the Supervising Evaluator.
The Improvement Plan shall dene the problem(s) of practice identied through the observations
and evaluation and detail the improvement goals to be met, the activities the Educator must take to improve
and the assistance to be provided to the Educator by the district.
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The Improvement Plan process shall include:
Within ten school days of notication to the Educator that the Educator is being placed on an
Improvement Plan, the Evaluator shall schedule a meeting with the Educator to discuss the Improvement
Plan. The Evaluator will develop the Improvement Plan, which will include the provision of specic
assistance to the Educator.
The Educator may request that a representative of the Employee Organization/Association attend
the meeting(s).
If the Educator consents, the Employee Organization/Association will be informed that an Educator
has been placed on an Improvement Plan.
The Improvement Plan shall:
Dene the improvement goals directly related to the performance standard(s) and/or student learning
outcomes that must be improved;
Describe the activities and work products the Educator must complete as a means of improving
performance;
Describe the assistance that the district will make available to the Educator;
Articulate the measurable outcomes that will be accepted as evidence of improvement;
Detail the timeline for completion of each component of the Plan, including at a minimum a mid
cycle formative assessment report of the relevant standard(s) and indicator(s);
Identify the individuals assigned to assist the Educator which must include minimally the Supervising
Evaluator; and,
Include the signatures of the Educator and Supervising Evaluator.
A copy of the signed Plan shall be provided to the Educator. The Educator’s signature indicates that
the Educator received the Improvement Plan in a timely fashion. The signature does not indicate agreement
or disagreement with its contents.
Decision on the Educator’s status at the conclusion of the Improvement Plan.
All determinations below must be made no later than June 1. One of three decisions must be made at
the conclusion of the Improvement Plan:
If the Evaluator determines that the Educator has improved his/her practice to the level of prociency,
the Educator will be placed on a Self-Directed Growth Plan.
In those cases where the Educator was placed on an Improvement Plan as a result of his/her
summative rating at the end of his/her Directed Growth Plan, if the Evaluator determines that the
Educator is making substantial progress toward prociency, the Evaluator shall place the Educator on a
Directed Growth Plan.
In those cases where the Educator was placed on an Improvement Plan as a result of his/her
Summative rating at the end of his/her Directed Growth Plan, if the Evaluator determines that the Educator
is not making substantial progress toward prociency, the Evaluator shall recommend to the superintendent
that the Educator be dismissed.
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If the Evaluator determines that the Educator’s practice remains at the level of unsatisfactory, the
Evaluator shall recommend to the superintendent that the Educator be dismissed.
Educators with PTS on Two Year Plans
Activity Completed by:
Evaluator completes unannounced observation(s) Any time during the 2-year evaluation cycle
Evaluator completes Formative Evaluation Report June 1 of Year 1
Evaluator conducts Formative Evaluation Report, if any June 1 of Year 1
Evaluator completes Summative Evaluation Report May 15 of Year 2
Evaluator conducts Summative Evaluation Report, if any June 10 of Year 2
Evaluator and Educator sign Summative Evaluation Report June 15 of Year 2
B) Educators on Plans of Less than One Year
The timeline for educators on Plans of less than one year will be established in the Educator Plan.
20. Timelines (Dates in italics are provided as guidance)
Activity Completed by:
Superintendent, principal or designee meets with evaluators
and educators to explain evaluation process September 15
Evaluator meets with rst-year educators to assist in self-assessment
and goal setting process
Evaluator submits self-assessment and proposed goals October 1
Evaluator meets with Educators in teams or individually to establish
Educator Plans (Educator Plan may be established at
Summative Evaluation Report meeting prior to school year) October 15
Evaluator completes Educator Plans November 1
Evaluator should complete rst observation of each Educator November 15
Educator submits evidence on parent outreach, professional growth,
progress on goals (and other standards, if desired)
* or four weeks before Formative Assessment Report
date established by Evaluator January 5*
Evaluator should complete mid-cycle Formative Assessment Reports
for Educators on one-year Educator Plans February 1
Evaluator holds Formative Assessment Meetings if requested by
either Evaluator or Educator February 15
Educator submits evidence on parent outreach, professional growth,
progress on goals (and other standards, if desired)
* or four weeks before Summative Assessment Report
date established by Evaluator April 20*
Evaluator completes Summative Assessment Report May 15
Evaluator meets with Educators whose overall Summative Evaluation
ratings are Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory June 1
Evaluator meets with Educators whose ratings are procient or
exemplary at request of Evaluator or Educator June 10
Evaluator signs Summative Assessment Report and adds response,
if any, within 5 school days of receipt June 15
21. Career Advancement
A) In order to attain Professional Teacher Status, the Educator should achieve ratings of procient
or exemplary on each Performance Standard and overall. A principal considering making an employment
decision that would lead to PTS for any Educator who has not been rated procient or exemplary on each
performance standard and overall on the most recent evaluation shall confer with the superintendent by
May 1
st
.The principal’s decision is subject to review and approval by the superintendent.
74
B) In order to qualify to apply for a teacher leader position, the Educator must have had a Summative
Evaluation performance rating of procient or exemplary for at least the previous two years.
C) Educators with PTS whose summative performance rating is exemplary shall be recognized
and rewarded with leadership roles, promotions, additional compensation, public commendation or other
acknowledgment as determined by the district through collective bargaining where applicable.
22. Using Student Feedback in Educator Evaluation
ESE will provide model contract language, direction and guidance on using student feedback in
Educator Evaluation by June 30, 2013. Upon receiving this model contract language, direction and guidance,
the parties agree to bargain with respect to this matter.
23. Using Staff Feedback in Educator Evaluation
ESE will provide model contract language, direction and guidance on using staff feedback in
Administrator Evaluation by June 30, 2013. Upon receiving this model contract language, direction and
guidance, the parties agree to bargain with respect to this matter.
24. General Provisions
A. Only Educators who are licensed may serve as primary evaluators of Educators. BTU members
may serve as evaluators under the following circumstances:
1. The BTU member must complete basic Evaluator Training, which fullls DESE
requirements.
2. The BTU member must be willing to serve as an evaluator.
3. The BTU member’s practice must be rated procient or exemplary on their own most recent
overall rating.
4. The BTU member may not be the primary or secondary evaluator for an educator whose last
rating was less than procient, or, after collection of evidence, examination of that evidence
suggests the educator may be rated less than procient. In such cases, the Evaluator must
relinquish that educator plan to a school-based administrator before taking any further action
as an evaluator.
B. Evaluators shall not make negative comments about the Educator’s performance, or comments
of a negative evaluative nature, in the presence of students, parents or other staff, except in the unusual
circumstance where the Evaluator concludes that he/she must immediately and directly intervene. Nothing
in this paragraph is intended to limit an administrator’s ability to investigate a complaint, or secure assistance
to support an Educator.
C. The superintendent shall ensure that Evaluators have training in supervision and evaluation,
including the regulations and standards and indicators of effective teaching practice promulgated by ESE
(35.03), and the evaluation Standards and Procedures established in this Agreement.
D. Should there be a serious disagreement between the Educator and the Evaluator regarding an overall
summative performance rating of unsatisfactory, the Educator may meet with the Evaluator’s supervisor to
discuss the disagreement. Should the Educator request such a meeting, the Evaluator’s supervisor must meet
with the Educator. The Evaluator may attend any such meeting at the discretion of the superintendent.
E. The parties agree to establish a joint labor-management evaluation team which shall review the
evaluation processes and procedures annually through the rst three years of implementation and recommend
adjustments to the parties.
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F. Violations of this article are subject to the grievance and arbitration procedures. Any such grievance
shall be dealt with expeditiously. ln the event of a concurrent dismissal, evaluation grievances shall be merged
and considered a single proceeding. The arbitrator shall determine whether there was substantial compliance
with the totality of the evaluation process. When the evaluation process results in the termination or non-renewal
of an Educator, then no nancial remedy or reinstatement shall issue if there was substantial compliance.
G. Seniority
Seniority in the teachers’ unit is dened as total years of professional service in the Boston Public
School system for which salary credit is given for step advancement, including years on maximum whether
or not such teaching experience (120 days) results in a provisional contract in any year.
Time spent in authorized leave of absence granted for any reasons prior to September 1, 1980 will
continue to count as seniority in the teachers unit. Paid leave of absence granted on or after September 1, 1980
including leave covered by workmen’s compensation, will continue to count as seniority in the teachers’ unit.
Unpaid leave of absence granted on or after September 1, 1980 for any reason other than for union business
under Section VIII(Q)(1) will not count as seniority in the teachers’ unit. Any time spent on an involuntary
layoff prior to an offer of recall shall be counted as seniority in the teachers’ unit; however, such time shall not
count towards career awards or other salary advancement. The Union will indemnify the Committee against
any cost or damages arising out of any dispute or proceeding connected with the prior sentence.
The Union shall be supplied with a current seniority list of all members of the bargaining unit.
The settlement agreement contained in Appendix B shall apply to all similar situations where the
Superintendent breaks a larger school into smaller schools or small learning communities. The seniority
provisions referenced in Paragraph 3 of the appendix will continue in each circumstance for 16 full years
commencing from the beginning of the September following the year this provision is implemented in a
given school.
H. Certication/ProgramAreas
1. Program Areas
Employees shall be assigned to program areas in which they are qualied. Program areas are listed in
Appendix A. The School Committee reserves the right to establish additional program areas, subject to any
collective bargaining obligation as may be required by law.
2. Qualications
Employees shall be deemed qualied in a program area by holding a valid state certicate or approval
for such area and by meeting one of the following criteria:
(a) A state certicate not more than ve (5) years old.
(b) A mean score on the National Teachers Examination, not more than ten (10) years old.
(c) Fifteen (15) course credits, graduate or undergraduate, approved as relevant to qualication,
all of which are not more than ve (5) years old.
(d) Two (2) years of teaching experience within ten (10) years. A creditable year is one in which
at least 50% of the weekly schedule is in the subject area.
3. Ranking
Teachers shall be ranked by seniority (as dened in Section V(H) above) within each program area,
including teachers on recall lists.
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4. Schedule and Procedures
For the purposes of determining qualications and placement in a program area, all valid credentials
must be led with the Personnel Department on or before January 15
th
of any year, unless the results of the
NTE or PRAXIS exam are not available by January 15
th
, in which case, the application will be due by 2/15
Employees must respond to alleged erroneous placement or non-placement in a program area or
to an error in their seniority date within thirty (30) days of the receipt of such information from the School
Department.
5. Leave of Absence; Promotion
Teachers on leave of absence for more than ten (10) years or who were promoted out of the bargaining
unit shall be considered qualied in the program area in which they have taught immediately prior to such
leave of absence or promotion in addition to any program area in which they are qualied under Section (2)
above.
6. Recall
Teachers on recall shall be placed in program areas in which they are qualied under Section 2 above.
7. SPED Teachers
The following special provisions shall apply to SPED teachers, superseding any conicting provision
of the 1983 Settlement Agreement. All article references in this proposal refer to the Settlement Agreement.
(a) Employees shall be assigned to one of the SPED program areas or categories (see Appendix
A).
(b) SPED teachers shall be deemed qualied in any such program area or category in any
manner specied in IV C 17(b), subject to the specic additional requirements listed in
Appendix A. In addition:
(1) Any SPED teacher, including an ETL, is deemed qualied in Program Area 12 and its
categories (subject to special certication requirements).
(2) An ETL is considered qualied in the program area in which (s)he taught immediately
prior to becoming an ETL.
(3) A SPED teacher hired on or after September 1, 1986 with an 003 certicate shall not be
deemed qualied to teach in any specic program (e.g. LD, SAR, ESD) without evidence
of satisfactorily completed coursework related to such program. The Department will
accept evidence of enrollment as a valid credential, subject to completion of such
courses on time line as mutually agreed by a teacher and the Department.
(c) Any SPED teacher may exercise layoff, transfer, recall and excessing rights, in accordance
with the general provisions of Article VC15-19, in any program area in which such teacher
is qualied, except that:
(1) No teacher who is targeted for excessing from a category other than 12f or 12g may
displace a teacher in 12f or 12g (prior to being placed in the system-wide excess pool)
without prior experience in such category;
(2) Teachers in Program Area 2 shall be excessed by category;
77
(3) Teachers laid off from Program Area 12 and currently teaching in category 12h or
with prior experience in Category 12h (in compliance with Article VC 17-21) shall be
considered qualied to displace junior teachers in Program Area 13 who are working in
502.4 cluster programs and to displace any provisional teacher in Program Area 13; but
not to displace any junior tenured teacher at the McKinley School or in any other severe
lab 502.4i program.
(d) Teachers currently teaching in category (a) of Program Area 2 and in Program Areas 5, 6, 7,
and 8 shall be grandfathered and shall not be displaced or otherwise adversely affected by
any additional requirements specied in this agreement; provided, however, they shall be
affected by any new state-imposed requirements.
(e) For layoff, transfer, excessing, and reassignment rights, any teacher eligible to work within
program area #13 shall also be eligible to work within program area #12.
8. Bilingual Teachers
Years taught in the bilingual program shall count as teaching experience in the corresponding Regular
Education program area, provided that such teacher is state-certied and is procient in the English language.
9. Excessing
Where a position requires two licenses, and the incumbent does not possess the required licenses,
that teacher may be excessed for the lack of holding the two licenses provided they are notied two (2)
years in advance. They must be given two entire years after being noticed in writing, consistent with stafng
timelines, to obtain the required licensure provided they demonstrate each year in writing in a process
designated by the Ofce of Human Capital by January 15 that they are making “continuous progress,” as
informed by the DESE guidance as of July 2022 and included below, toward meeting the requirements for
licensure in the eld in which the additional license is required. Teachers who have demonstrated progress
who then have not obtained the license by the third July 31 after the following written notice will be excessed.
In the second January following notice, they may apply to the Superintendent for an additional year if they
can show they are still making continuous progress.
The parties agree that the denition of “Continuous Progress” shall be dened as follows:
Below are the ways in which an individual, or a district on behalf of the individual, may demonstrate
continuous progress.
A teacher must complete at least one aspect of the licensure requirements for the role. This can
include any of the following:
1. Passing a Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
2. Passing a subtest of an MTEL or one or more Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL) tasks
3. Obtaining the SEI Endorsement requirement and approval
4. * Meeting a “coverage of...” competency through 10 Professional Development Points or 10
hours of mentored experience (see Competency Review Guide and Form)
* These activities are only applicable to documenting progress for certain license applications
where completion of a seminar is an option, and/or a competency review is specically
required. Licenses that may require a competency review include: General Science 1-6,
History 1-6, Digital Literacy & Computer Sciences, Library, Moderate Disabilities, Severe
Disabilities, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, Teacher of the Visually Impaired.
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5. * Enrollment and progress in or completion of an MTEL preparation course or equivalent effort
to deepen knowledge and/or skills aligned with MTEL test objectives (e.g., college course in
the subject area, district-run sessions, etc.)
* MTEL preparation will only be counted once as continuous progress if there isn’t an attempt to
pass the MTEL test related to the preparation.
6. Enrollment and progress in or completion of an approved preparation program
7. The assignment of a subject-matter expert/coach and the additional district support (e.g., release
time or nancial incentives) to provide at least 25 hours of content-specic coaching in the
individual’s classroom. This support is in addition to any standard induction and mentoring
support provided to rst-year educators. Documentation of this would include a letter from the
district outlining the supports in place as well as a time log signed by the individual on the waiver
and the assigned subject-matter expert/coach.
8. Additional MTEL or PAL attempts, even if unsuccessful as long as there are supports in place to
improve performance moving forward.
Any educator with 25 or more years of service as of September 1, 2022, under a Massachusetts
license or they received their teaching license before 1998, shall not be required to obtain an additional
license.
BPS will reimburse teachers up to $3,000 during their employment with the BPS for the cost of
obtaining another license required by BPS for the teacher’s position, including but not limited to those
working under a waiver or emergency license. Teachers shall be reimbursed for the following expenses:
MTEL prep courses from a provider on a list established by the Ofce of Human Capital, MTEL tests,
graduate coursework, license fees and BPS Pathways Programs, provided that the teacher submits receipts to
the Ofce of Human Capital within the scal year that the expenses were incurred.
I. Transfers
1. General Procedures
These general procedures are subject to the provisions of Article III(C)(4)(c).
The Committee shall not be required to post for transfer any position held by a “provisional” teacher
whom the Committee has made “permanent.” Any position which is posted for transfer may be lled by
a provisional teacher whom the Committee has made “permanent.” Except as specied in the prior two
sentences or elsewhere in this Agreement, all vacancies which under prior collective bargaining agreements
were to be lled by transfer shall be lled in the manner set forth below:
(a) All vacancies shall be posted on the School Department website (www.boston.k12.ma.us) no
later than April 15
th
. All applications for vacant positions must be submitted no later than 10 school days after
posting on the website. The website shall be the only medium for posting vacancies.
Internal candidates must use the MyBPS intranet system for submission of applications, including
data information form and resume. Human Resources will not accept paper applications.
Positions held by provisional teachers with a letter of reasonable assurance will not be posted
provided that one BTU Building Rep. has granted written approval. The Department of Human Resources
will send out letters of reasonable assurance to provisional teachers no later than April 15
th
. The School
Department will provide a list of such positions to the union prior to initiating the “posting process.” BTU
members will have in-school access to a computer with internet capability and a printer.
79
(b) Open Postings:
All BTU vacancies that BPS intends to ll will be posted on an ongoing basis for internal and external
candidates. BPS will not be required to attach a stipend to any position open-posted following ratication of
this agreement, unless the position requires additional duties.
(c) Transfer Eligibility:
All permanent teachers, including those on leave of absence, are eligible to apply for transfers during
the month of March. Provisional teachers with a letter of reasonable assurance shall be eligible to apply for
transfers to their own positions under the transfer process. However, any permanent teacher who seeks a
position to which a provisional teacher has applied under this section will be granted an interview by the
School Site Council Personnel Subcommittee.
Teachers may be considered for transfer in any subject area in which they re-certify under the 1993
Massachusetts Educational Reform Act, even if they do not hold an active Boston program area; however, a
school’s Personnel Subcommittee shall not be required to select any such individual.
Any teacher who has received two interim overall unsatisfactory evaluations between September
and February of that year may be rejected for transfer by the School Site Council Personnel Subcommittee.
Bilingual school psychologists shall be able to move to a monolingual school psychologist vacancy
with notice to the administrator by February 1.
(d) If no permanent teacher applies for a position that appears in the April 15
th
posting, the personnel
subcommittee may consider and select any qualied applicant who applies to the posting, so long as there is
no permanent excessed teacher in that subject area.
In cases where there is only one applicant for a vacancy on the transfer posting, the personnel
subcommittee will not be required to hire that single applicant, and the vacancy will go into the excess pool.
If there is no permanent excessed teacher in that subject area, the personnel subcommittee may consider and
select any qualied applicant who applies for the position.
(e) The BTU may challenge the omission of a vacancy from the April 15
th
posting. The challenge
must occur within 10 days of the posting. The challenge may be overridden by a 60% vote of the faculty of
the school where the vacancy is challenged. Should the challenge not be overridden, the vacancy shall be
posted on the BPS web page prior to the running of the excess pools for 5 school days. Permanent teachers
only are eligible to apply.
(f) Transfers will take effect the following September, unless the posting otherwise provides.
(g) Members of the bargaining unit shall have ten (10) school days to apply for transfer.
(h) In the event that a position sought through transfer no longer exists on the effective date of
transfer, the person seeking the transfer shall remain in his/her former position as if the vacancy had not
been posted.
(i) Upon rehiring after three (3) consecutive years of provisional service, provisional nurses shall
attain the same rights and benets relative to transfer as nurses who have been permanently appointed.
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2. Application for Promotion
(a) Posting and Bidding on Promotions
A circular from the Superintendent shall be sent to all schools whenever vacancies occur or are
about to occur on higher positions or more desirable positions within the bargaining unit or on levels above
the bargaining unit, or when new positions of comparable status are to be established. This shall include the
positions of Assistant Principal in any school where there are at least four classes, Assistant Headmasters
(subject areas), Assistant Principals - Industrial Arts, Placement Teachers, and Supervising Nurses. Notice
shall be posted on the appropriate bulletin board by the Principal, Headmaster, or Director. Copies shall be
sent to the Union.
Qualications, requirements, duties, salary, and other pertinent information should be categorically
set forth in the foregoing notices.
All applications shall be considered.
A minimum of ten (10) school days shall be allowed for submission of an application, except that a
posting within the last ten (10) school days of any school year will be posted for at least three (3) school days
prior to the close of school and in such case applicants shall have fourteen (14) days after the close of school
for submission of written applications. In the event that the posting reects any change in qualications
for any position set forth in the rst paragraph of this section without six (6) months’ advance notice, the
successful applicant will be given a six (6) month grace period to meet the changed qualication. The posting
shall contain a reference to bargaining unit placement if known.
(b) Filling Rated Positions
All rated positions lled on an acting basis shall be lled through the rating procedure within ninety
(90) school days, except when the position is open due to sabbatical or other leave; provided however, as to
any position where a six (6) months’ notice is required by the last paragraph of the preceding section, this
period of ninety (90) school days shall begin the day after the six (6) months’ notice requirement has ended.
(c) Transfers
All transfers shall be governed by the provisions set forth in section J(1) of this Article.
(d) Other Points on Promotion
(1) Outside supervisory experience shall be considered in ratings for administrative positions
and appropriate credit given therefore in Block 3 (Personal Qualities) of the present rating
form.
(2) Experience in teaching abroad may be submitted for credit for rating purposes.
(3) Industrial arts, special class, and physical education teachers shall be eligible to rate for
assistant principal.
(e) Effect of an Unsatisfactory Evaluation
A teacher receiving an overall annual performance evaluation of unsatisfactory will have no
voluntary transfer rights and no voluntary excessing rights for the following school year, subject to the terms
of the interim agreement dated 2-16-89.
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J. Post-Transfer Placement Process (“PTPP”)
The parties acknowledge that this Article shall not affect or be applicable to the current placement/
assignment process of Related Service Providers, School Psychologists, District Social Workers, and other
non-classroom personnel.
1. This PTPP procedure will not apply to “provisional” teachers but will apply to “permanent”
teachers and the following employees with more than three (3) consecutive years of service; school nurses,
student support coordinators.
2. All voluntarily and involuntarily excessed teachers shall participate in the Post-Transfer Placement
Process (PTPP). Each teacher who intends to voluntarily excess himself/herself from his/her position must
do so on or before February 1
st
.
All eligible vacancies as well as the vacancies created by those teachers who have voluntarily
excessed themselves shall be included and listed in the PTPP. BPS shall transmit to the BTU a list of all
employees who are participating in the PTPP, prior to the beginning of the PTPP process. For purposes
of this section eligible vacancies shall not include positions held by provisional teachers with letters of
reasonable assurance, nor shall it include positions held by teachers who have been made permanent by
the Superintendent. The BTU shall receive a list of provisional teachers with letters of reasonable assurance
and teachers whom the Superintendent have made permanent prior to the beginning of the transfer process.
The above paragraph is not intended to prohibit the School Department from excessing teachers in
the fall to correct class size problems.
3. Excessing from a school building shall be rst by volunteers within a program area, then by
reverse seniority within a program area. An employee who holds seniority in a program area other than the
one from which he/she has been excessed shall be offered a vacancy in the building in such other program
area. If there is no such vacancy, he/she will participate in the PTPP.
4. Voluntary Excessing: Teachers with professional status shall be eligible to voluntarily excess
themselves provided that: 1) any teacher who has received two or more overall “Does Not Meet Standards”
evaluations between September 1
st
and February 1
st
(under the evaluation system in effect prior to the new
system resulting from the 2011 change in regulations) or has an overall rating of “Needs Improvement,” or
“Unsatisfactory” as of February 1
st
shall not be able to voluntarily excess himself/herself; 2) no teacher may
voluntarily excess him/herself more than once in the prior two (2) school years; and 3) no more than 20%
of the teachers in a school (rounding up for fractions) may voluntarily excess themselves in any one school
year (this 20% limitation shall not include a senior teacher(s) who voluntarily excesses himself/herself in lieu
of a more junior teacher being involuntarily excessed pursuant to paragraph 2 above). In instances where
more than 20% of teachers submit requests to voluntarily excess themselves on or before February 1
st
, the
teachers with the most seniority shall be permitted to voluntarily excess themselves until the 20% cap has
been reached. With the approval of the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, the 20% limitation
may be exceeded.
5. Expression of Interest: Participants in the PTPP shall express his/her interest in ve vacancies
within his/her primary program area (Teachers in the PTPP may express interest in vacancies in an alternate
program or in a PPA, but not in both). Teachers may not bid in an APA if there is a layoff list in that area or if
there are projected to be insufcient vacancies in that area into which the person seeks to change. Participants
in the PTPP shall make selections electronically from a list of vacancies produced by the Ofce of Human
Resources. If there are not at least ve vacancies available within the teacher’s primary program area, he/she
shall select all of the vacancies within that primary program area. All selections shall be done online within
ve school days after the list of vacancies has been posted. BPS shall provide the BTU with access to the
selections submitted by participants in the PTPP. Those teachers who do not submit selections during the
PTPP posting period in accordance with this paragraph shall forfeit their rights to participate in the process
and shall be placed in a position(s) by the Ofce of Human Resources.
82
6. In the event of excessing during the school year on or after November 1, in cases of class
consolidation, the Department may elect to excess and reassign the junior teacher in one of the classes being
consolidated rather than the least senior teacher in the program area within the building.
7. Not more than ve (5) days’ notice shall be required for involuntary excessing during a school
year.
8. Filling Vacancies: Each Principal/Headmaster, with the help of personnel subcommittee, shall
review the list of interested candidates and ll the vacancy/vacancies in such Principal’s/Headmaster’s
school by selecting from among the teachers who expressed interest in such vacancy/ies during the PTPP
process. The Principal/Headmaster shall convene the school’s personnel subcommittee pursuant to Article
III, Section B.2(b) and the personnel subcommittee shall be constituted as stated in Article III, Section C.4(c).
However, where the vacancy occurs in a high school, the personnel subcommittee shall also include a student
representative. The PTPP has concluded when all positions for which qualied teachers have submitted
expressions of interest have been lled; no position shall be left unlled if a qualied teacher has submitted
an expression of interest in that position and was unsuccessful in obtaining other positions.
Vacancies will continue to be lled until late August, at which time teachers who are not matched
against vacancies will be assigned in a suitable professional capacity, including substitute service, and will
remain eligible to ll vacancies, as they occur, up to November 1
st
. There shall be no bumping from the
system-wide excess list.
For teachers assigned to Suitable Professional Capacity (SPC) positions who have:
a. spent one full year in an SPC role and are hired for the following year, they shall not have
attachment rights to their new school until the rst day of school in their second year of that
school. This provision will sunset after the life of this contract, June 30, 2021.
b. applied, by March 15, to at least 5 positions (or fewer, if there are fewer available) that they are
qualied for who request it of the OHC shall be granted a minimum of two interviews.
8. Remaining Teachers and Positions: Teachers who participated in the PTPP in accordance with
paragraph 4 above but did not obtain a position during the PTPP, shall be offered the remaining vacancies,
for which they are qualied, in order of seniority, by the Ofce of Human Resources. Such teachers shall
select one of the remaining vacancies offered by the Ofce of Human Resources within two business days
of receiving notice (this notice may be via email or telephone) from the Ofce of Human Resources when
notice occurs during the school year. In instances where this notication is scheduled to occur after the end
of the school year, teachers shall provide the Ofce of Human Resources with one preferred method of
communication (email address, phone number, text message number, or proxy) for which to receive notice
of available vacancies and shall have three (3) calendar days to respond. Prior to the end of the school year,
teachers shall be notied of their responsibility to notify the Ofce of Human Resources of their preferred
method of contact. Teachers who fail to respond to the offer by the Ofce Human Resources in accordance
with this paragraph shall be assigned to a position by the Ofce of Human Resources.
9. An employee exercising a right to return to the teacher bargaining unit after layoff or demotion
shall be carried on the system-wide excess list in the applicable program area but shall be eligible to
participate in the PTPP.
10. All involuntarily excessed teachers and nurses will be notied by April 15
th
.
11. Disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the PTPP will be processed as grievances
under the contractual grievance and arbitration procedure as modied herein:
(a) all intermediate steps are hereby waived;
83
(b) counsel for the BTU and the Committee shall cooperate in obtaining the services of a referee
who shall be available to arbitrate the dispute within one week after a grievance is communicated
by the Union;
(c) arbitration will be conducted on an expedited bases without written briefs and with oral or written
awards to be rendered not later than three days following the date of hearing not to exceed one day.
It is the intent of the parties that wherever possible remedial relief of any violation shall not delay
implementation the PTPP nor require the undoing of sequentially lled vacancies made in good faith.
12. These excessing procedures are subject to all applicable state and federal laws and lawful orders
pursuant thereto.
13. The parties will cooperate in addressing any special problems that may exist in any school in
relation to this policy.
14. All seniority lists will be placed on the BPS website, and the BTU will be provided access to
them. The School Department shall provide a copy of the seniority list and vacancy lists to the BTU no later
than ve days prior to the start of the PTPP. BTU members will have in-school access to a computer with
internet capability and a printer.
15. The personnel subcommittee shall not be required to meet between the end of one school year
and the beginning of a succeeding school year.
K. LayoandRecallProcedures
1. Layoffs
(a) This layoff and recall procedure will not apply to “provisional” teachers but will apply to
“permanent” teachers and to nurses or other persons permanently appointed.
For the purpose of this section, all nurses with more than 3 consecutive years of service are deemed
to be “permanently appointed” and nursing service will be considered a separate program area.
(b) An employee will be given written notice of layoff by June 1 of the professional work year
preceding the professional work year in which the layoff is to take place. For example, an employee to be laid
off effective in September must be given written notice on or before the prior June 1.
(c) Employees will be laid off in reverse order of seniority within a program area. A senior employee
within a program area with notice of layoff may exercise seniority by displacing the most junior teacher in all
of the other program areas in which he or she is qualied.
(d) A person promoted out of their bargaining unit on or after 9/1/80 will retain full seniority rights
in all areas in which he or she holds state certication but shall not accrue seniority while outside of the
bargaining unit. For purposes of this section a teacher “on assignment” outside of the bargaining unit for
more than sixty (60) days is not considered to have been “promoted” and may continue to accrue seniority
within this bargaining unit.
Any person promoted out of this bargaining unit prior to September 1, 1980 shall not accrue
additional bargaining unit seniority for service outside the bargaining unit after August 31, 1983.
For the purpose of this section, an employee with notice of layoff may exercise her or his seniority
rights in the order specied in subsection (c).
(e) There shall be a seniority-based layoff system for Clinical Social Workers.
84
2. Recall
(a) Persons on recall will be given rst preference in ling permanent vacancies within the bargaining
unit which arise prior to March 15 and in lling temporary full-year vacancies (to remain vacant for the rest
of the year) arising prior to December 1
st
.
(b) A recall will be by seniority to a vacancy in a program area in which a person is qualied at the
time of recall subject to the provisions of IVC17 (d) of the Settlement Agreement.
(c) Seniority shall not accrue to an employee while on recall.
(d) A teacher who is offered recall to a full-year vacancy must accept or reject the offer within three
(3) days excluding Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday after receipt of the offer and, upon acceptance, must be
prepared to begin work no later than the Monday second next following acceptance of the offer, provided,
however, a later reporting date will be allowed if a teacher is required to give up two (2) weeks’ notice to a
current employer.
(e) Teachers who reject a recall offer made on or before March 15 of any year for a teaching
assignment to commence at the beginning of the next school year shall relinquish all recall rights.
(f) Employees who continued to be employed in seniority areas outside the ones in which they were
teaching immediately prior to layoff shall be eligible to ll future vacancies in such program areas, in order
of seniority, once the recall list for any such areas have been exhausted.
(g) Severance Payment: Teachers returning from recall shall not become eligible for severance pay,
under Article VIII(K), unless they complete the work year.
(h) Teachers currently on the recall list because they were laid off in 1981 and 1982 will be required
annually beginning in November, 1989 to conrm in writing (within 45 days of notication) their interest in
remaining on the recall list. Teachers not complying or no longer qualied will be dropped from the list. The
School Department will mail this notication to the teacher’s last known address, and provided it does so, the
Union will not grieve a failure or delay of actual notice.
(i) Effective in the 1994-95 school year, all teachers shall have recall rights for four years from the
effective date of layoff.
(j) Teachers currently on the recall list are entitled to four years on the recall list from the date of this
Agreement.
3. Resolution of Disputes
Same as Article V(J)(11) of this Agreement, except delete “excessing.”
4. Effect of Laws
This layoff and recall procedure is subject to all applicable State and Federal laws and lawful orders
pursuant thereto. The parties will cooperate in addressing any special problems that may exist in any school
in relation to this policy.
L. Withdrawal of Resignation, Subsequent Reemployment
Teachers who resign in June and subsequently are reemployed in September of the same year shall
be placed in the appropriate salary step of this agreement and shall be credited with the sick leave reserve and
sabbatical leave rights which they held at the time of resignation. Re-entrants shall be placed on re-entrant
list for appointment after successfully passing the major in the subject area.
85
Nurses who resign in June and subsequently are reemployed in September of the same year shall be
placed in the appropriate salary step of this agreement and shall be credited with the sick leave reserve which
they held at the time of resignation.
M. Residency
The parties agree to reopen negotiations if the state law regarding residency changes.
N. Notice Following Interview
The Superintendent will send a memorandum to all principals and headmasters directing them to
send timely, written notice to any teacher who has interviewed for a position indicating whether or not the
teacher received the position.
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Article VI
Professional Development
A. Governing Philosophy
One crucial factor in creating and maintaining an excellent public school system is the professional
development of teachers and paraprofessionals. Professional development is the process by which teachers,
individually and jointly, increase, enhance, improve, and update their existing knowledge base and skills.
While the major responsibility for dening, developing, and implementing a plan for professional
growth lies with the individual teacher or paraprofessional, the School Department and the Union agree that
it is in their best interest to work together to jointly dene developmental needs and to facilitate, support, and
provide resources and opportunities for teachers to exercise that responsibility.
Professional development will increase teacher effectiveness, condence, morale, commitment, and
ability to improve the quality of education offered to students in the Boston Public Schools.
Professionalization will also improve the School Department’s ability to attract, develop, and retain
excellent teachers.
The central issues that should determine the structure and content of professional development
opportunities are what teachers, mentors, and evaluators identify as needs and as the most effective, efcient
way to meet those needs. Among the ways such opportunities might be structured are:
– granting teachers a sabbatical to pursue an advanced degree program at a university or college
– providing staff support and resources for a teacher-designed, school-based workshop held on a
single afternoon
– zone-sponsored mini-sabbaticals spread over several months
– exchange programs for math, science, and computer teachers with business, industry, and
government
– courses or seminars designed and tailored to respond to needs identied by Boston teachers and
offered at school sites around the city
– courses, seminars, and workshops available over educational television.
– in-school collaboration for a period of weeks or months with a specialized professional
The range of possibilities for the content of such professional development opportunities might
include:
– strategies for growing and nurturing parent involvement with a school and support for their
children’s education;
– dealing with children who are acting out, taking the behavior as a symptom of underlying
problems and addressing both;
– courses or seminars designed and tailored to respond to the ever-changing educational needs of
the population of children being served by the Boston Public Schools, including, for example,
multiculturalism;
– courses that are designed to update classroom teachers with new data, research, and topics that
are being explored in their eld of teaching.
B. Sabbaticals
The Superintendent and the School Committee in consultation with the Center For Leadership
Development shall decide whether and how many sabbaticals there shall be in a given year, if any, and
determine procedures for their allocation. Both teachers and paraprofessionals shall be eligible for sabbaticals.
87
C. Educational Conference Days
There will be 2000 days annually across the system budgeted for educational conference days that
may be used for educational conferences, for visiting other schools locally, for teacher conferences, and for
similar professional activities. The Career In Teaching Panel will be responsible for determining how such
days will be allocated among schools.
D. New Teacher Developers
A. A system that mentors and provides support and training development to novice teachers and
provides an orientation program for other incoming teachers will be implemented. To meet this need, the
position of New Teacher Developer (NTD) will be created to work with novice teachers. The NTD will be
paired where possible by content area, subject areas, and grade level with novice teachers for such activities
as conducting observations, demonstrations, mentoring, coaching, and providing induction support and
professional development.
B. The position of full-time New Teacher Developer (NTD) shall be created and will allow for one
(1) NTD to work with up to 14 novices (if the School Department employs at least 10 more full-time NTDs
than the three employed SY 2018-19 in a given school year, the caseload maximum for all NTDs may be
increased to 17 for that year) and will be paid an additional 5% above their base annual salary. The work
year for a full-time NTD will be 183 days, an additional 18 hours per year, and an additional 2.5 hours per
week commencing on or about the second week in August through approximately June 15th, or when the
NTD completes their work year, of each school year: however, full-lime NTDs will be paid from September
1 through August 31 of each respective school year. All pay shall be retirement worthy. Full-time NTDs will
be hired through a central hiring process. A team of three (3) members from the Boston Teachers Union and
three (3) representatives from the Boston Public Schools will conduct the screening and selection of full-time
NTDs.
NTDs shall be hired from the ranks of permanent teachers and may serve in the position for no
more than four (4) consecutive years. Those NTDs employed in SY18-19 can serve up to four (4) additional
consecutive school years beginning SY 19-20.
Should the school department choose to hire a cohort of 10 or more full-time NTDs in a single year,
the parties agree to stagger the terms of service to ensure program continuity. Those hired in such a cohort
may serve terms of three, four, or ve years as determined by a process mutually agreeable to the BTU and
BPS.
C. Part time NTDs shall be assigned to work on a 1:1 ratio at 5% for an additional 2.5 hours per
week or 1:2 ratio (NTD to novice(s)) at 10% for an additional ve (5) hours per week. A part-time NTD
can be assigned up to two (2) novice teachers, but it is desirable that the ratio be kept 1:1. The work year
shall be the same as the standard work year. The additional pay shall be retirement worthy and the 5%
additional salary (10% for two) shall be guaranteed for the entire school work year, contingent upon the
NTD’s successful completion of his or her responsibilities, with the understanding that NTDs assigned after
the beginning of the school year will provide the balance of time as additional hours. Part-time NTDs shall
be hired by each school’s “personnel subcommittee.”
D. The parties hereby agree that all part-time NTD training will be conducted during the normal
school day or as part of the additional hours outlined in section 3 above.
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E. Center for Leadership Development
The Boston Public Schools and the Boston Teachers Union are committed to establishing the
Boston Public School Center for Leadership Development (CLD) which will provide educational leadership
development opportunities to BPS parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, substitutes, and administrators. The
Boston Public Schools Center for Leadership Development will be a service-based operation designed to
integrate and facilitate the coordination of training programs for parents, teachers, and staff in the BPS. It will
be the institution primarily responsible for facilitating and coordinating the support and training necessary for
implementation of school reform in Boston.
1. Leadership Development for the Entire School Community
The Center for Leadership Development will be the coordinating body for all teacher related
professional development. The Boston Public Schools Center for Leadership Development will provide the
following services to teachers, administrators, and parents:
(a) Systemwide Leadership Development
The BPS Center for Leadership Development will provide the professional development and training
services required as a result of systemwide reform initiatives. The Career In Teaching Panel will provide to
the BPS Center for Leadership Development a description of the professional development requirements
associated with systemwide reform initiatives.
(b) School-Based Leadership Development
Each school will be able to secure services from the BPS Center for Leadership Development to
meet the professional development needs of its own school-based reform initiatives.
(c) Individual Professional Development
Individual teachers will be able to use the BPS Center for Leadership Development to develop
their own professional development plans. The School Department, through the Center for Leadership
Development, shall conduct an annual survey of teachers to assess what courses, workshops, and seminars
they need in specic content areas to enable them to recertify under the 1993 Massachusetts Educational
Reform Act.
The CLD shall make available to BTU bargaining unit members courses, workshops, and seminars,
including ones that focus on content areas, prior to 1999 to enable them to recertify under the Massachusetts
Educational Reform Act.
(d) Peer Assistance
The BPS Center for Leadership Development will facilitate or provide assistance for teachers. Lead
Teachers may be available to work with individual teachers who agree to this form of assistance.
(e) BPS School Department
The BPS Center for Leadership Development will be available to provide training and professional
development programs for BPS administrators, principals and staff.
(f) SBM/SDM Support and Training
Beginning in the 1995-96 school year, the BPS Center for Leadership Development will be available
to train parents, teachers, and administrators on School Site Councils and involved in school-based parent
organizations. During the 1994-95 school year, it will work with the SBM/SDM staff and the SBM/SDM
Consortium to provide training to the School Site Councils.
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(g) Dissemination of Best Practices
Another role of the BPS Center for Leadership Development will be to coordinate the dissemination
of the “best practices” from the BPS teachers and administrators as well as from other school districts.
This includes disseminating the best practices of the BPS Pilot Schools. It will sponsor workshops and
publications which help to accomplish this as well as the training of lead teachers in these practices, so that
they can then train teachers in other schools.
2. Types of Leadership Development Opportunities Provided
The BPS Center for Leadership Development (CLD) will provide the following types of leadership
development opportunities:
(a) Workshops and Courses
The CLD will develop and sponsor courses and workshops in response to systemwide and school-
based education reform needs. The CLD will provide an annual catalogue of all courses and workshops to
parents, teachers, and administrators. The CLD will seek to become a Continuing Education Unit (“CEU”)
approved provider.
Effective 9/1/07, the CLD shall post an online list of courses, workshops, and seminars offered.
Professional development programs shall never be scheduled during religious holidays recognized by the
Collective Bargaining Agreement. A joint committee of teachers and management, with teachers in the
majority, shall be convened within two months of the signing of this agreement to survey the course offerings
and to make recommendations to the superintendent.
(b) On-Site Workshops
The CLD will also provide on-site workshops that meet the specic needs of particular schools. This
may include School-Based Management training for parents and teachers, or training geared to the needs of
the local parent center, or professional development opportunities for groups of teachers.
(c) Individualized Support
The CLD will train BPS Lead Teachers who will provide mentoring and consulting services to
individual teachers in the BPS.
(d) Peer Coaching and Observation
The CLD will also make available opportunities for teachers to observe other teachers model “best
practices.” This may be in the classrooms of the BPS Lead Teachers or in the BPS Pilot Schools.
(e) Collaboration with Boston Higher Education Partnership
The CLD will work to access greater training support from the Boston Higher Education Partnership.
Such training support will include, but not be limited to, courses and workshops by higher education faculty.
3. Organizational Structure
(a) CLD Executive Director
The CLD Executive Director will be selected by the Superintendent. The Superintendent, in selecting
an Executive Director, will seek input and advice from the Professional Development Committee and the
CLD Advisory Committee. The CLD Executive Director will report to the Superintendent.
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(b) CLD Advisory Committee
The CLD advisory committee will include representatives from the following organizations: Boston
Teachers Union, Higher Education Partnership, the Boston COMPACT, the Boston Plan for Excellence, and
the parent organizations. Additional members may be added by the Boston School Committee. The CLD
Advisory Committee will, through the CLD Executive Director, report to the Superintendent and School
Committee.
The CLD Advisory Committee will be responsible for:
– providing advice and input about the overall direction of the CLD;
– assisting in coordination between the participating organizations;
– spearheading fundraising for the CLD; and
– monitoring the CLD’s progress in achieving its goals.
4. Funding of CLD
The BPS Center for Leadership Development will be funded through multiple sources.
(a) The BPS will provide a foundation budget of $250,000 for the 1994-95 School Year to the BPS
Center for Leadership Development designed to facilitate the implementation of the systemwide reform
initiatives.
(b) The BTU will contribute a to-be-determined amount of in-kind services to the BPS Center for
Leadership Development to support the professionalization of Boston Public School teachers.
(c) The CLD Advisory Board in collaboration with the BPS grants ofce and the BTU will be
responsible for ongoing fundraising from public and private sources.
F. Career Ladder
The BPS is committed to improving the profession of teaching–a profession that offers opportunities
for professional growth, involvement in decision-making, communication and collaboration, and increased
responsibilities and accountability. By implementing systemic educational reform, teachers will be
increasingly assuming greater responsibility for the success of the reform effort. Accordingly, they should
be given opportunities to develop these leadership skills and to earn correspondingly higher salaries. The
development of a professional teacher career ladder is one way to provide these incentives to attract and
keep quality teachers in the profession. The BPS shall establish a Career in Teaching Program that will be
governed by a Career in Teaching Plan (the “plan”) administered by the Career in Teaching Panel. The Career
in Teaching Program will have the following components.
1. TeachBoston
The Boston Public Schools, in cooperation with the Boston Teachers Union, will establish the
TeachBoston Program. Its mission will be to recruit and prepare BPS students to be future teachers. The
Program will be a collaborative effort with local college and universities.
2. Teacher Leadership
Each year BPS shall allocate no less than $300,000 to a Teacher Leadership Fund. On an annual
basis, a joint committee, consisting of three members appointed by the Superintendent and three members
appointed by the Union President after consultation with each other, shall request and approve proposals.
The allocation may be used solely for stipends to teacher leaders. The level of the allocation, the contents
of the requests, and the process for submitting and allocating monies shall be reviewed on an annual basis,
but the allocation shall not fall below $300,000. The aforementioned committee shall aim to distribute the
funds equitably.
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3. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Teachers who successfully complete the certication process of the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards (NBPTS) shall be reimbursed by the BPS for the costs of the application fees. Although
not a requirement, successful completion of the NBPTS certication requirements may be considered as a
special qualication for Lead Teacher eligibility.
Teachers who receive reimbursement for the NBPTS certication process shall commit to remain in
the BPS system for at least two years after receipt of such reimbursement.
All National Board Certied Teachers shall receive additional compensation in the amount of 4% of
their annual base salary as long as they hold National Board Certication. Such payment will be part of the
teachers’ annualized salary for retirement purposes.
4. Tuition Reimbursement
Effective September 1, 2012, permanent teachers, who are not eligible to receive a career award and
who commit to three (3) years of continuous employment in the Boston Public Schools will be reimbursed
for tuition paid in a given school year. Payment will not exceed $1,000 per permanent teacher, per school
year. Provisional teachers, who have completed at least one year of service in the Boston Public Schools,
shall be eligible for tuition reimbursement provided there has not been a break in service. Payment will not
exceed $500 per provisional teacher, per school year who satises the above-mentioned prerequisites. The
total expenditure for tuition reimbursement under this provision shall not exceed $350,000 per scal year.
However, the following reimbursement for provisional teachers shall not apply to the scal year cap: 1) any
reimbursement for rst year provisional teachers, and 2) any reimbursement over $500 for second and third
year provisional teachers.
G. Collaborative Coaching and Learning
Effective September 1, 2004, teachers are required to participate in Collaborative Coaching and
Learning (“CCL”). Each elementary teacher will receive either coverage for the 180 minutes of planning and
development time or will be compensated on a pro rata, retirement-worthy basis on their annual salary for
the 180 minutes used for CCL per year, at the discretion of the teacher.
For school year, 2006-2007, teachers will not be required to give demonstration lessons. Effective
9/1/07, all teachers will demonstrate at least one lesson in a CCL cycle per school year. Observations of
demonstration lessons will not be used in any performance evaluation or as part of the evaluation document.
No teacher will be required to commit additional time to prepare or debrief a CCL demonstration lesson
outside of contractual time.
H. Educator Supports Program (ESP)
1. Rationale
The Boston Teachers Union (“BTU”) and the Boston School Committee (“BSC”) agree that
our students will be more likely to succeed with the guidance of a skilled teacher, and that thoughtfully
supporting, evaluating, and retaining high-quality teachers is essential to providing a high-quality education.
Working collaboratively, both parties hope to strengthen teaching and learning by providing support to
veteran teachers who are struggling with some element of their practice, and by providing leadership roles
to a rotating cadre of teachers. Furthermore, the parties hope to provide a central locus of support for all
teachers, led by colleagues, which will connect teachers with high-quality professional development which
meets their needs.
The continuation of the Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) sections of this agreement that involve
evaluation shall be subject to the assent of both Parties, and either party may end those programs at the end
of any school year with written notice to the other party. In that case, existing participants will be permitted to
nish the process to its conclusion, and the Consulting Teachers (CTs) will continue in a non-evaluative role.
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To accomplish these goals, the BTU and the BSC jointly agree to establish the Educator Supports
Program (ESP).
2. Governance
There will be a joint labor-management panel to govern the program, called the ESP Panel. The
ESP Panel shall be composed of nine (9) members: Four (4) appointed by the Boston Public Schools
Superintendent (“Superintendent”) and four (4) BTU members appointed by the BTU President, after
consultation with each other, and one person selected from outside the school system agreed upon jointly
by the BTU President and the Superintendent. The Chair of the ESP Panel shall alternate each school year
between a BTU appointee and a Superintendent appointee. BTU members on the panel shall have added to
their base salary in the rst year of this agreement the sum enumerated in Article VIII F 6 as remuneration
for service on the ESP panel. Percentage increases to base salary becoming effective after the rst year
shall be applied to this differential. It is the declared intention of the parties that this sum be deemed regular
compensation for retirement purposes. The additional remuneration payable to BTU bargaining unit
members hereunder shall be integral to their annual salary during their respective terms of service on the
panel and shall be paid in equal, recurring installments along with salary over the course of each school year
or part thereof during which the member serves on the panel. The added salary payable shall be available on
a non-discriminatory basis to any BTU member appointed to serve on the panel. Terms will staggered, and
one union member and one administration member will rotate off each year.
The members of the existing PAR Panel will continue as members of the ESP Panel if they wish
until their terms expire.
The ESP Panel shall meet regularly. It shall be the responsibility of the Chair to schedule the meetings,
The ESP Panel will have responsibility for administering all aspects of the ESP program, Including, but not
limited to:
• Establishing operational procedures and norms, developing and revising all necessary documents
• Identifying necessary program supports
• Selecting Consulting Teachers (“CTs”)
• Overseeing training of CTs
• Meeting with CTs periodically to receive reports
• Making decisions on who will participate in ESP
• Making personnel recommendations to the Superintendent based on evidence presented to
the Panel at the end of a participating teacher’s plan period, in the case of teachers who are
participating In Peer Assistance and Review (PAR).
Decisions shall be made by majority vote, and a quorum of six (6) members must be present. The
panel shall submit an annual report to the BTU and the Superintendent, which includes trends in the eld,
identied areas of need, program data, recommendations for adjustments to workload formula, and panel
member attendance at meetings.
There will be one or two designated lead consulting teachers who will be selected by the panel who
will have reduced caseload to allow for assisting with administration of the program.
3. Consulting Teachers
A. Employment and Compensation
A minimum of 6 CTs shall be employed in each year of this contract and continuing. The CTs hired
will represent a diverse set of experience, race, gender, level, subject area, etc. and shall have a particular and
clearly dened set of qualications and skills. CTs shall be hired from the ranks of permanent teachers, and
may serve in the position for no more than four (4) years. CTs shall be compensated at their regular rate plus
ve (5) percent for two point ve (2.5) additional hours of work per week. Upon leaving a position as a CT,
no BTU member may take a position as an administrator in the Boston Public Schools for one year. Those
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members currently employed as Peer Assistants and Consulting Teachers shall be among the rst cohort, and
their term shall include time previously served in the position. Existing PAs who do not wish to serve as an
evaluator will not be required to offer PAR services.
1) Rights to a Position: If the term limited CT does not secure a position after the fourth year of
service, the term limits will be waived for one additional year provided the president of the Union
and the Superintendent so agree. If they do not agree, the ESP Panel will decide whether to waive
the term limits.
B. Services Provided
Consulting Teachers will provide intensive support, mentoring, observation, demonstration, coaching
and in some cases evaluation of teachers in the following categories:
1) Third year Provisional Teachers who have been rated overall Needs Improvement at the end of
their second year may choose Peer Assistance support from a CT;
2) Permanent Teachers who have been rated overall Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory by their
evaluator, may choose Peer Assistance support from a CT, and;
3) Permanent Teachers who have been rated overall Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory by their
evaluator, may choose Peer Assistance and Review support and evaluation from a CT.
In addition, if space is available, CTs will provide Peer Assistance support to permanent teachers
who have been rated Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory in one or more Standards, but are rated Procient
overall.
Finally, the program will serve as a hub for all teachers in need of support, and will respond to
any teacher who desires support, and endeavor to connect such teachers to the appropriate Professional
Development or department to meet their needs.
CTs will be paired where possible by content area, subject area, and grade level with colleagues on
their caseload.
C. Caseload
Consulting Teachers shall work with a weighted caseload equivalent to not more than 12 teachers
and shall reserve 10% of their time to work on system-wide support and connection opportunities for all
teachers, including, but not limited to, creating professional development, attending district meetings,
facilitating workshops, or developing resources. Teachers receiving support shall be weighted as follows for
purposes of calculating a caseload:
• Teachers receiving Peer Assistance and Review: 1.2
• Permanent teachers receiving Peer Assistance: 1.0
• Teachers rated NI or U in a standard: 0.5
• Lead CTs shall have a caseload limit of 10
These caseload weights will be examined and adjusted as needed on an annual basis by the ESP Panel.
4. Peer Assistance
Permanent teachers and provisional teachers in their third year who have received an overall rating of
Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory and been placed on a Directed Growth or Improvement plan will be
assigned a CT. After their initial meeting with the CT, they may opt into the Peer Assistance [PA] Program.
The teacher will be informed whether there is space in the PA Program. During the plan, the CT will visit
the teacher regularly and provide support, which may consist of observing, modeling, coaching, or any other
support the CT and the teacher deem necessary.
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The Peer Assistance program is designed and intended to help teachers in need, and the Peer
Assistance program will be separate from the performance evaluation of teachers.
5. Peer Assistance and Review
A. Permanent teachers who have received an overall rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory
will be assigned a CT. After their initial meeting with the CT, they may opt into the PAR Program if they are
found to be eligible. The teacher will be informed whether there is space in the PAR Program, and the CT will
be designated the primary evaluator. An initial three-way meeting between the teacher, the evaluator, and the
CT shall take place, and the group will review the goals and any prescriptions.
B. Eligibility
Permanent teachers and provisional teachers at the end of their third year whose last rating was
Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory and are placed on a Directed Growth Plan may be eligible for PAR.
This shall not impact the district’s authority to make renewal and non-renewal decisions.
Educators who receive an overall rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory shall have their
plan length designated in writing within one calendar month of issuance. For educators who receive their
overall rating in May or June, the new plan length shall be designated on or before the last day of school.
If the new plan length is not decided within those parameters, a Directed Growth Plan will have a
default length of six calendar months excluding July and August, and will be eligible to enter PAR. [For
example, a teacher who receives an overall rating of NI on June 1 and no plan length ls designated on or
before the last day of school will be placed on a DGP which will end six calendar months from the date of
goal approval.]
If the new plan length is not decided within those parameters, an Improvement Plan will have a
default length of ve calendar months excluding July and August, and will not be eligible to enter PAR.
[For example, a teacher who receives an overall rating of Unsatisfactory on April 15 and no plan length is
designated on or before May 15 will be placed on an Improvement Plan that shall end ve calendar months
from the date of goal approval.]
C. During the plan, the CT will visit the teacher regularly and provide support, which may consist of
observing, modeling, coaching, or any other support the CT and the teacher deem necessary. The principal/
headmaster may continue observing and providing support as a secondary evaluator. At least two other three
way meetings must occur over the course of the plan [at least one month between each], and after each, the
CT and school-based evaluator will issue a brief update [if there is a discrepancy between school-based
evaluator and CT; or if both agree that the teacher is not making adequate progress] to the ESP Panel. The
nal three-way meeting must occur at least one month before the scheduled end of the plan.
D. At the end of the plan, the CT will issue a summative evaluation with an overall rating. The ESP
Panel will convene within one month to review the evidence provided by the CT, the principal/headmaster,
and the teacher and make a recommendation to the Superintendent whether to place the teacher on a Self
Directed Growth Plan, an Improvement Plan or a Directed Growth Plan [in the case of a teacher who began
the program on an Improvement Plan], in which case the PAR program may continue, or to dismiss or non-
renew the teacher.
6. Professional Development
Consulting Teachers shall receive training before beginning their work as a CT and on an ongoing
basis, and the development of training shall be up to the ESP Panel.
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I. AcademicCoaches(Eective9/1/07)
All academic coaches shall be granted permanent status as teachers after working, while properly
licensed, for three consecutive years and one additional day under the contract.
The role of an academic coach is to support the classroom teacher. Classroom support is to be
prearranged in order to minimize classroom disruption. Coaches and teachers are encouraged to work
together to create a mutually agreed upon schedule of interaction.
J. Common Professional Development Time
All specialty teachers such as but not limited to art, music, physical education, guidance, district wide
shall meet as a group at least once annually during the contractual school year for a professional development
day, on one of the city-wide all schools professional development days already scheduled on the academic
calendar.
K. Professional Development Institute
Effective for the 2012-2013 school year and continuing for the duration of this agreement, the
parties shall create a joint BPS-BTU Professional Development Institute. This institute shall be staffed with
a Professional Development Institute Coordinator who will be a member of the BTU. The parties shall
be responsible for the payment of 50% of such coordinator’s salary. The coordinator shall be chosen by
the BTU, provided that the Superintendent approves the selection. The Superintendent shall designate an
individual to evaluate the coordinator.
L. Professional Development for Librarian/Media Specialists
Professional development for Library/Media Specialists may be offered on the rst and second day
of school (before students arrive) that Principals/Headmasters can opt to send them to.
Library/Media Specialists will receive a minimum of 10 hours of release time per year to attend
off-site professional development in addition to regular PD hours. Principals/Headmasters can choose to do
this on dates set in collaboration with the central ofce providing the PD, which may include the rst and/or
second day of school before students arrive.
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Article VII
Working Conditions
A. School Facilities
1. Libraries
(a) Facilities for a library collection for reference and circulation shall be provided for all schools.
(b) A well-stocked library room shall be provided in all older structures where there is at least one
vacant room or other adequate space which would be renovated.
2. Consultation Rooms
(a) Appropriate consultation rooms will be provided for uninterrupted work which shall include
psychological testing and teacher-parent interviews in every new building and in every old building space
shall be renovated for this purpose.
(b) An adequate consultation room shall be made available for the private use of School Nurse
wherever possible. Every health ofce/suite will be equipped with a working sink.
(c) Appropriate consultation rooms shall be provided to all itinerant service providers (school
psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech/language therapists) for uninterrupted
work which shall include testing, therapy, and teacher/parent interviews in every new building.
3. Guidance Counselors
(a) Telephone service is to be provided in each high school solely for the use of Guidance personnel.
(b) Counselors are to be provided with such necessary equipment as a proper desk, chairs and le
cabinets.
(c) A committee involving members of OIIT and the guidance department shall meet to discuss
student records and transcripts, with the goal that all elementary, middle and high school cumulative records
shall be computerized-elementary. Hard copies will no be required to be kept.
4. Music
(a) Suitable musical instruments shall be provided for musically talented children.
(b) In all new schools a suitable area shall be provided for the teaching of vocal and instrumental
music.
5. Vocational Education
Equipment used in vocational education shall be replaced so as to parallel as nearly as possible that
used in industry.
6. Industrial Arts and Home Economics
The Committee will endeavor to provide sufcient lighting in shops and to furnish the various
machines and equipment necessary for a complete and adequate Industrial Arts and Home Economics
Program in the schools, and to this end to utilize all possible sources of available federal funds and surplus
property.
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7. Physical Education
Proper and sufcient equipment shall be provided for a well-rounded physical education program
in all schools.
8. Resource Center
The assistant superintendent for each of the six school areas of the city shall establish a resource
center in his/her area. These resource centers will display all books on the current book lists to the extent that
such books are provided by the publishers or distributors hereof.
9. Telephones
(a) The School Department and the Union will cooperate in efforts to increase teachers’ access to
telephones for the purpose of contacting parents and securing services for students.
(b) A pay telephone for faculty use shall be located in each Middle School and in other buildings to
assure privacy where possible.
10. Duplication Facilities
The School Department and the Union will cooperate in efforts to ensure that all teachers have
reasonable access to duplication equipment for materials and record keeping.
11. Parking and Tolls
(a) Teachers of the physically handicapped shall be provided with parking permits.
(b) The School Committee shall request the City to provide every member of the bargaining unit
who so requests a window sticker for his or her automobile that will allow that person to park during school
hours on the streets near his or her work site without being ticketed.
(c) The School Department, in cooperation with the Union, shall request the Massachusetts Port
Authority to allow BTU members who pay tunnel or bridge tolls on route to work the opportunity to obtain
orange Fast Lane transponders. Effective 9/1/07, the school department shall write a letter requesting that any
teacher who currently must take either the Tobin Bridge, Ted Williams or Sumner Tunnel at a cost of $3.00
per day, is eligible for a discounted rate.
(d) Effective 9/1/07, BTU members will be eligible for reduced rate/pre-tax T Passes, contingent
upon City Wide Policy regarding Flexible Spending accounts.
12. Mail
A teachers’ mailbox shall be provided in all schools.
13. Teachers’ Lounge
(a) Every school building shall have at least one teachers’ lounge which is kept clean and provided
with suitable furniture and other amenities.
(b) Every effort shall be made to provide for refrigerators and cooking facilities in all teacher lounges
in buildings without cafeterias.
14. Snow Plowing
The School Committee shall guarantee that snow is plowed from schoolyards used for parking at no
expense to bargaining unit members.
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15. Ted Williams Tunnel
The School Department will apply for Ted Williams Tunnel passes for all bargaining unit members
who commute to work through this tunnel.
16. Alternative Education
For the 2004-2005 school year, the School Department shall provide an additional 195 alternative
education seats for high school students, an additional 60 alternative education seats for middle school
students, and open two additional Saturday alternative education programs similar to that offered at the
Baron Center for elementary students for a total of 255 seats. The BTU and the School Department shall
form a joint committee to review alternative education requirements for elementary students and make
recommendations to the School Department. All alternative education positions shall be open posted. The
parties agree that a budget will be allotted for alternative education programs.
17. Working and Learning Space (Effective 9/1/07)
(a) Appropriate Space
All teachers shall have an exclusive working desk in one of the rooms that they use.
(b) Adequate, Clean and Safe Learning Spaces
All students and staff shall be provided with safe and clean learning spaces/classrooms.
(c) Priority of Space
The BPS shall issue a directive to all administrators making it clear that BTU members who teach
shall be given priority in obtaining classrooms and adequate space before “extended services” personnel or
coaches.
(d) Common Courtesy In Advance of Classroom Visit
All visitors to a classroom shall knock on the door and, if invited to do so, will introduce themselves.
(e) Speech and Language Pathologists
The school department will issue a letter annually directing that prior to implementation of services
a BPS Speech/Language Pathologist shall be provided with an appropriate room, furniture and phone for
uninterrupted work which will include testing, therapy and teacher/parent consultation.
(f) Clinical Social Workers
Clinical Social Workers shall be entitled to an adequate workspace in all new BPS facilities.
(g) School Psychologists
Appropriate ofce space and equipment including tables, chairs, phones, and computers will be
available at the designated ofce of Psychological Services.
(h) Physical Therapists
In all new buildings and buildings undergoing major renovations, there shall be a safe, consistent,
non-hazardous space for the Physical Therapist with a secure space for storing equipment.
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18. File Cabinet
The school committee agrees to provide a lockable le cabinet in each school and location serviced
by itinerants (e.g., school psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech and language
pathologists) for secure storage of student records.
19. Coverage Paraprofessionals
Effective during the 2017-2018 school year and through August 31, 2018, the School Department
shall hire and maintain thirty (30) “coverage paraprofessionals.” The School Department shall deploy these
coverage paraprofessionals to cover for 1:1 paraprofessionals and paraprofessionals in substantially separate
classrooms who are absent and to supplement current paraprofessional services.
20. Sanitary Restrooms
All employees and students in a school shall have access to clean bathrooms, including handicapped
accessible bathrooms, with locking doors, adequate sanitary supplies, hot and cold running water, soap, and
paper towels. All BTU members who require accommodations shall have access to an adult handicapped-
accessible bathroom.
21. Nursing Rooms
Any BTU member who is a nursing mother will have access to a sanitary, private locking space other
than a bathroom for the purpose of pumping breastmilk, and will determine time in consultation with her
supervisor, for pumping.
22. WiFi
Effective 9/1/22, Educators will not be required to use their personal hotspots for Wi-Fi while
working from or within a BPS building/program.
B. Books and Supplies
1. All supply orders for school materials, nurses’ supplies, education supplies, and cooks’ supplies
shall be prepared by the building administrator in cooperation with the teachers.
2. Teaching materials and supplies shall be made available to teachers of the physically handicapped
at a central stockroom designated by the Director of Teachers of the Physically Handicapped.
3. Industrial Arts and Home Economics teachers may order and acquire books for their classes in
the same manner as that used in other subject areas.
4. Vocational Education teachers may order and acquire books for their classes in the same manner
as that used in other subject areas.
5. All supply orders for arts books and reading materials shall be prepared by the building
administrator in cooperation with the arts teachers.
C. Classroom Environmental Control
1. A classroom will be closed when the temperature falls below 60 F., or whenever the temperature
or climate becomes too oppressive.
2. The Committee shall continue to cooperate with the Union in a mutual effort to eradicate the
asbestos problem from school buildings.
3. Consistent with School Committee policy and state law, there shall be no smoking in any school
building or anywhere on school grounds.
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4. Effective September 1, 2004 through August 31, 2006, the School Department shall appropriate
a minimum of $12,500 per school year towards the hiring of an independent air quality testing company. The
company hired shall be chosen jointly by the BTU and the School Department in accordance with proper
bidding procedures. The company will be hired to conduct independent air testing on an as-needed basis and
report its ndings to both the Union and the School Department.
D. School Construction and Repair
1. The School Committee or its representatives and representatives of the Union shall exchange views
concerning design and equipment of proposed new construction, alteration and repair of existing facilities.
2. Every effort will be made to insure that repairs which are disruptive to the education process
are not done during class time. The administrative head should be notied as to when such work will be
performed. Complaints shall be led with the Chief Structural Engineer.
3. One BTU Building Representative at each school shall have access to view the dashboard, Asset
Essentials, which will allow the representative to view and track the status of work orders.
E. Student Discipline
1. Other features of school discipline shall be spelled out in the form of a memorandum of
agreement between the parties; such memorandum shall represent a comprehensive Discipline Code. It shall
be distributed to all teachers.
2. The Committee agrees that a Union committee shall conduct a yearly review of the “Code of
Discipline” and that the Committee shall accept the union committee’s recommendations as considerations
for committee action.
3. Teachers directly involved in the suspension of a student shall have the opportunity, if requested,
to confer with student’s parents or legal guardians prior to the readmission of the suspended student.
F. Information at the School
1. All ofcial circulars shall be posted on school bulletin boards for inspection of teachers and shall
be made available to teachers on request and shall be kept in an available le with a dated checklist.
2. A copy of current teaching programs, non-teaching assignments, administrative and planning
and development periods shall be available at each school.
3. Each school shall have a copy of the Committee Rules and regulations available to the teachers.
4. The school time schedule will be posted in September in an area accessible to the entire faculty.
5. All catalogs, approved lists for educational materials, and book order forms shall be delivered to
the schools a minimum of six (6) weeks before these orders are to be placed.
G. Teacher Files
All teacher les shall be maintained under the following circumstances:
1. No material derogatory to a teacher’s conduct, service, character, or personality shall be placed
in the les unless the teacher has had an opportunity to read the material. The teacher shall acknowledge
that he or she has read such material by afxing his/her signature on the actual copy to be led, with the
understanding that such signature merely signies that he or she has read the material to be led. Such
signature does not necessarily indicate agreement with its content.
101
2. The teacher shall have the right to answer any material led and his or her answer shall be
reviewed by the Personnel Manager and attached to the le copy.
3. Upon request by the teacher, the teacher shall be given access to his or her le without delay.
4. Upon receipt of a written request, the teacher shall be furnished a reproduction of any material in
his le.
H. Assistance in Assault Cases
1. Principals shall report all cases of assault suffered by teachers, in connection with their
employment, to the Director of Personnel.
2. Whenever it is alleged that a teacher has assaulted an individual, or that an individual has
assaulted a teacher, the Principal and Director of Personnel shall cooperate with the teacher involved
in the investigation of the incident. The Director of Personnel shall comply with any reasonable
request from the teacher for relevant information in the Committee’s possession not privileged under
law concerning the individual or individuals involved. The Committee shall indemnify a teacher in its
employ for expenses or damages sustained by him by reason of an action or claim against him arising
out of the negligence of such teacher or other act of his resulting in accidental damage to or destruction
of property, while acting as such teacher, and may indemnify a teacher in its employ for expenses or
damages sustained by him by reason of an action or claim against him arising out of any other acts done
by him while acting as such teacher, provided, in either case, that after investigation it shall appear to the
Committee that such teacher was at the time the cause of action or claim arose acting within the scope
of his employment and provided, further, that the defense or settlement of any action or claim for which
indemnication is sought under this provision shall have been made by the Corporation Counsel, upon
the request of the Committee, or if such Corporation Counsel fails or refuses to defend such action or
claims, by an attorney employed by such teacher. The Committee shall appropriate funds for this purpose
in the same manner as appropriations for General School Purposes.
3. The parties agree that an administrative circular will be sent to all schools no later than December
1st, dealing with the procedure in cases of suspension arising from assault on teachers by students.
4. Related medical expenses of a person absent pursuant to III A, f, 1 shall be paid for by the
Committee.
I. MCAS-Alt Portfolios
A special education teacher who is required to generate and submit MCAS Alternative Assessment
portfolios (“MCAS-Alt”) shall receive one day of substitute coverage, per school year, for the preparation of
MCAS-Alt portfolios for students in his/her class.
J. Plan and Mark Books
The BPS shall provide all teachers with plan and mark books. Teachers shall maintain up-to-date
written evidence of adequate prior lesson preparation. These plan and mark books will be available for
review by the principal or the designated supervisor during classroom observation or at other reasonable
times during the school day when the teacher is not using the plan and mark books.
The parties agree to meet and negotiate the impacts of the implementation of new functionality in
the Student Information System.
102
Article VIII
CompensationandBenets
A. Step Placement and Step Advancement
1. Hiring Rate
(a) All persons covered by this Agreement shall be hired at the minimum salaries for their respective
ranks, except as hereinafter provided.
(b) If such persons are receiving a salary equal to or in excess of the minimum salary of the rank
to which they may be appointed, they shall be placed upon that year of the schedule which most nearly
approaches, but is not less than the salary they are receiving in a teaching or other position at the time of
the appointment; provided, that salaries shall be based upon the regular annual compensation received in a
teaching or other position identical with or denitely related to the instruction which teachers are to give up
to the maximum of this salary schedule.
(c) Persons who leave other positions or teachers who leave teaching positions in other school
systems to serve as a substitute or provisional teacher, and while serving as a substitute or provisional teacher
are appointed, shall be placed upon the year of the schedule which most nearly approaches but is not less
than the salary they received in a teaching position or other position identical with or denitely related
to the instruction which teachers are to give, held immediately prior to the employment as a substitute or
provisional teacher.
(d) For purposes of recruiting teachers into areas where there may be a teacher shortage or for
afrmative action purposes, the Committee may place newly hired teachers on any step of the salary grid.
Further, the Committee may pay moving expenses or other up-front, non-recurring payments as a hiring
incentive.
(e) Every person who on September 1, 1976 or 1977 was serving in a rank specied in the foregoing
salary schedule shall be placed on the minimum salary of his/her grouping, provided, however, that the
salary of no person shall be reduced; and provided further, that nothing herein contained shall be construed
to deprive any person of salary increases provided by other orders of the Committee.
2. Credit for Prior Work Experience
(a) Outside the Boston School System
Persons who have taught outside the Boston School System shall receive year for year service credit
for such teaching experience for salary purposes on the Salary Schedule, up to a maximum of three (3) years.
For the purpose of this paragraph a year’s teaching shall mean at least one hundred and sixty (160) days
teaching performed under a certicate granted by the Massachusetts Department of Education or certicate
that requires equal qualication.
(b) Boston Professional Experience
Credit for all prior teaching experience in the City of Boston shall be granted to all those on the salary
schedule. One hundred twenty (120) days’ credit for salary purposes per school year shall be the basis for
computing one year’s teaching experience.
All persons appointed to permanent service shall be placed upon that year of the salary schedule
to which their years of permanent, permanent substitute, provisional, and temporary service in the Boston
public schools entitles them. For salary purposes one hundred twenty (120) days within a school year shall
be credited as one year’s teaching experience.
103
Credit for all prior School Nursing experience in the City of Boston shall be granted to all nurses.
One hundred twenty (120) days’ credit for salary purposes per school year shall be the basis for computing
one year of School Nurse experience.
(c) Professional Service Credit
Paraprofessionals and ABA Specialists who have become or do become teachers in the Boston
School system shall receive one year of salary credit for every three years worked as a Boston Public School
paraprofessional or ABA Specialist, up to a maximum of three (3) years for salary credit. For salary purposes
one hundred twenty days (120) shall be the basis for computing one school year.
3. Provisional Teachers
(a) On or before December 1, the Committee will determine when a vacancy is expected to last for
the duration of the school year and shall grant a prospective contract to a provisional teacher hired to ll such
vacancy. After December 1, a teacher who is expected to perform for the balance of the school year in the
same assignment will be paid as a long-term substitute in accordance with the agreed upon terms governing
substitute teachers and there shall be no retroactive contracts.
(b) Effective 9/1/22, Provisional teachers shall be given salary credit for up to three (3) full years
of satisfactory teaching experience outside the school system, and for all full years of experience inside the
Boston Public Schools.. A “full” year inside the system for salary purposes is calculated as no less than one
hundred twenty (120) days and includes service as a substitute. A “full” year outside the school system is
calculated at no less than one hundred sixty (160) days and excludes service as a substitute.
(c) Provisional teachers shall be entitled to step advancement on the same basis as permanent
teachers, without being capped at the third step on the bachelor schedule.
4. Other Provisions Regarding Step Placement
(a) Master’s Degree
Teachers appointed heretofore or hereafter who obtain a Master’s degree granted in a course by an
educational institution approved by the Committee shall be placed on the step of the higher schedule for
teachers which is the same step they hold in the lower schedule for teachers.
(b) Length of Service
All persons on the salary schedules listed in Article VIIIC who are below the maximum salary shall
be placed on that step to which their years of service in their group entitle them.
5. Step Advancement
(a) Those persons who at the time of their appointment have not had one hundred twenty (120) days
for salary purposes within the school year of their appointment but who do have a total of at least one hundred
twenty (120) days for salary purposes in the school year of their appointment will advance a step on the salary
schedule, to the maximum, on each September following their appointment.
All other persons will advance a step on the salary schedule, to the maximum, on the rst day of the
month of the appointment in each year.
(b) During the school year all persons who on the prior August 31 shall not have reached maximum
salary of the respective anniversary dates by the amount of the annual increment provided for in the foregoing
schedule until the maximum of their respective ranks is reached: provided that the nal increment shall be
such as shall place the person upon the maximum salary of his rank.
(c) Each teacher hired after September 1, 2013, shall not advance a step if his/her most recent
evaluation reects an overall rating of Unsatisfactory until he/she achieves a higher overall rating on a
formative assessment, formative evaluation or summative evaluation.
104
B. Payment of Salaries
Salaries shall be deemed fully earned at the end of the school year and proportionately earned during
the school year. Salaries shall be paid over a ten month period beginning with the rst month of the school
year and ending with the June month. Teachers who opt to be paid over twelve months will receive their full
salary in 26 equal checks, issued every other Friday. Those who opt to be paid over ten months will receive
their full salary in 22 checks, issued every other Friday, September through June.
C. Salary Schedule
Effective September 1, 2021 - August 31, 2022: 3%
A B C D
Bachelor B+15 Master’s M+15 M+30 M+45 M+60 M+75
Doctorate
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 60,440 62,527 64,599 66,688 68,770 70,852 73,233 75,299 76,477
2 67,871 70,319 72,775 75,233 77,685 80,125 82,882 85,008 86,221
3 71,959 74,414 76,865 79,325 81,763 84,226 86,983 89,112 90,325
4 76,061 78,516 80,961 83,417 85,866 88,309 91,084 93,208 94,419
5 80,149 82,914 85,665 88,425 91,191 93,947 97,007 99,137 100,350
6 84,940 87,689 90,451 93,206 95,967 98,718 101,979 104,105 105,318
7 90,399 93,154 95,917 98,673 101,435 104,195 107,264 109,392 110,604
8 95,924 98,674 101,439 104,195 106,955 109,723 112,785 114,917 116,128
9 100,721 103,473 106,234 108,992 111,751 114,521 117,586 119,716 120,926
SCHEDULE A – 9/1/21 - 8/31/22
A B C D
Bachelor B+15 Master’s M+15 M+30 M+45 M+60 M+75
Doctorate
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 65,720 67,807 69,880 71,969 74,051 76,132 78,513 80,578 81,757
2 73,152 75,599 78,054 80,513 82,965 85,405 88,163 90,288 91,500
3 77,239 79,695 82,144 84,605 87,042 89,506 92,263 94,392 95,605
4 81,341 83,797 86,242 88,697 91,146 93,589 96,364 98,488 99,698
5 85,429 88,195 90,945 93,705 96,471 99,227 102,288 104,418 105,630
6 90,221 92,970 95,731 98,486 101,247 103,998 107,259 109,386 110,598
7 95,679 98,434 101,197 103,953 106,715 109,474 112,544 114,672 115,884
8 101,204 103,954 106,718 109,474 112,235 115,003 118,065 120,196 121,409
9 106,000 108,754 111,515 114,273 117,031 119,800 122,866 124,996 126,206
105
Effective September 1, 2022 - August 31, 2023: 3.5%
A B C D
Bachelor B+15 Master’s M+15 M+30 M+45 M+60 M+75
Doctorate
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 62,555 64,715 66,860 69,022 71,177 73,332 75,796 77,934 79,154
2 70,247 72,781 75,322 77,866 80,404 82,930 85,783 87,983 89,238
3 74,478 77,019 79,555 82,101 84,624 87,174 90,027 92,231 93,486
4 78,723 81,264 83,795 86,337 88,871 91,400 94,272 96,471 97,723
5 82,954 85,816 88,663 91,520 94,382 97,235 100,402 102,607 103,862
6 87,913 90,758 93,617 96,468 99,325 102,173 105,549 107,749 109,004
7 93,563 96,415 99,274 102,127 104,985 107,841 111,018 113,221 114,475
8 99,282 102,128 104,989 107,841 110,699 113,563 116,733 118,939 120,193
9 104,246 107,095 109,952 112,807 115,662 118,529 121,701 123,906 125,159
SCHEDULE A – 9/1/22 - 8/31/23
A B C D
Bachelor B+15 Master’s M+15 M+30 M+45 M+60 M+75
Doctorate
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 68,020 70,180 72,326 74,488 76,642 78,797 81,261 83,399 84,618
2 75,712 78,245 80,786 83,331 85,869 88,395 91,248 93,448 94,703
3 79,943 82,484 85,020 87,566 90,089 92,639 95,493 97,696 98,951
4 84,188 86,730 89,260 91,802 94,336 96,865 99,737 101,936 103,188
5 88,419 91,281 94,128 96,985 99,847 102,699 105,868 108,072 109,327
6 93,378 96,223 99,082 101,933 104,790 107,638 111,013 113,214 114,469
7 99,028 101,879 104,739 107,591 110,450 113,306 116,483 118,685 119,940
8 104,746 107,593 110,454 113,306 116,163 119,028 122,197 124,403 125,658
9 109,710 112,560 115,418 118,273 121,127 123,993 127,166 129,371 130,623
Effective September 1, 2023 - August 31, 2024: 3%
A B C D
Bachelor B+15 Master’s M+15 M+30 M+45 M+60 M+75
Doctorate
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 64,432 66,657 68,866 71,093 73,312 75,532 78,070 80,272 81,528
2 72,354 74,964 77,581 80,202 82,816 85,417 88,357 90,623 91,915
3 76,712 79,329 81,942 84,564 87,163 89,789 92,728 94,998 96,291
4 81,085 83,702 86,309 88,927 91,537 94,142 97,100 99,365 100,655
5 85,443 88,391 91,323 94,266 97,214 100,152 103,414 105,685 106,978
6 90,550 93,481 96,425 99,362 102,305 105,238 108,715 110,981 112,274
7 96,370 99,307 102,253 105,191 108,135 111,077 114,349 116,617 117,909
8 102,260 105,192 108,139 111,077 114,020 116,970 120,235 122,507 123,799
9 107,373 110,308 113,251 116,191 119,132 122,085 125,352 127,623 128,913
106
SCHEDULE A – 9/1/23 - 8/31/24
A B C D
Bachelor B+15 Master’s M+15 M+30 M+45 M+60 M+75
Doctorate
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 70,061 72,285 74,496 76,722 78,942 81,161 83,699 85,901 87,157
2 77,983 80,592 83,210 85,831 88,445 91,047 93,986 96,252 97,544
3 82,341 84,959 87,570 90,193 92,792 95,418 98,357 100,627 101,919
4 86,714 89,332 91,938 94,556 97,166 99,771 102,729 104,994 106,284
5 91,072 94,020 96,951 99,894 102,842 105,780 109,044 111,315 112,607
6 96,180 99,110 102,054 104,991 107,934 110,867 114,343 116,611 117,903
7 101,999 104,936 107,881 110,819 113,763 116,705 119,977 122,246 123,538
8 107,889 110,820 113,767 116,705 119,648 122,599 125,863 128,135 129,428
9 113,002 115,937 118,880 121,821 124,761 127,713 130,981 133,252 134,542
D. Column Placement
1. Column A
Column A applies to holders of a Bachelor’s degree or other certication.
2. Column B
Column B applies to those persons who:
(a) Hold a Master’s degree granted prior to September 1, 1958 or a Master’s degree granted in a
course after said date by an educational institution approved by the committee;
(b) Have served ten years under one of the following certicates: Certicate IV High School,
Certicate XI-Special, Valid in Day High School Elementary and/or Middle, or Certicate XXVIII - Boston
Business School, or Certicate XXXI High School Women, or Certicate XXXI or XXXI-B Day and
Evening Industrial Schools, or Certicate XXXVI-School Librarian;
(c) Are now serving under Certicate XXXI High School Women, or Certicate XXXI or
XXXI-B Day and Evening Industrial Schools and hold a Bachelor’s degree or are now serving under one
of the Certicates aforementioned in this clause after having served under Certicate XXX and who have
completed in the aggregate ten years of service under Certicate XXX, XXXI, or XXXI-B;
(d) Are serving under Certicate IV High School Military Science and hold in the armed forces of
the United States the rank of Major or Lieutenant Commander or a higher rank;
(e) Are serving under Certicate XI - Special Assistant Director Music;
(f) Are a Trades teacher and have earned 30 credits at the college level; or
Anyone hired after August 31, 1986 shall not be subject to subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this
Section.
107
3. Column C
Column C applies to those members of the bargaining unit who possess a Master’s degree and
have earned a total of thirty (30) additional graduate credits or a law degree from an institution of higher
learning accredited by the Committee and approved for credit by a representative of the Committee provided,
however, that this language shall not displace any rights to which any teacher may be entitled in the 1971-
72 Agreement between the parties; or the person is a Trades teacher who has earned a Bachelor’s degree;
or the person is now serving under Certicate IV, High School, Women, or Certicate XXXI or XXXI-B,
Day and Evening Industrial Schools was a prerequisite, holds a Master’s degree, and is currently not serving
in the Industrial Arts Section of the Department of Vocational Education and Industrial Arts. Anyone hired
after August 31, 1986 shall not be subject to the last clause, “or the person is now serving ... industrial arts.”
4. Column D
Column D applies to those persons in Group I who hold an earned Doctor’s degree from an institution
of higher learning accredited by the Committee; or a Trades teacher who has earned a Master’s plus 30 credit.
5. Lane Advancement
(a) Credit towards the “Bachelor’s and 15 credits” lane, the “Master’s and 15 credits” lane, the
“Master’s and 45 credits” and the “Master’s and 60 credits” lane shall be granted on the same basis as that for
which credits have been granted for the 30 added credits required for the “Master’s and 30 credits” lane.
(b) Lane placement on an equivalency basis shall be granted to Trades teachers so that they achieve
Master’s plus 45 upon earning a Master’s degree.
(c) In accordance with past policy, credit shall be granted for salary purposes for in-service courses
and all graduate courses taken at an institution of higher learning accredited by the Committee. Credit in the
excess of ten (10) but not in excess of thirty (30) shall be granted for salary purpose for in-service courses
earned after September 1, 1980.
The School Department reserves the right to disapprove for salary credit courses that are unrelated
to the eld of education in the Boston Public Schools, or to subjects taught therein, or which do not enhance
advancement up the educational career ladder for bargaining unit personnel. Effective 9/1/2022, employees
with a JD (Juris Doctorate) degree shall be placed in the doctorate lane.
A teacher hired after September 1, 2013 shall not advance a lane on the salary grid beyond the
Master’s +15 lane in Art. VIII, Section C unless he or she takes course(s) that have received prior approval
for lane advancement from the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources.
(d) With the School Department approval of subject matter and provider, fteen (15) contact hours
of continuing education shall equal one (1) in-service credit for nurses, speech and language pathologists,
school psychologists, district social workers, guidance counselors, occupational and physical therapists,
vision teachers, and lead sign language interpreter.
6. Academic Advancement Ladder
There shall be created a new “credit” for academic lane advancement, called an Academic Ladder
Credit “ALC.”
The school department shall be able to set an appropriate number of ALCs for each course or strand
of courses. The school district shall be allowed to assign ALCs for a “strand” of courses available upon
completion of the entire strand without allowing individual course credit for partial strand completion. So, for
example, the district may set up a strand of ve math courses – of the district’s own design – for elementary
teachers, with the understanding that all ve must be completed for any credit to be given.
108
All courses or strands of courses will be tuition-free.
All ALCs shall be interchangeable with in-service credits for lane advancement without being
subject to the current in-service cap of 30. ALCs shall be awarded on a ratio of one (1) credit to twelve (12)
hours of ALC instruction.
The school district shall be able to place whatever conditions it wishes on the attainment of ALCs
whether for a course(s) or strand(s) completion. As an example, homework and research papers can be
assigned, provided that the conditions are stated in a syllabus distributed at the beginning of the course/strand.
Employees may use combinations of graduate credits, in-service credits and ALCs for lane
advancement. However, a teacher must possess a Master’s degree to advance to the Master’s lanes and must
possess a Doctorate degree to advance to the Doctorate lane.
E. ActingRatesandDierentials
1. Acting Positions
Any person who may be designated by the Superintendent in accordance with the regulations to act
in the position of a headmaster, shop superintendent, principal of a school or district, or of a director, associate
director, or chief examiner, for a continuous period exceeding two (2) weeks, shall be paid per day for each
day of service in addition to the regular salary of his or her rank:
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
77.63 80.35 82.76
Any person who may be similarly designated to act in the position of assistant director, assistant in
charge, supervisor, assistant headmaster (subject area), head instructor, coordinator, guidance counselor or
division head, assistant principal, or shop foreman, shall be paid per day for each day of service in addition
to the regular salary of his or her rank:
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
38.92 40.28 41.49
2. Acting Assistant Headmaster (Subject Matter)
Any master, junior master, or teacher, Latin or Day High Schools, who may be designated by the
Superintendent in accordance with the regulations as acting assistant headmaster (subject area) wherein there
are not less than fteen hundred (1,500) pupil hours in foreign (including ancient) languages, taught by at
least three (3) teachers whole or part time, or of any other department wherein there are not less than two
thousand (2,000) pupil hours, taught by at least four (4) teachers whole or part time, shall be paid per day for
each day of service, in addition to the regular salary of his or her rank:
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
38.92 40.28 41.49
3. Teacher-in-Charge
Any person of this salary schedule who may be designated by the Superintendent as teacher-in-charge
of a building where there is no permanent assistant principal, assistant headmaster (subject area), or as teacher-
in-charge of an elementary unit in a middle school, a high school or in an elementary school where there are at
least four (4) classes shall be paid per day for each day of service, in addition to the regular salary of his or her
rank. This sum shall be paid even when a teacher is out for acceptable reasons under this contract.
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
38.92 40.28 41.49
109
The position of teacher-in-charge shall be posted at the beginning of each school year in those
elementary schools with no assistant principal. The principal shall designate as teacher-in-charge a person
who is assigned full time to the school, who has an exemplary attendance record, and who is qualied, in the
judgment of the principal, to serve in such capacity.
The teacher-in-charge shall be paid the per diem differential for each full day beginning with the rst
day the principal is out of the building.
Every effort shall be made to avoid having both the principal and the teacher-in-charge out of the
school on the same day. If, however, both are absent on the same day, an alternate teacher-in-charge may be
designated and paid in the same manner as set forth above, provided that only one teacher shall be paid a
stipend as teacher-in-charge on a given day.
4. H.H.H.O.R.C.
All persons employed at the H.H.H.O.R.C. who are scheduled to work by the headmaster or his or
her designee beyond the regular teacher work day shall be paid at the contractual hourly rate specied in
Section VIII(H)(12) prorated for any fraction of an hour so scheduled.
This salary differential will be part of the teacher’s annual salary and teachers will receive this in
equal installments included as part of their regular pay checks.
The teaching load at the HHHORC will be consistent with the principles set forth in Sections V(A)
(2)(a)-(d) and V(A)(4)(a)(2) based upon a longer work day. All teachers will have fty-ve (55) minutes for a
planning and development period and fty-ve (55) minutes for an administrative period each day. Modules
of twenty-ve (25) and thirty (30) minutes may be scheduled to achieve these objectives.
5. Special Class Differential
A special class differential of:
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
1,734.65 1,796.00 1,850.00
(a) Bargaining unit members not exceeding 220 who were named by the parties under the grievance
settlement agreement AAA Case No. 1139-1957-77 as having received the Special Class Differential during
the school year 1973-1974 and who possessed Special Class Certication 56. Such bargaining unit members
will continue to receive this differential for as long as they are employed in a bargaining unit position in the
Department of Special Services.
(b) Bargaining unit members not exceeding 105 who taught in the SAR-ESD-DDS classications
for the school year 1977-1978, so long as they continue to teach in one of these classications.
(c) Teachers of the Deaf at the Mann Unit of the Jackson Mann School, so long as they continue to
teach in that position.
6. ESP Panel Differential
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
$3,462 $3,584 $3,697
110
F. Special Rates and Extracurricular Payments
1. Miscellaneous Hourly Positions
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Teachers, Physically Handicapped 73.50 76.07 78.35
Teachers, Classes of Lip Reading 73.50 76.07 78.35
Special Assistants - Day School for Immigrants 73.50 76.07 78.35
Per session substitutes 73.50 76.07 78.35
Half day teachers of Kindergarten shall receive one-half the salary and benets of Provisional Teachers.
2. Teachers, Coaches, and Coaches in Latin or Day High Schools
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Football, Head Coach 14,142 14,637 15,076
Football, Asst Coach 8,348 8,640 8,899
Baseball, Head Coach 8,758 9,065 9,337
Baseball, Asst Coach 7,067 7,314 7,533
Basketball, Head Coach 9,291 9,616 9,904
Basketball Asst Coach 7,409 7,668 7,898
Indoor Track, Coach 7,542 7,806 8,040
Hockey, Coach 9,291 9,616 9,904
Swimming, Coach 7,542 7,806 8,040
Cross Country, Coach 5,036 5,212 5,368
Outdoor Track, Coach 6,273 6,493 6,688
Soccer, Coach 6,974 7,218 7,435
Boating, Coach 3,770 3,902 4,019
Wrestling, Coach 5,153 5,333 5,493
Intramural Coaches -Middle School 87 90 92
Golf, Coach 5,153 5,333 5,493
Softball, Head Coach 8,758 9,065 9,337
Softball, Asst Coach 7,067 7,314 7,533
Badminton, Coach 4,523 4,681 4,821
Bowling, Coach 4,523 4,681 4,821
Cheerleading, Coach 5,153 5,333 5,493
Tennis, Coach 5,153 5,333 5,493
Volleyball, Coach 6,974 7,218 7,435
Basketball - Middle School 4,523 4,681 4,821
Track & Field - Middle School 4,523 4,681 4,821
Football - Middle School 4,523 4,681 4,821
For SY2022-23 and 2023-24, BPS will allocate up to $100,000 annually to adjust coaches’ salaries,
in a manner to be determined by the Coaches Committee.
3. Yearbook, Clubs and Audio-Visual and Teachers in Charge and JROTC Instructors
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Teacher in Charge of Yearbook, High School 1,815 1,879 1,935
Teacher in Charge of Yearbook, Middle School 1,815 1,879 1,935
Teacher in Charge of Drama Club 1,815 1,879 1,935
Teacher in Charge of clubs that meet in
interscholastic competition 1,815 1,879 1,935
Elementary Teacher in charge of audio-visual equipment 1,815 1,879 1,935
JROTC Drill Instructors 2,246 2,325 2,395
Academic Debate Coach 2,246 2,325 2,395
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4. Evening High Schools
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Principals, per hour 73.55 76.13 78.41
First Assistants, per hour 60.20 62.31 64.18
Assistants, per evening (three hours) 160.53 166.15 171.13
5. Evening Trade Schools
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Principals, per hour 73.55 76.12 78.41
First Assistants, per hour 60.20 62.31 64.18
Assistants, per evening (three hours) 160.53 166.15 171.13
6. Evening Elementary Schools
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Principals, per hour 73.55 76.12 78.41
Supervisors, Division B Classes, per evening (three hours) 180.52 186.84 192.44
Supervisors, Division C Classes, per evening (three hours) 180.52 186.84 192.44
First Assistants, per hour 60.20 62.31 64.18
Assistants, per evening (three hours) 160.53 166.15 171.13
7. Summer Review High Schools
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Principals, per hour 73.55 76.12 78.41
First Assistants, per hour 60.20 62.31 64.18
Assistant and School Nurses, per hour (four hours) 214.02 221.51 228.16
8. Summer Review Middle Schools
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Principals, per hour 73.55 76.12 78.41
First Assistants, per hour 60.20 62.31 64.18
Assistants, per evening (three hours) 160.53 166.15 171.13
9. Apprenticeship and Journeyman Classes
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
First Assistants, per hour 60.20 62.31 64.18
Instructors, per hour 53.56 55.43 57.10
10. Vocational Education Teachers
Vocational Education Teachers who are required by the Department of Education of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or by the Committee, to attend summer courses, shall be paid a week’s
pay at their rank as an expense allowance toward the costs of tuition, travel, and living in connection with
such courses.
11. Class Coverage Payment
When coverage of a class one-half (1/2) or more of a period causes loss of Planning and Development,
unless relieved of an administrative period, that teacher will be credited with 20% of the rate of the per diem
substitute. Payment in full is to be made not later than June 30 of the school year.
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12. Contractual Hourly Rate
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
53.29 55.16 56.81
13. Externally Funded Extracurricular Activities
The Department may pay a xed stipend for extra work, regardless of the number of hours, for
extracurricular activities dependent upon external funding.
14. Language Assessment Team Leader
The Language Assessment Team Facilitator (LATF) at all schools at the elementary level shall be
granted an extracurricular payment in accordance with the following table for every 25 English Learners at
their school to complete Language Assessment related duties.
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
$315.18 per 25 students $1,000 per 25 students $1,030 per 25 students
15. Early Learning Centers
Provided that staff at early learning centers continue to arrange coverage during school vacations by
staggering their work schedules, staff required to work in excess of ten months shall be paid on a pro rata
basis for the additional time.
16. Clinical Coordinators
Clinical coordinators shall be reimbursed the cost of their professional supervision.
17. Cooperating Teachers
A joint study by Committee and Union representatives shall be made for compensation of cooperating
teachers.
Each cooperating teacher shall be given two days of leave, with pay, without loss of benets. Such
days shall be taken as mutually agreed upon by the teacher and the administrative head during the last two
weeks of the student-teacher training period. In cases of conict, seniority shall prevail in the selection of days.
G. Pay Credit
The teacher or his or her designated beneciary, or if there is no designated beneciary then the
estate of the teacher, who is separated from employment or dies during the school year shall receive the pay
withheld up to the date of separation or death.
H. Traveling Teachers and Mileage
(1) All personnel covered by this Agreement who are authorized to use private automobiles for
school business shall be reimbursed for miles traveled in connection with their duties as follows:
(2) The Mileage rate for reimbursement shall be the IRS rate. School Psychologists and District
Social Workers shall be given the option of receiving a yearly payment of $600.00 as reimbursement for
mileage and auto expenses or lling out monthly mileage statements and receiving full reimbursement for
documented mileage. There shall be no cap on the number of miles allowed as long as they are documented.
The individuals who opt for the lump sum $600.00 payment shall be reimbursed in addition to the
$600.00 for mileage outside the City of Boston.
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(3) Lump sum payments will be made in June of each year. Psychologists and District Social
Workers who may work part of a year will be reimbursed on a basis of 1/180 for each day worked.
(4) Out-of-city travel will be reimbursed at the applicable cents per mile specied in (b), plus any
tolls, upon submission of a voucher and substantiating mileage log in June of each year.
(5) All traveling teachers shall be supplied with parking permits and will have equitable access to
departmental supplies and inter-departmental supply lists.
(6) Placement and follow-up personnel in Cooperative Courses shall be considered “Traveling
Teachers” for the purpose of this Section.
I. Severance Pay
Persons who retire, resign, or die after ten (10) years of teaching in the Boston School System shall
be paid at the rate of 40% of accumulated, unused paid sick days, without limitation. Payment shall be based
on the annual rate of pay of the person at the time of death, retirement or resignation. In the event of death,
payment shall be made to the estate.
Persons laid off by the Committee during this Agreement may resign prior to August 31 of the year
following the layoff vote and collect severance pay, with forfeiture of recall rights and termination of any
further unemployment compensation pay.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, severance shall be paid in two installments. One half of the
payment shall be made on or before December 31 of the year of retirement; and the other half shall be paid
on or before December 31 of the year after retirement.
J. Tax-Free Annuities
The Committee agrees it is desirable to allow persons in the bargaining unit to take advantage of the
federal law concerning tax-free annuities and shall take such steps as are necessary and possible to implement
this program. The company or companies providing the coverage shall be mutually agreed upon by the
parties.
K. Retirement Plan–State Boston Retirement System
Permanently appointed persons have a percentage of their salaries deducted each pay day according
to law. The amount you must contribute is as follows:
Eleven percent of your regular compensation if appointed on or after July 1, 2001;
Nine percent of your regular compensation if appointed on or after July 1, 1996;
Eight percent of your regular compensation if appointed on or after January 1, 1984;
Seven percent if appointed on or after January 1, 1975 yet prior to January 1, 1984;
Five percent if appointed prior to January 1, 1975.
In addition to the above, for all employees employed between January 1, 1979 and June 30, 2001, an
additional 2% contribution is required on salary above $30,000.
One must be under age sixty-ve, upon entering service, to become a member. Special allowances
are granted veterans and those disabled. Generous allowances are made to dependents of those who die on
the job after two years of service. Teachers who enter Boston Service may make up ten years of out-of-state
service by contributing to our fund.
Pensions are based on the average of one’s three highest paid years of service, their total years of
service, and their age. One cannot receive more than 80% of the average of their three (3) highest years.
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The following Percentage Table is used.
Age at Date of Retirement Percent
65 or over 2.5
64 2.4
63 2.3
62 2.2
61 2.1
60 2.0
59 1.9
58 1.8
57 1.7
56 1.6
55 1.5
One may retire at any time upon completion of twenty years of service. One may not retire before
age fty-ve without completing twenty years of service. See http://www.mass.gov/mtrb/ or http://www.
cityofboston.gov/retirement/ for more information.
Example: Superannuation - Option A
Group 1 member, at Mast column, retiring as of June 30, 1989, under the following conditions.
(a) Age 65
(b) 30 years of service
(c) Average Salary 3 years prior to 6/30/89
1987 $33,357
1988 35,960
1989 38,200
$107,517 / 3 = $35,839
Retirement Allowance Computation
2.5% of 35,839 x 30 = $26,879
(a) Veteran 300
$27,179
Please note that this is not the actual method by which the average salary is computed. This is a more
simplistic method that will give a close approximation for estimate purposes. One cannot receive more than
80%.
For up-to-date information about the retirement law as it affects Boston teachers, please see here
(http://www.cityofboston.gov/retirement/). For exhaustive information about Mass. retirement law in general,
see the Mass. Teacher Retirement System web page at http://www.massgov/mtrs/.
L. Insurance
1. Health
The City’s contribution to all group hospitalization insurance premiums shall be as follows:
- 75% of the total monthly premiums for the policy selected by the employer, including
master medical or the equivalent benets
- 90% of the total monthly premiums for all approved and authorized health maintenance
organizations
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A. Effective July 1, 2007, the City shall cease to offer Master Medical to bargaining unit members.
On July 1, 2007, the City shall offer the indemnity PPO known as Blue Care Elect Preferred. The
City’s rate of contribution for the indemnity PPO shall be 75%. The employee’s rate of contribution
shall be 25%.
B. Effective September 1, 2007, the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized health
maintenance organizations shall be 89%. The employee rate of contribution for all approved and
authorized health maintenance organizations shall be 11%.
C. Effective September 1, 2008, the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized health
maintenance organizations shall be 88%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and
authorized health maintenance organizations shall be 12%.
D. Effective September 1, 2009, the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized health
maintenance organizations shall be 85%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and
authorized health maintenance organizations shall be 15%
E. Effective September 1, 2007, the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized point
of service products shall be 84%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized
point of service products shall be 16%
F. Effective September 1, 2008, the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized point
of service products shall be 83%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized
point of service products shall be 17%
G. Effective September 1, 2009, the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized point
of service products shall be 80%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized
point of service products shall be 20%.
H. Adoption of M.G.L. Chapter 32B § 18.
i. The Union agrees to support legislation that would allow Cities and Towns to adopt
Section 18 and have the option of applying the provisions of Section 18 prospectively.
ii. In the event that the legislature takes no action on the above mentioned matter by
June 30, 2008, the Union will support the adoption of Section 18, in its current form,
by the Boston City Council.
iii. Upon adoption by the Boston City Council, the City will meet with the Union and
bargain over the impact that the adoption will have on current members upon their
retirement. It is the intention of the parties to meet and bargain over the impact of
the adoption of Section 18 during the contract period. In the event the impact of said
adoption does not conclude during the contract period, the City reserves its right to
maintain that the impact of Section 18 shall continue to be an impact bargaining
issue. Likewise, the Union reserves its right to maintain that the impact of Section
18 should be addressed as part of successor bargaining. This agreement shall not be
construed as an agreement by either party as to whether or not this matter must be
subject to impact bargaining or successor bargaining. In the event that this matter
does become subject to successor bargaining, the parties will address the matter
separately and aside from other matters being negotiated at the main bargaining
table. This subsection shall take effect on the effective date of the collective
bargaining agreement that expires on August 31, 2007 and expire on August 31,
2010.
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I. Re-opener
A re-opener shall take effect if the City of Boston voluntarily enters into an
agreement with another City of Boston municipal union (excluding the Boston Water and
Sewer Commission) that would have the City paying more than 85% of the HMO premium
contribution (or 80% of the POS premium contribution) during any time between September
1, 2009 and August 31, 2010. This re-opener shall be restricted to the issue of what percentage
the City will pay for its contribution to HMO and POS premium products.
This section shall take effect upon the effective date of the collective bargaining
agreement covering the 2006 – 2007 school year and shall expire on August 31, 2010.
2. Life
The employer contribution to the life insurance portion of the group insurance plan ($5,000
policy) shall be 50% with a provision for teachers to purchase more life insurance at a low rate.
3. PEC-MOA
The parties agree to comply with the Memorandum of Agreement between the City of
Boston and the Public Employee Committee attached hereto as Appendix “C”.
M. Career Awards
Career awards shall be paid as follows:
After 1 year at maximum $1,250
After 14 years $1,950
After 19 years $2,350
After 24 years $2,550
After 29 years $3,550
After 34 years $4,050
After 39 years $4,550
After 44 years $5,050
All bargaining unit members not on the salary grid shall be eligible for their rst career award after
nine (9) years of service.
Teachers shall automatically receive career awards to which they are entitled. Effective July 1, 2004,
retroactive career award payments shall not exceed three (3) years.
N. Health and Welfare Fund
The Committee and the Union have established a Trust Fund designated as “The Boston Teachers
Union Health and Welfare Fund” to provide such benets as are set forth in the Health and Welfare Fund
Agreement heretofore executed between the parties and incorporated herein by this reference as if set out
fully at this point except that the Health and Welfare Fund shall be administered solely by ve (5) trustees
appointed by the Union and three (3) appointed by the Committee.
The Union agrees to comply with the reporting and disclosure requirements contained in Article IV,
Sections 4.7, 4.8, and 4.9 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust for the Boston Teachers Union Health
and Welfare Fund, dated December 23, 1968.
Any bargaining unit member for whom a contribution is made to the Health and Welfare Fund in any
school year shall remain covered by the Fund for the duration of that school year so long as he/she remains
in the employ of the Committee in an acting position. No prorated credit shall be due the Committee for such
employees. Should a bargaining unit member leave the bargaining unit for the balance of any school year
117
and not remain in the employ of the Committee in an acting position, the Committee shall receive a prorated
credit on the July payment to the Fund for those months of the school year beginning with the rst full month
after notice of service has been sent to and received by the Fund. Contributions to the Fund for employees
granted provisional contracts shall be prospective, except pursuant to a grievance settlement or if required by
a retroactive award ordered by an arbitrator.
Contributions shall be prorated for employees hired during the school year based on the number of
months worked in relation to ten months. A month shall count as worked if any day in such month is worked.
The payment required annually on behalf of each person employed within the bargaining unit shall
be made at the time required under the predecessor agreement in the following amount:
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Teachers 1,784 1,846 1,901
O. Compensation Obligations
The Committee shall not be obligated to compensate bargaining unit members for services delivered
unless the Committee authorizes such activities.
P. Leaves of Absence and Sick Leave
1. LeaveforUnionOfcers
Not more than the aggregate of twelve (12) employees in the bargaining unit for teachers
and paraprofessionals, who are ofcers of the Union or who are appointed to its staff shall upon proper
application, be given leave of absence without pay during the school year for the purpose of performing
legitimate duties for the Union. Employees given leaves of absence without pay shall receive credit toward
annual salary increments on the schedules appropriate to their rank.
The Committee agrees to recommend to the Pension System that the time spent on leave of absence
pursuant to this section be granted as a service credit for retirement purposes and that the employees receiving
such leave of absence be permitted to pay regular monthly contributions based upon their earnable salaries
as members of the teaching staff for the period of such leave.
Provided also that for special purposes leaves without pay under the above conditions shall be granted
from time to time for shorter periods than one year but not less than three months as requested by the Union
for special study or research or similar relevant purposes to enhance the knowledge and competency of the
Union in administering its responsibilities under this contract. All leaves under this short term stipulation
would not exceed a total of twelve months per school year.
2. Leave for Personal Reasons
Teachers granted leave with pay shall be permitted to continue to establish creditable service towards
retirement while on such leave.
3. Sick Leave
All members of the bargaining unit shall be granted an annual leave for fteen (15) days without loss
of pay, for absence caused by illness or by injury, or by exposure to contagious disease.
Sick leave may accumulate from year to year without limitation.
Each September, fteen days of sick leave shall be added to the reserve of each person in actual
service on or before October 1 of that school year.
A person appointed after October 1 of any school year shall be granted sick leave for that school year
on the following basis:
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(a) A person appointed after October 1 but before January 1 shall be granted twelve (12) days sick
leave for that school year.
(b) A person appointed after January 1 but before April 1 shall be granted eight (8) days of sick leave
for that school year.
(c) A person appointed after April 1 shall be granted four (4) days leave for that school year.
When the record of repeated absence reects a clear pattern of abuse, the building administrator shall
warn the employee and subsequently may request a doctor’s certicate.
Up to thirty (30) days of accumulated sick leave in each school year may be used for family illness
or for adopting a child. Effective September 1, 2019, up to forty (40) days of accumulated sick leave in each
school year may be used for adopting a child, except that if the child is under 24 months of age the adoptive
parent(s) may use up to sixty (60) days. Additional leave for these purposes is subject to the approval of the
Director of the Ofce of Human Resources.
Permanent members of the bargaining unit who resign without obtaining severance pay shall have their
prior accumulated sick leave restored upon returning to the bargaining unit and obtaining permanent status.
4. Absence Due to Injury in the Course of Employment
Persons injured in course of employment shall be granted leave in accordance with the provisions
of this subsection, and such persons and substitute teachers will receive other Workmen’s Compensation
benets as provided in General Laws, Chapter 152.
(a) A bargaining unit member whose industrial accident claim has been accepted and who is receiving
workers’ compensation pursuant G.L.c.152 will have restored all sick leave used after initial date of injury
related to said claim and prior to receipt of workers’ compensation pursuant to G.L. c.152. Such employee
may, after acceptance of said claim, use such of his or her sick leave accrued prior to acceptance of claim, as
may result in the payment of full salary. Any absence due to an injury compensated under G.L. c.152 shall be
counted as creditable service for purposes of determining an employee’s career award entitlement, seniority
and salary step advancement once the employee has returned to work, provided however, that additional
personal days and sick leave days shall not accrue to employees during the period after the employee has
been accepted and is receiving workers’ compensation and until such employee returns to work. Nothing
herein is intended to diminish or reduce any rights or employees pursuant to G.L. c.152.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of the foregoing paragraph, a bargaining unit member who
is absent due to physical bodily injury as a direct result of a physical assault and battery which occurs
during the course of his/ her employment and who, as a result of this injury has been accepted for and
is receiving Workers’ Compensation payment pursuant to G.L. c.152, shall have restored any sick leave
used to supplement his/her workers’ compensation payment, and which when added to his/her workers’
compensation payment is equal to his or her full weekly salary. The provisions in this section shall be limited
to forty-ve calendar days after a bargaining unit member has been accepted and is receiving Workers’
Compensation.
5. Personal Leaves and Miscellaneous Paid Leave
(a) General
Personal leave may be used for personal needs not otherwise provided for, such as to receive a
college degree; to attend a veteran’s convention; to attend the funeral of a cousin, friend or retired teacher;
to attend the graduation of a member of immediate family, including niece and nephew; and to attend
educational conventions.
Requests for personal leave other than in an emergency shall be submitted to the building
administrator as early as possible prior to the day for which leave is requested. In no event will personal leave
be granted during a school emergency.
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Effective September 1, 2003, employees shall be entitled to use up to four (4) personal days “per
school year.” Any personal days not used in the year for which they are granted shall be added to the
employee’s sick leave entitlement for use in subsequent years.
(b) Limit on Number of Persons Taking Leave at the Same Time
Except at the discretion of the building administrator, not more than ve (5) percent of the teachers
in a building shall be eligible for personal leave on the same day.
(c) Limit on Personal Days Before and After School Vacations
No teacher may take a personal day on both the day immediately preceding and the day immediately
following a school vacation, including the Thanksgiving recess.
(d) Religious Holidays
Effective September 1, 2022, the committee shall provide employees who observe religious holidays
that occur when schools are open up to two (2) days without loss of pay or personal leave. The Ofce of
Equity will maintain a list of automatically approved religious holidays. Requests regarding other religious
holidays may be made to the Ofce of Equity.
Employees intending to take a day off under this provision of the contract shall notify their supervisor
and the Ofce of Equity and identify the observance at least ten school days in advance. If the nature of the
observance is such that the exact date is not known ten school days in advance, the employee shall provide
notice of the approximate date. If the holiday falls within the rst ten days of the school year, the employee
shall provide notice by the day before the rst day of school for students.
(e) Death in the Immediate Family
In the event of a death in the immediate family, including mother-in-law or father-in-law or anyone
residing in the same household with the teacher, up to ve (5) days without loss of pay shall be provided.
Days are consecutive school days immediately preceding, following or including the day of death. Holidays,
vacations or suspended sessions shall be considered school days under this provision. One (1) day without
loss of pay shall be provided for a niece, nephew, uncle, aunt, and in-law other than above.
Three (3) days without loss of pay shall be provided for the death of a grandchild or grandparent.
(f) Court Leave
The Boston School Department will provide release time without loss of pay for court appearances
on school business, including cases involving job-related teacher assaults.
(g) Union Convention Leave
Up to 150 person-days per year without loss of pay for teachers and paraprofessionals will be
provided for attending union conventions and conferences scheduled on teacher work days. Names of
individuals to attend will be submitted to the Personnel Department ten (10) school days in advance of the
leave. The BTU Health and Welfare Fund will reimburse the Department for its actual cost of substitutes
lling in for persons on leave to attend a health and welfare-related conference or convention.
(h) Paid Parental Leave
Any qualifying eligible members, employed a minimum of 12 months and who has paid status
1,250 hours or the proportionate standard hours in the preceding 12-month period (see Appendix B for
the proportionate standard hours applicable for various members) shall be entitled to Paid Parental Leave,
consistent with the City of Boston Paid Parental Leave and City of Boston Medical Leave Policy. The Ofce
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of Human Capital shall maintain a listing of proportionate standard hours by employee group and/or school.
This list can be found in the appendix. Employees shall be eligible for up to 12 months of leave, of which 12
weeks is covered by the Paid Parental Leave benet. For those members whose qualifying event occurs on
or after 9/1/2022, the benets include:
• 100% of base wages based on regular work hours for the rst four weeks of leave;
• 75% of base wages on regular work hours for the following four weeks of leave; and
• 50% of base wages based on regular work hours for the following four weeks of leave.
Eligible employees who choose to do so may use accrued sick and/or personal time as a supplement
to receive compensation up to 100% of base pay during any weeks that Paid Parental Leave alone provides
less than 100% of pay and may use additional accrued sick and/or personal time for up to 12 months,
inclusive of July and August.
Such paid parental leave shall run concurrent with the BPS Medical Leave Policy and any other
applicable approved leaves of absence, including those covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, the
Massachusetts Parental Leave Act and/or the BTU contract.
In the event that a member is not eligible for paid leave under the Boston Paid Parental Leave or City
of Boston Medical Leave Policy, the member shall be entitled to take a leave of up to 12 months for which
accumulated unused sick leave may be used. In the event that the member does not have sufcient unused
sick leave available, the leave may still be 12 months but it will be paid only to the extent that the member
has unused sick leave, and the remainder will be unpaid.
Parental leave must be one or two continuous leave periods provided the two continuous periods of
time combined total no more than 12 months.
Leave under this section must be taken within one year of the following events:
• The addition of a child under the age of 18 (or under age 23 with a disability) to the Employee’s family
through childbirth, surrogacy, adoption, foster care placement, or other legal status or placement;
• A stillbirth occurring 20 or more weeks into the pregnancy;
• The birth, adoption or foster care placement of multiple children at the same time constitutes only
one event.
The policy does not apply in the case of adoption of a new spouse’s children following marriage.
The Union waives its right to bargain over the City’s decision and any impacts associated with such
decision to change or eliminate the Paid Parental Leave Policy. The City will provide thirty (30) days’ notice
to the Union of any change to the parental leave policy.
Any eligible member under the old paid parental leave language in the contract who did not take any
parental leave and had a qualifying event from July 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022 are eligible now for parental
leave under the new policy. For all other members this policy is effective beginning 9/1/22.
6. Military Leave of Absence
Military leave of absence, without pay, may be granted to a permanent teacher inducted into the
armed forces for the required length of service, according to the terms of the Selective Services and Training
Act of 1940, and subsequent amendments by Congress.
7. Organized Reserve Forces
Every person who is a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States
shall be granted, in accordance with Section 59 of Chapter 33 of the General Laws, leave of absence, without
loss of pay, during the time of his annual tour of duty as a member of such reserve component; provided,
however, that such leave shall not exceed seventeen (17) days.
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8. Leave Deadlines
January 15 is the deadline for all of the following:
(a) Application for leave of absence to commence at the beginning of the next teacher work year.
(b) Application for extension of leave of absence scheduled to expire at the beginning of the next
teacher work year.
(c) Application to cut short a scheduled leave of absence and to return to work at the beginning of
the next teacher work year.
The January 15 deadline will be waived in case of circumstances arising after January 15 and beyond
the teacher’s control (e.g., unexpected family illness).
(d) A teacher on leave of absence for more than six (6) months including leave under Section VIII(R)
(5)(h) above, may not return during a school year except to ll a vacancy. For the purpose of this section,
a vacancy includes a position held by a substitute teacher, per diem or long term, but not by a non-tenured
teacher under contract.
(e) Failure to Respond to the January 15
th
Deadline:
Teachers on leave of absence who fail to notify the Ofce of Human Resources in writing postmarked
by January 15
th
whether or not they will be returning from leave (or who fail to explain in writing why a
denitive answer is not possible at that time) shall forfeit their attachment rights shall re-enter the system via
the excess pool.
For those who respond by January 15
th
as to why they cannot make a decision at that time, they must
send a response, postmarked no later than May 1
st
, as to whether or not they will return in September. If they
fail to respond by May 1
st
, they shall forfeit their attachment rights, their excess pool rights, and shall be
subject to reassignment by the Superintendent.
(f) The Boston Teachers Union’s Role: The BTU, through its ofcers, shall advise and encourage
its members to communicate with their principals and the Ofce of Human Resources prior to January 15
th
concerning their intention to retire or resign or to take, extended, or terminate a leave of absence.
(g) The School Department’s Role: The Superintendent and the Ofce of Human Resources shall
require that principals and headmasters post all vacancies at their schools in a timely manner.
9. AWOL
If a teacher or paraprofessional is AWOL for more than 15 days, this constitutes just cause for
termination.
Q. Funding Clause
This Agreement is subject to the appropriation of sufcient funds to implement the cost items under
M.G.L. Chapter 150E.
This Agreement shall be effective from September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024, provided that it
is ratied by both parties and that the City Council of the City of Boston votes a supplemental appropriation
to the budget of the Boston School Department sufcient to fund the Agreement for the rst year.
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R. Direct Deposit
The Boston Public Schools shall work with the City of Boston to provide direct deposit services to
members of the Boston Teachers Union.
S. Flexible Spending Plan/Cafeteria Plan
The School Department and the City shall cooperate with the Boston Teachers Union in setting up a
task force to study Flexible Spending/Cafeteria Plans for tax free payments of medical, dental, and dependent
care expenses. This task force shall be established no later than October 15, 1997.
T. Long Term Disability Insurance
The School Committee and the City shall cooperate with the Boston Teachers Union in setting up a
task force to study the feasibility of providing reduced cost long term disability insurance and long term care
insurance to bargaining unit members. The task force shall be established no later than December 15, 2000.
U. BTU Member Children
BTU members who live in Boston with their children shall be able to obtain a school placement
for their child at the school at which either parent works, provided, however, that: 1) the parent shall be
responsible for the transportation of the child unless the child would otherwise receive transportation in
accordance with the District’s transportation and/or assignment policy, 2) there is a seat vacancy and no
waiting list at the school within an appropriate program setting for the child, 3) no class size maxima shall be
exceeded at the time of the child’s enrollment in the school, and 4) the student meets eligibility requirements,
if any. This provision shall not be applicable to high schools.
V. Alternative Compensation
The parties agree to form a joint-labor management committee to explore the creation of an
alternative compensation model that recognizes those teachers who consistently produce exemplary results.
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Article IX
Collective Bargaining
A. Governing Philosophy
The parties believe the collective bargaining method is workable and competent and will add dignity
and increase professionalism in the best sense to the joint effort of the Union and the Committee to reach
agreement. In entering upon this responsibility, the parties declare their intention to cooperate fully in what
must be the joint objective of both parties, the best education possible for Boston’s children.
B. Fair Practices
1. Non-Discrimination
As sole collective bargaining agent, the Union will continue its policy of accepting into voluntary
membership and will continue to represent equally all eligible persons in the unit without regard to race,
color, creed, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual preference, age, or handicap.
The Committee agrees to continue its policy of not discriminating against any person on the basis of
race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual preference, age, handicap, or participation in or
association with the activities of any employee organization.
Nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted as a barrier to afrmative action. The Union and
the Committee shall cooperate in developing and implementing effective afrmative action in the areas of
promotion, staff assignments, coaching positions, and all other paid and unpaid extracurricular activities.
Any afrmative action plan adopted by the Committee shall be negotiable as contemplated by law.
Both parties recognize the importance of diversity in the membership of their joint and individual
committees and management structures and commit their best efforts to achieving and maintaining such
diversity.
2. Protection of Individual and Group Rights
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent the Committee, a member of the Committee
or its designated representatives from meeting with any teacher for expression of the teacher’s views. In the
area of collective bargaining, no changes or modications shall be made except through consultation and
negotiation with the Union.
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to permit an organization other than the Union to appear
in an ofcial capacity in the processing of a grievance.
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent any person from informally discussing any
dispute with his immediate superior or processing a grievance on his/her own behalf in accordance with the
Grievance Procedure, heretofore set forth in Article VII.
C. Privileges
1. Allowed Time for Union Negotiations
(a) All collective bargaining shall be conducted at the level of the School Department.
(b) A committee of Union representatives shall meet at least once a month with the Superintendent
of Schools for consultation on matters of educational programs and curriculum during the school year. Both
parties shall submit items for the agenda. There shall be mutual effort to make these sessions meaningful
and advantageous to the school system. Union representatives shall be excused from teaching duty for this
purpose when held during school hours.
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(c) Negotiations shall be scheduled at mutually agreeable times during and outside normal working
hours. Up to four (4) members of the Union negotiating team shall be excused from duty with pay with
provision for substitutes relief as necessary.
2. Payroll Deductions for Union Dues
The Union shall secure authorizations for payroll deductions for Union dues and shall provide
electronic copies of such authorizations to the Committee’s Chief Human Capital Ofcer or their designee.
Such authorizations may be revocable as provided by law. The Committee will request the Treasurer of the
City of Boston to submit such sums in total to the Union Treasurer no later than 30 days after such deduction
was made.
Upon request by the Union, the School Committee shall, to the extent allowed by law, provide the
Union with the name, employee identication number, and assignment of any employee from whom it has
received a written request to revoke dues deductions.
3. Union Meetings Within Individual Schools
Union meetings may be held on school property by faculty members of individual schools provided
there is no interference with any school activity.
School buildings will be available for the conduct of Union business outside of school hours subject
to prior scheduling and in accordance with the present fee arrangements.
4. Bulletin Boards
At least one bulletin board shall be reserved at an accessible place in each school for the exclusive
use of the Union for purposes of posting material dealing with proper and legitimate business of the Union.
Notices must be signed by the Building Representative or his/her authorized representatives.
Sufcient bulletin board space shall be provided in an accessible place in the ofce of the Department
of Health Services for the exclusive use of the Union for the purpose of posting material dealing with proper
and legitimate business of the Union. Notices must be signed by the Building Representative or his or her
authorized representative.
5. Grievance Time For Building Representative
The Union Building Representative in each High School and Middle School shall be allowed one
administrative period per week for conferring with teachers on grievances or associated matters.
The Union Building Representative in each elementary school shall be allowed 45 minutes per week
during administrative time for the purpose of conferring with teachers on grievances or associated matters.
6. Information to the Union
The Committee will make available to the Union all information necessary for the Union to perform
its function in collective bargaining and contract administration and otherwise as collective bargaining agent.
7. C.O.P.E.
If at any time during the duration of this collective bargaining agreement the General Court adopts a
bill allowing for a C.O.P.E. check-off for public employees, the School Department shall cooperate with the
Union in establishing a voluntary C.O.P.E. check-off system in compliance with such legislation.
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D. Responsibilities
1. No Union Activity on School Time
Except as provided herein the Union agrees that no teacher will engage in Union activity during the
time he/she is assigned to teaching or other duties.
2. Authorized Union Representatives
The Union shall furnish the Committee with a list of its ofcers and authorized Union representatives,
and shall as soon as possible notify the Committee in writing of any change. No Union representative shall be
recognized by the Committee except those designated in writing by the Union.
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Article X
Dispute Resolution
A. General
It is the declared objective of the parties to encourage the prompt resolution of disputes arising under
this Agreement. The parties recognize the importance of prompt and equitable disposition of any complaint
at the lowest organizational level possible.
Whatever means are used to resolve a dispute arising under this Agreement, a resolution should
be sought that provides fair redress of grievances while giving due consideration to the best interests of
schoolchildren.
Any person(s) or the Union shall have the right to present a dispute and have it promptly considered
on its merits. Staff covered by this Agreement shall not suffer a loss of pay for time spent in conferring and
meeting on a grievance; provided, however, that conferences and meetings will not normally take place
during periods when the individuals involved have classroom duties, except as otherwise provided herein. A
grievance of a continuing nature alleging that it uniformly affects a class of bargaining unit employees need
only be led once and shall be considered to include all subsequent violations.
Any discipline in relation to collective bargaining unit members shall be for just cause.
B. Denitions
A “grievance” shall mean a complaint
(1) that there has been as to a member of the bargaining unit a violation, misinterpretation, or
inequitable application of any of the provisions of this agreement or
(2) that a member of the bargaining unit has been treated unfairly or inequitably by reason of any act
or condition which is contrary to established policy or practice governing or affecting employees, except that
the term “grievance” shall not apply to any matter as to which the Committee is without authority to act. As
used in this Article, references to a single employee shall include also a group of employees having the same
grievance.
C. Availability of Mediators
The Steering Committee shall choose up to twenty-four (24) employees of the Boston Public School
system to be trained as mediators for the system. All persons chosen shall be acceptable to both the Union
and the Committee. Employees chosen for this position should have demonstrated excellent interpersonal
skills, creativity, and an orientation toward collaborative problem-solving in carrying out their duties in the
system. The candidates chosen should as a group be highly representative of the racial and ethnic diversity
of the school system. They should receive formal training in problem-solving mediation. Appointments as a
mediator should be voluntary. Appointments should be reviewed annually and terminable at the discretion of
the Superintendent with or without cause.
These mediators shall be available in addition to their regular duties to confer with employees of the
system involved in contract-related disputes on a condential basis seeking to assist the parties in resolving
such difculties. They may talk in person or by phone. Mediators shall be called on to mediate a building-
level discussion of a grievance in Step 1 of the dispute resolution process outlined in the following section.
However, no mediator shall mediate a building-level discussion of a grievance that they have previously
discussed with an employee, unless all parties to the mediation so request in writing. Mediation will be
available for grievances led at Step 2 or Step 3 if both parties agree.
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The School Department will circulate at least annually to all employees a list of mediators and their
phone numbers. School Department policy shall be to encourage employees to seek help from a mediator to
resolve work-related difculties informally.
Mediator stipends will be retirement worthy and become part of one’s annualized salary.
D. Dispute Resolution Process for Grievances
Grievances of employees within the bargaining unit shall be presented and adjusted in the following
manner:
1. General Procedures
(a) Step 1: School Level
An employee or his or her Union representative may either orally or in writing present a grievance to the
Principal, Headmaster, or Director within a reasonable time, normally thirty (30) school days after knowledge
by the employee of the facts giving rise to the act or condition which is the basis of her or his grievance.
The Principal, Headmaster, or Director of the school shall confer with the employee at the time
of the complaint or within ve (5) school days with a view to arrive at a mutually satisfactory resolution
of the grievance. At that conference, the employee may present the grievance personally or he or she may
be represented by a Union representative; but where the employee is represented, he/she must be present.
Whenever a grievance is presented by the employee personally, the Principal, Headmaster, or Director shall
give the Union representative the opportunity to be present and state the views of the Union.
The Principal/Headmaster or Director shall communicate his/her decision orally or in writing to the
aggrieved employee and to any Union representative who participated in this Step within ve (5) school
days after receiving the complaint or within ve (5) school days after the conference, whichever is earlier.
If the grievance is unresolved, a mediator shall be assigned within three (3) school days to assist
the parties in attempting to resolve the complaint. If the dispute is not resolved within three (3) school days
following the assignment of a mediator, the grievance may be appealed to the next step.
The parties shall observe the grievance procedure pertaining to Steps 1, 2, and 3 without regard to the
mediation process specied herein until the utilization of mediators contemplated by this Agreement is made
operational by the School Department and written notice of that implementation is provided to the Union.
(b) Step 2: Cluster Leader or Manager for Employee Relations
If the grievance is not resolved at Step 1, the aggrieved employee or the Union may appeal by
forwarding the grievance in writing to the appropriate Cluster Leader within ve (5) school days after he or
she has received the Step 1 decision. The appeal shall include:
(1) The name and position of the Complainant.
(2) A statement of the grievance and the facts involved.
(3) The corrective action requested.
(4) Name of Union Representative at Step 1; if any.
(5) Signature of each complaining employee or Union representative.
The Cluster Leader will conduct a grievance hearing with the aggrieved employee, and his or
her Union representative shall be given at least two (2) school days’ notice of the hearing. The aggrieved
employee shall be given the opportunity to be present at the hearing. The Headmaster/Principal or applicable
administrator may also be present at this hearing to state his or her views. For grievances led at step 1,
mediators shall not be present at step 2 grievance hearings. For grievances led at step 2, a mediator shall be
used if requested by both parties.
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The Cluster Leader shall issue a written decision on the grievance as soon as possible, but not later
than ten (10) school days after the receipt of the appeal or ve (5) school days after the hearing, whichever is
earlier. A copy will be sent to the aggrieved employee and the Union.
The following grievances shall be presented to the Manager for Employee Relations with the
procedures and time requirements set forth above:
(1) A grievance alleging that the person was placed on the wrong step of the salary schedule.
(2) A grievance alleging the person’s wages were improperly paid.
(3) A grievance alleging the person was improperly denied an increment.
(4) A grievance alleging the person’s absence deduction was improperly calculated.
(5) A grievance alleging the person was improperly denied a sabbatical leave.
(6) A grievance alleging the person was improperly denied a leave of absence without pay.
(7) A grievance led on behalf of a person who is not assigned to a level.
(8) A grievance that, by mutual agreement of the Cluster Leader and Union, should be heard directly
at Central Administration.
(c) Step 3: Superintendent
A decision at Step 2 may be appealed in writing by the employee or the Union to the Superintendent
of Schools within ten (10) school days after the decision by the appropriate administrator at Step 2 has been
received. The Superintendent or his or her designated representatives shall meet with the aggrieved employee
and the Union representative with a view to arriving at a mutually satisfactory resolution of the complaint.
The aggrieved employee and the Union representative will receive at least two (2) school days’ notice of the
meeting and shall be given an opportunity to be heard. The Headmaster/Principal or Director and the Cluster
Leader or Manager of Employee Relations may also be present at the meeting and state their views.
The Superintendent or her or his designated representatives shall communicate her or his written
decision together with supporting reasons to the aggrieved employee and to the Union as soon as possible,
but not later than ten (10) school days after receipt of the appeal or ve (5) school days after the conference,
whichever is earlier.
(d) Alternative Procedure for Certain Grievances
All grievances involving in whole or in part violations of section I(F) of this Agreement, “Handling
of New Issues,” shall be submitted to the following procedure in lieu of proceeding through Steps 1 through
3 of the grievance procedure described above. Either party may initiate a grievance in writing by requesting
that it be made the subject of a meeting between a representative of the General Counsel’s ofce and a
representative of the Union. The parties shall meet and confer upon the matter within ten (10) school days
following the request for a meeting in an attempt to resolve the grievance. If the parties agree on a resolution,
they shall reduce this agreement to writing and sign it. The representative of the General Counsel’s ofce
shall be authorized to take appropriate corrective action to redress such grievances. If no agreement is
reached within ten (10) school days, nothing in this clause shall affect the rights or either party to proceed
to arbitration.
2. Initiation of Grievances at Step 2 or Step 3
(a) Grievances arising from the action of ofcials other than the Principal, Headmaster, or
Director may be initiated with and processed in accordance with the provisions of Step 2 of this dispute
resolution process. Where the action is initiated by the Superintendent of Schools, the grievance may be
initiated at Step 3.
(b) Conferences held under this procedure at Step 2 or Step 3 shall be conducted at a time and place
that will afford a fair and reasonable opportunity for all persons entitled to be present to attend. When such
conferences are held during day school hours, all persons who participate shall be excused with pay.
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3. Time Limits and Application
(a) The time limits specied in any step of this procedure may be extended in any specic instance,
by mutual agreement.
(b) A grievance led at an inappropriate step of the grievance procedure will be considered as
properly led, but the time limits for answering the complaint shall not begin until the grievance is referred
to the appropriate step.
(c) In the event that the immediacy of the grievance requires an employee to meet with his/her
Principal or Headmaster suddenly (on a non-scheduled occasion) he/ she shall be allowed to have his/her
Union representative present at the meeting, provided he/she rst makes this request of the Principal or
Headmaster.
(d) A failure by a teacher or the Union to process the grievance from one step to the next step, within
the time limits provided for will result in an automatic appeal of the grievance to the next step. A failure of a
Committee representative to answer a grievance at any step of the grievance procedure within the time limits
provided shall be considered a denial of the grievance at that step.
E. Arbitration
1. ArbitrationDened
A grievance which was not resolved at Step 3 under the grievance procedure may be submitted by
the Union to arbitration. The arbitration may be initiated by ling with the Committee and the American
Arbitration Association a request for arbitration. The notice shall be led within thirty (30) school days
after denial of the grievance at Step 3 under the grievance procedure, provided, however, if the Union did
not receive a written reply from the Superintendent at Step 3, then said time limit shall be extended to sixty
(60) school days after the Step 3 hearing. The voluntary labor arbitration rules of the American Arbitration
Association shall apply to the proceeding.
The Union will make a reasonable effort to use no more than two (2) witnesses during the same
school hours in arbitration cases.
2. Power of the Arbitrator
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, no dispute or controversy shall be a subject for arbitration
unless it involves the meaning, interpretation, or application of an express provision of this Agreement. The
arbitrator shall have no power to alter, add to, subtract from, or modify any provision of this Agreement. The
parties are agreed that no restrictions are intended on the powers of the Committee except those set forth in
the language of this Agreement.
3. Decision of the Arbitrator
The arbitrator shall issue his/her written decision not later than thirty (30) days from the date of
the close of the hearings or, if oral hearings have been waived, then from the date of transmitting the nal
statements and proofs to the arbitrator. The decision of the arbitrator will be accepted as nal by the parties
to the dispute and both will abide by it.
4. Arbitration Award Application
The Committee agrees that it will apply to all substantially similar situations the decision of an
arbitrator sustaining a grievance and the Union agrees that it will not bring or continue, and that it will not
represent any employee in any grievance which is substantially similar to a grievance denied by the decision
of the arbitrator. The arbitrator’s fee will be shared equally by the parties to the dispute.
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5. Alternate Arbitration Procedure
Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Article, unresolved grievances at Step 3 may be
submitted by the Union to a closed panel of arbitrators and not the American Arbitration Association, under
an alternate arbitration procedure mutually agreed between the parties.
6. StafngClause
Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Agreement, no provision of this Agreement shall be
deemed to require the School Committee to hire any particular number or kind of teachers or other personnel
or to maintain any level of stafng, nor shall any arbitrator have the power to order the hiring of any kind or
number of teachers or other personnel as a consequence of any violation of this Agreement. This provision
shall not be deemed to restrict any arbitrator from ordering the reinstatement of any employee in any case
dealing with the question of just cause for dismissal.
7. Implementation
The Committee will use its best efforts to implement a settlement agreement or an arbitrator’s award
within 30 days after approval of such settlement or receipt of such award and determination not to contest it.
Such efforts shall include, but not be limited to, establishment of a payment system under which
specied employees of the School Department are to be held accountable for compliance with this section.
F. ResolutionofDierencesbyPeacefulMeans
The Union and Committee agree that differences between the parties shall be settled by peaceful
means as provided within this Agreement. The Union, in consideration of the value of this Agreement and its
terms and conditions and the Legislation which engendered it, will not engage in, instigate, or condone any
strike, work stoppage, or any concerted refusal to perform normal work duties on the part of any employee
covered by this Agreement.
G. Grievance Process in Autonomous Schools
Changing the grievance process in autonomous schools to that in the dispute resolution section of the
BTU contract shall be the subject of continuing negotiations.
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MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON
AND
THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION, LOCAL 66,
AFT-MASS, AFL-CIO
TEACHERS 2021-2024
In witness whereof, the parties hereto have caused their names to be subscribed as the duly authorized
ofcers and representatives in this 7
th
day of September, 2022.
Boston Public Schools Boston Teachers Union
Local 66, AFT-Mass., AFL-CIO
Drew Echelson Jessica Tang
Acting Superintendent President
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2021-2024
Agreement Between the School Committee
of the City of Boston
and the
Boston Teachers Union, Local 66, AFT, AFL-CIO
Paraprofessionals
Eectivefrom
September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024
Article I
Purpose and Scope of Agreement
A. Recognition and Duration
This Agreement is made and entered into on the 7
th
day of September, 2022 by and between the
School Committee of the City of Boston and the Boston Teachers Union. The Committee recognizes
the Union as the exclusive bargaining representative for all teacher paraprofessionals employed by the
Committee, including clerical paras, teacher paras, library paras, tool keepers, bilingual paras, security paras,
community liaison paras, community eld coordinators, family liaisons, sign language interpreters, and all
other paras, but excluding lunch hour monitors and bus monitors.
The jurisdiction of the Union shall include those individuals employed by the Committee who now
or hereafter perform the duties of paras as described in Article IV Section A of this agreement and currently
performed by persons in the bargaining unit as set forth in the preceding paragraph.
This Agreement and each of its provisions, unless otherwise indicated, shall be effective September
1, 2021 and shall continue in full force and effect through August 31, 2024. Negotiations for a subsequent
agreement will commence on or after December 1, 2023 upon the request of either party.
This agreement and each of its provisions shall be in full force and effect from the period of September
1, 2021 to August 31, 2024 and continuing thereafter until such time as the parties have a successor to the
2021-2024 agreement.
B. Purpose
The purpose of this Agreement is to promote the parties’ joint goal of achieving the best possible
education of the children in the Boston Public Schools by structuring an effective and professional working
relationship between the parties. That relationship should help the school system achieve maximum benet
from the combined expertise and coordinated efforts of the parties. It should also ensure fair and equitable
compensation and fair and professional treatment for those employees represented by the Union.
C. Scope
The Committee and the Union agree that they have a common public and educational area of concern
in addition to economic matters such as salary and working conditions. This wider area of concern is to be
approached constructively toward the goal of educational excellence.
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To this end, the Union will from time to time present to the Committee or its designated
representatives views and suggestions on certain school problems clearly within its knowledge and province
as the agency in the School system having the closest overall contact with the paras. Subjects considered to
be within the scope of such initiation and discussion are: operation of difcult schools, standards of physical
and housekeeping environment and amenities on school premises, all matters relating to school-based
management, and an increasingly effective curriculum. Periodic consultation will take place without trespass
or interference upon the distinct and special powers and duties of either party in the process. It is hoped
that this continuing consultation throughout the school year will contribute to the enhancement of public
education in the City of Boston.
D. Management Rights
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Committee and the Superintendent retain all
powers, rights, duties, and authority which they had prior to entering into the Agreement. Such rights of the
Committee include but are not limited to the right:
– to establish educational policy;
– to establish the standards and qualications for hire and promotion;
– to determine the size of the work force consistent with the terms of this Agreement;
– to establish job duties for new or substantially changed positions;
– to determine which textbooks shall be used in the schools;
– to prescribe curriculum and rules governing student discipline; and
– to establish educational programs and to determine the number, age, and qualications of pupils
to be served by any such programs.
E. Continuing Negotiations
The Committee and the Union may, by mutual consent, reopen negotiations on the issue of religious
observance at any time during the contract period.
F. Handling of New Issues
Matters of collective bargaining import not covered by this Agreement may, during the life of the
Agreement, be handled in the following manner:
By the Committee: Except as any change may be commanded by the law, the Committee will
continue its policies as outlined herein. With respect to matters not covered by this Agreement that are
mandatory subjects for collective bargaining, the Committee agrees it will make no changes without prior
consultation and negotiation with the Union.
By the Union: In any matter not covered in this Agreement that is a mandatory subject for collective
bargaining, the Union may raise such issues with the Committee for consultation and negotiation; except
that the Union shall not renew or to seek to renew any questions introduced, debated, and settled, either
negatively or afrmatively, during the bargaining prior to nal settlement. This restriction shall not apply to
the areas outlined in section I(C) as subject for continuing consultation.
Being a mutual Agreement, this instrument may be amended at any time by mutual consent.
G. Savings Clause
If any provision of this Agreement is or shall at any time be contrary to law, then such provision shall
not be applicable or performed or enforced, except to the extent permitted by law, and substitute action shall
be subject to appropriate consultation and negotiation with the Union.
In the event that any provision of this Agreement is or shall at any time be contrary to law, all other
provisions of this Agreement shall continue in effect.
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H. Preservation of Existing Laws and Regulations
The School Department shall identify by February 1 of each year those bargaining unit members
who are affected by the School Committee’s policy on the employment of relatives. The Department and the
Union shall meet to discuss the appropriate reassignment of affected members.
I. Denitions
The term “school” as used in this Agreement means any work location or functional division or
group in which a grievance may arise.
The terms “Principal” and “Headmaster” as used in the Agreement mean the responsible
administrative heads of their respective district, school, or department.
The term “paraprofessional” as used in this Agreement means a person employed by the Committee
in the bargaining unit as dened in Article I. (For convenience the term “paraprofessional” will be abbreviated
to “para” or “paras” in this contract.)
The term “person” as used in the Agreement means a person employed by the Committee in the
bargaining unit as dened in Article I.
The term “Union representative” as used in this Agreement means the Union building representative
or his designee, or an elected or appointed representative of the Union or any of its afliates.
Wherever the singular is used in this Agreement it is to include the plural.
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Article II
Working Conditions
A. General
1. Functions
A para is a non-certied individual employed by the Boston School Committee whose function is
to assist teachers and other school personnel, except that paras shall not perform the work of custodial or
cafeteria workers. The function of members of the paraprofessional unit employed as Family Liaisons is
to promote family and student engagement within the school, the BPS, and the greater Boston community.
2. Paras Files
A para’s les shall be maintained under the following circumstances:
(a) No material derogatory to a para’s conduct, service, character, or personality shall be placed in
the les unless the para has had an opportunity to read the material. The para shall acknowledge that he/she
has read such material by afxing his/her signature on the actual copy to be led, with the understanding
that such signature merely signies that he/she has read the material to be led. Such signature does not
necessarily indicate agreement with its content.
(b) The para shall have the right to answer any material led, and the answer shall be reviewed by
the Assistant Superintendent or Director of the program in which the para is employed and attached to the le
copy.
(c) Upon request by the para, the para shall be given access to the para’s le without delay.
(d) Upon receipt of a written request, the para shall be furnished a reproduction of any material in the
para’s le.
(e) All paraprofessionals shall receive notication of their “program/subject code” on their annual
Employee Verication Form. If her/his “program/subject code” changes, the paraprofessional shall be
notied immediately.
3. Assistance in Assault Cases
(a) Principals shall report all cases of assault suffered by paras in connection with their employment
to the Director of Personnel.
(b) Whenever it is alleged that a para has assaulted an individual or that an individual has assaulted
a para, the Principal and Director of Personnel shall cooperate with the para involved in the investigation of
the incident. The Director of Personnel shall comply with any reasonable request from the para for relevant
information in the Committee’s possession, not privileged under law, concerning the individual or individuals
involved. The Committee shall indemnify a para in its employ for expenses or damages sustained by the para
by reason of an action or claim against the para arising out of the negligence of such para or other act of his/her
resulting in accidental bodily injury to or the death of any individual or in accidental damage to or destruction
of property, while acting as such para, and may indemnify a para in its employ for expenses or damages
sustained by the para by reason of an action or claim against the para arising out of any other acts done by the
para while acting as such para; provided, in either case, that after investigation it shall appear to the Committee
that such para was at the time the cause of action or claim arose acting within the scope of his/her employment
and provided, further, that the defense of indemnication sought under this provision shall have been made by
the Corporation Counsel, upon the request of the Committee, or if such Corporation Counsel fails or refuses to
defend such action or claims, by an attorney employed by such para. The Committee shall appropriate funds
for this purpose in the same manner as appropriations for General School Purposes.
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4. Information to the Union
The Union shall be supplied with a current seniority list of all members of the bargaining unit.
5. In-Service Courses
Paras shall be eligible to participate in the in-service courses offered to teachers. Whether or not the
certicate, upon completion of a course, provides a credit, the identical type of certicate given teachers is
to be awarded paras. Paraprofessionals shall be allowed to accumulate up to 30 in-service credits for salary
purposes.
6. Substitute for Teacher
(a) In the event there is no substitute teacher as a replacement in the case of a teacher reported absent,
a para is not to serve as a substitute teacher, but may be assigned solely for security purposes until a teacher or
a substitute arrives; however, an instructional para may continue with duties that are pursuant to the teacher’s
instruction.
(b) In the event the Committee, after a good faith effort, is unable to hire a substitute for a classroom
teacher who regularly works with a paraprofessional, that paraprofessional may be requested to serve as a
substitute teacher under the following conditions:
(1) The paraprofessional has a teaching certicate or ten or more year of service. Effective
9/1/07, the paraprofessional has a teaching certicate or ve or more years of service;
(2) the paraprofessional is requested to substitute only in those classes in which he or she
normally works;
(3) Effective September 1, 2022, the paraprofessional is paid $13.00 per hour in addition to his
or her regular salary.
(c) The Committee will use its best efforts to hire a substitute paraprofessional whenever the regular
paraprofessional in a 502.4 classroom is absent. This clause in no way limits or waives any rights the Union
had prior to entering into this Agreement.
(d) Effective 9/1/22, no Family Liaison shall be asked or required to work as a substitute teacher as
a replacement for a teacher reported absent.
7. Para Evaluation
Paras will be evaluated during this Agreement. The building administrator outside of the bargaining
unit or his/her designee will be responsible for the evaluation. Evaluation procedures shall be the subject of
continuing negotiation.
Effective 9/1/19, the BPS and BTU agree to form a joint subcommittee that will revise the process
for evaluating paraprofessionals and job descriptions.
8. Training
(a) At the beginning of the school year and thereafter as may be necessary, paraprofessionals and
newly employed paraprofessionals shall receive training in the use of machinery and equipment that they will
be expected to use or be familiar with as part of their job.
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(b) Paraprofessional Training Program: The School Department and the Union shall jointly
administer a Paraprofessional Training Program utilizing paras who have successfully completed the eight
week program to train other paras. The School Department shall allocate $25,000 annually to provide
stipends for the trainers. The length and design of the program and the stipend amount shall be determined
by the joint committee.
(c) Paraprofessional Training: In addition to the annual $25,000 to provide a Paraprofessional
Training Program, the School Department shall provide $25,000 for training paraprofessionals who are
moving to a new program. The BTU and the BPS shall develop the training program.
(d) Inclusion Training: Paraprofessionals shall be invited to participate in the professional
development referenced in the inclusion section of the teachers contract in Article V A., section 2 (d) under
the heading “Staff Training” and may volunteer to do so and be compensated at their regular rate.
9. Just Cause
Paraprofessionals who have completed their probationary period shall not be disciplined or
discharged without just cause.
10. Tutorial Program
The outside tutorial program at the Umana School and elsewhere throughout the system may
continue in force subject to the following conditions:
(a) no paraprofessional will be laid off as a result of the implementation of this program;
(b) the number of tutorial person-hours shall not exceed 22,000 per year.
11. School-Based Management
Paraprofessionals are eligible to serve in the faculty slots on a School Site Council.
In principle, it is agreed that paraprofessionals will be eligible for all professional development
activities available to teachers. In practice, the Professional Development Committee may recommend
some exceptions or modications to this general principle in specic cases. Also recommended is a career
development program for paraprofessionals supportive of their attaining teacher certication and “reduced”
or “no cost” courses for teachers and paraprofessionals.
12. Educational Contracts
The Union shall have input into all contracts with outside educational contractors that directly affect
the teaching-learning situation in the classroom. The Union shall receive sufcient notication of such
proposed contracts to enable it to have effective input.
13. Severance Pay
Paraprofessionals shall be eligible for severance pay as allowed in the teacher’s contract.
14. Equitable Assignments
All duties and emergency assignments within a school are to be shared among all the paras on an
equitable basis.
15. Cluster Paraprofessional Substitutes
The School Department shall hire 18 cluster paraprofessional substitutes.
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16. Job Sharing
Effective September 1, 2005, up to 20 paraprofessionals who so elect shall be given an opportunity
to job share.
17. Superintendent’s Schools
Paraprofessional working in designated “Superintendent Schools” shall participate in the extended
school day and professional development at their full rate of pay.
18. Paraprofessional Mentoring Program
The parties agree to pilot a paraprofessional mentoring program for SY 2019-2020. At the conclusion
of that school year, the program may continue solely by the express written agreement of both parties. When
a paraprofessional receives an overall rating of “Does Not Meet Standards” on a performance evaluation,
the evaluator will provide the para with a list of colleague mentors who have been rated “Meets or Exceeds
Standards” for at least 10 years and have received training. The para can reach out to a mentor to provide
guidance on their practice.
Training will initially be provided to a cadre of ten (10) paraprofessional mentors, which may include
recently retired paras, about the performance evaluation system for paras. Those paras who provide support
will receive a stipend of $1,500.
19. Professional Development for Library Paraprofessionals
Professional development for Library Paraprofessionals may be offered on the rst and second day
of school (before students arrive) that Principals/Headmasters can opt to send them to.
Library Paraprofessionals will receive a minimum 10 hours of release time per year to attend off-site
professional development in addition to regular PD hours. Principals/Headmasters can choose to do this on
dates set in collaboration with the central ofce providing the PD, which may include the rst and/or second
day of school before students arrive.
20. WiFi
Effective 9/1/22, educators will not be required to use their personal hotspots for Wi-Fi while
working from or within a BPS building/program.
21. Timely Work Order Response
One BTU rep at each school can have access to view the dashboard, Asset Essentials, which will
allow the rep to view and track status of work orders.
B. SeniorityRights,Layos,Recall,SummerWork
1. Establishment of Seniority
Seniority shall be based on length of service as a para in the system. Seniority shall be measured from
the rst day of such employment after completion of a probationary period of sixty (60) school days. The sick
leave provisions of this contract shall be implemented in accordance with the arbitration award of Abraham
Siegel. In the event a para’s assignment is changed, the para shall maintain his/her seniority.
2. Retention of Seniority
An employee in the bargaining unit who is laid off shall retain the seniority the employee had before
being laid off, for a period of up twenty-four (24) months. Paras on layoff shall be obligated at all times to
provide the Director of Personnel their current address and telephone number.
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Paraprofessionals who have lost seniority as the result of a break in service of two or more years shall
have that seniority (for time worked) fully restored upon the completion of 90 days of work following their
return to a paraprofessional position.
3. Excessing
For purposes of the initial implementation of this subsection 3, paraprofessionals shall be placed in
the category of the position in which they were employed on September 1, 2017.
Paraprofessionals will be excessed from a school or department by seniority within the following
position categories:
Categories:
1. Bilingual -- [language-specic]
2. Special Education -- Autism
3. Special Education -- LAB/Emotional Impairment
4. Special Education -- Early Childhood
5. Special Education -- DDC/Severe Intellectual, Multiple disabilities
6. Special Education -- ESD/Moderate Intellectual Impairment
7. Special Education -- Inclusion, Mild Intellectual Impairment, LD, SAR
8. Special Education/Bilingual -- [language-specic]
9. Instructional
10. Security
11. Coverage
12. Health
13. Swimming
14. Library
15. Sign Language Interpreters
16. Family Liaisons
Paraprofessionals in the following positions will be excessed from a school or department by
seniority as indicated for each category:
1. Community Field Coordinator -- within a function, e.g., if CFCs at a school serve different
functions as indicated by their job description, they will be excessed from the function area being reduced.
2. Surround Care -- within a shift, e.g., if a school has AM and PM surround care paraprofessionals,
excessing will be done from the shift where the reduction is taking place.
3. One-to-One -- by student assigned, e.g., if the paraprofessional’s student leaves the district or
graduates, the para will be excessed.
Excessed paraprofessionals will have the ability to exercise their seniority laterally into a vacant
position in their school in categories 3-8 for which they meet the required physical and linguistic uency
qualications, upon a written agreement between the para and BPS mandating completion by the para
of up to 15 hours consisting of two 7.5-hour days of district-provided professional development In the
eld of their receiving position category by August 31. Upon successful completion of the training, the
paraprofessional will be deemed qualied for the receiving position. the district may waive this requirement
if the paraprofessional has already received the required training. Training outside of the normal school hours
will be compensated.
4. Recall
A para on layoff status shall be recalled by system-wide seniority to a vacancy in a position for which
the para is qualied in position categories 1, and 4-9.
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A para who refuses an opportunity for recall without reasonable grounds shall be placed at the bottom
of that para’s seniority list for recall. Upon refusal of another opportunity for recall for any reason, the para
shall lose all seniority and recall rights. A para who has reasonable grounds for refusing a recall opportunity
(more than simply not wanting the offered assignment) shall retain their placement in the seniority list for
recall. Upon refusal of another recall opportunity for any reason, the para shall be placed at the bottom of
that para’s seniority list for recall. Upon refusal of another opportunity for recall for any reason, the para shall
lose all seniority and recall rights.
If a specic para program is abolished and then reinstated, paras who were forced to transfer by
abolishment of the program shall have the right to return to their former position in accordance with their
seniority, and on or before December 1.
Paras employed in a program in which funding is terminated at the end of a school year shall have
rst priority, in order of their seniority, to return to their position if the program is refunded during the next
school year.
5. StafngandTransfer
The School Department will provide the Union a complete list of names, seniority dates, program
categories or function areas, and vacancies, including excessed and laid off paraprofessionals in advance of
the transfer period. Para vacancies will rst be posted for transfer, with selection of in-transferring paras at the
discretion of the hiring school. If a para is excessed and there is a vacancy at the school, the para may transfer
to the vacancy upon the mutual consent of the para and Headmaster/Principal, provided that a transfer under
this paragraph does not cause a layoff or prevent the recall of another para.
During paraprofessional excess pools, paras shall choose in seniority order three vacancies for which
they are qualied and shall be guaranteed one of their selections.
Beginning in school year 2020-2021, if a Community Field Coordinator, Family Liaison, One-to-
One paraprofessional, Coverage paraprofessional, Surround Care paraprofessional, Library paraprofessional,
or Security paraprofessional is excessed from their position, they may opt into the Excess Pool indicating
their intent to obtain a basic paraprofessional position.
• If they do not attend the Excess Pool, they must indicate their interest in obtaining a basic
paraprofessional vacancy by July 15.
• If they do indicate their interest in a basic paraprofessional position, they will be included at the
bottom of the seniority list and may select from the remaining vacancies.
• If they do not indicate their interest by July 15, they will be laid off from BPS.
Any paraprofessional who has received an evaluation with an overall rating of ‘Does Not Meet
Standards’ in the prior or current school year will have no bidding rights through excess pools.
A paraprofessional who voluntarily excesses himself/herself to an excess pool cannot claim an
attachment right for his or her own position. However, during the normal process of the pool, a paraprofessional
may select their prior assignment when they reach that position in seniority order in the pool.
A paraprofessional will be deemed to be qualied for a position if they meet the required qualications
listed on the agreed-upon written job description or have completed the required training therefor.
6. Layoff
For purposes of layoff, paras shall be organized within one (1) of the following groups:
• Group 1: Bilingual (Position Category 1)
• Group 2: Special Education (Position Categories 4-8)
• Group 3: Instructional (Position Category 9)
• Group 4: Sign Language Interpreters (Position Category 15)
• Group 5: Family Liaison (Position Category 16)
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Paraprofessionals excessed from Position Categories 2 and 3 shall be included in Group 2, and
paraprofessionals excessed from Categories 10-14 shall be included in Group 3. Paras shall be laid off by
inverse system-wide seniority within a position group.
7. Summer Work
The opportunity for paras to have summer work in a program in their classication not limited
to a particular school or district shall be based on seniority in their classication, provided that the senior
employee has demonstrated that they can satisfactorily perform the available work.
C. Posting of Vacancies
1. Miscellaneous
The above process for lling vacancies shall not apply to the following paraprofessional positions
or schools. These vacancies will be lled by any internal or external candidate or in accordance with their
governing documents and will not be subject to recall:
Positions:
1. Position categories 2-3 and 10-15, as identied above (Special Education -- Autism, Special
Education -- LAB/Emotional Impairment, Security, Coverage, Health, Swimming, Library, Sign
Language Interpreter)
2. Position category 5 if and only if those positions are offered to paraprofessionals excessed
from Category 5 during the Transfer period and Excess Pool. If the paraprofessionals who are
excessed from Category 5 are not assigned to these positions through the Transfer period or
Excess Pool, the positions will be posted.
3. Community Field Coordinator
4. Surround Care
5. One-to-One
6. Family Liaisons
Schools:
Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict, expand, or otherwise modify existing autonomies
at specic schools as of the time of ratication of this agreement.
2. Teacher Vacancies
Paraprofessionals who qualify as teachers shall be given rst consideration in the hiring process for
new teachers.
3. Paraprofessional First Consideration
A Paraprofessional who has received his/her teaching certication, is recommended for employment
by his/her building administrator, and who applies for teaching positions will receive four interviews
provided that there are four vacancies for which the paraprofessional is qualied, three interviews provided
that there are three vacancies for which the paraprofessional is qualied, two interviews provided that there
are two vacancies for which the paraprofessional is qualied, and one interview provided that there is one
vacancy for which the paraprofessional is qualied.
D. Paraprofessional Professional Development
Professional development for paras may be offered on the rst and second day of school (before
students arrive) that principals can opt to send paras to.
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E. Family Liaisons
1. Workday
Effective 9/1/22, the workday for Family Liaisons shall be eight (8) hours daily.
2. Work year
Effective 9/1/22, the work year for Family Liaisons shall be 215 days. The work year shall include
the 180 days that students are in school (the “school year”), and 35 days outside of the school year. The last
two full weeks during the month of July shall be reserved for non-work days for all Family Liaisons. The 35
days outside of the school year will be scheduled collaboratively between the employee and their Principal/
Head of School.
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Article III
CompensationandBenets
A. Step Placement and Step Advancement
1. Hiring Rate
Effective September 1, 2022, newly-hired paraprofessionals shall have all years of service as a BPS
employee in any position, counted toward their years of experience for purposes of determining their hiring
rate. Specically, members of the Paraprofessionals bargaining unit shall receive one year of salary credit for
every year worked in the Boston Public Schools, regardless of the position held.
2. Boston Employment Experience
Moreover, effective September 1, 2022, all paraprofessionals employed by BPS, even if not a
new hire, shall be moved to the level of the contract most applicable to their level of experience; provided,
however, that such a move does not result in a reduction of salary or wages nor deprive any paraprofessional
of salary or wage increases otherwise provided under the terms of the contract or as offered by the School
Committee.
3. Counting a Year
Effective 9/1/22, for purposes of Article III A. 1. and 2., one hundred twenty (120) school days per
school year shall be credited as one year of employment experience.
B. Payment of Salaries
Paras shall be paid twice a month. When a normal date for the payment of salaries falls on a weekend
or during a holiday or vacation period, the Committee will do everything possible to have those salaries paid
on the school day previous to said weekend, holiday, or vacation.
No paraprofessional shall be required to apply for a step increase; such increases shall be automatic.
If 200 paraprofessionals choose the option, a paraprofessional shall have the option of being paid
bi-weekly over 26 paychecks.
C. Training Pay
Training, other than that accomplished during the regular school day and school year, shall be
compensated for at the rates listed herein.
D. Holidays, Vacations, and Suspended Session
Paras shall be paid their regular pay when any school session is cancelled and for the following
named holidays and vacations: Indigenous People’s Day, the Veterans Day holiday, from Thanksgiving Day
until the following Monday, from the rst school day immediately preceding Christmas to and including
the rst day of the following January, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the week in which the twenty-second of
February falls, Good Friday, the week in which the nineteenth of April falls, Memorial Day, and Juneteenth.
Whenever any of the aforesaid holidays falls on Sunday, the schools shall not be in session on the following
Monday.
The committee shall provide employees who observe religious holidays that occur when schools are
open up to two (2) days without loss of pay or personal leave. The Ofce of Equity will maintain a list of
automatically approved religious holidays. Requests regarding other religious holidays may be made to the
Ofce of Equity.
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Employees intending to take a day off under this provision of the contract shall notify their supervisor
and the Ofce of Equity and identify the observance at least ten school days in advance. If the nature of the
observance is such that the exact date is not known ten school days in advance, the employee shall provide
notice of the approximate date. If the holiday falls within the rst ten days of the school year, the employee
shall provide notice by the day before the rst day of school for students.
E. Length of Work Day
The work day for all paraprofessionals shall be at least six (6) hours and then (10) minutes, seven (7)
hours and fteen (15) minutes, or eight hours. Paraprofessionals shall have a duty free lunch of at least thirty
(30) minutes scheduled at a reasonable time as the schedule of the school permits and one ten (10) minute
break during the work day.
F. Hourly Salary Rate
The daily rate for paraprofessionals who work six (6) hours and ten (10) minutes is the hourly rate
times 6.17; the daily rate for paraprofessionals who work seven (7) hours and fteen (15) minutes is the
hourly rate times 7.27; and the daily rate for paraprofessionals who work eight (8) hours is the hourly rate
times eight (8). Effective 9/1/07, A paraprofessional pay lane for a Bachelors Degree will be added.
Basic Paraprofessional Rate
Effective September 1, 2021 - September 1, 2022:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 22.09 23.89 25.55 27.19 28.97 29.86
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 22.65 24.36 26.08 27.81 29.51 30.37
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 23.12 24.90 26.64 28.32 30.04 30.89
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 23.62 25.46 27.09 28.85 30.60 31.49
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 24.13 26.01 27.69 29.48 31.28 32.18
Effective September 2, 2022 - August 31, 2023:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 22.87 24.73 26.44 28.14 29.98 30.90
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 23.44 25.22 26.99 28.78 30.54 31.44
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 23.93 25.77 27.58 29.32 31.09 31.97
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 24.44 26.35 28.04 29.86 31.68 32.59
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 24.98 26.92 28.66 30.51 32.37 33.31
Effective September 2, 2023 - August 31, 2024:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 23.55 25.47 27.24 28.99 30.88 31.83
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 24.15 25.97 27.80 29.65 31.46 32.38
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 24.65 26.54 28.40 30.19 32.02 32.93
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 25.18 27.14 28.88 30.75 32.63 33.57
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 25.73 27.73 29.52 31.43 33.34 34.31
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Security, Library, Surround Care (PM) Rate, Coverage, and 1 to 1 Paras
Effective September 1, 2021 - September 1, 2022:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 27.03 28.81 30.50 32.20 33.92 34.79
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 27.58 29.33 31.02 32.71 34.45 35.33
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 28.11 29.83 31.61 33.29 35.03 35.90
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 28.57 30.39 32.04 33.81 35.54 36.41
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 29.20 31.06 32.75 34.55 36.33 37.21
Effective September 2, 2022 - August 31, 2023
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 27.98 29.82 31.57 33.33 35.11 36.00
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 28.54 30.36 32.11 33.85 35.65 36.57
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 29.10 30.87 32.72 34.46 36.25 37.16
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 29.57 31.46 33.16 34.99 36.79 37.69
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 30.22 32.14 33.89 35.76 37.60 38.51
Effective September 2, 2023 - August 31, 2024:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 28.82 30.71 32.51 34.33 36.16 37.08
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 29.40 31.27 33.07 34.87 36.7 37.67
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 29.97 31.80 33.70 35.49 37.34 38.27
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 30.45 32.40 34.16 36.04 37.89 38.82
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 31.12 33.11 34.91 36.84 38.73 39.67
Community Field Coordinator, Health Para, and Family Liaison Rate
Effective September 1, 2021 - September 1, 2022:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 34.37 36.16 37.86 39.50 41.25 42.12
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 34.90 36.66 38.45 40.08 41.79 42.64
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 35.42 37.22 38.90 40.60 42.34 43.21
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 36.05 37.77 39.38 41.18 42.94 43.82
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 36.84 38.60 40.25 42.09 43.88 44.78
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Effective September 2, 2022 - August 31, 2023:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 35.57 37.43 39.19 40.89 42.69 43.59
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 36.12 37.94 39.80 41.48 43.26 44.14
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 36.66 38.53 40.27 42.02 43.82 44.72
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 37.31 39.09 40.75 42.62 44.44 45.35
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 38.13 39.95 41.66 43.56 45.42 46.34
Effective September 2, 2023 - August 31, 2024:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 36.63 38.55 40.36 42.11 43.97 44.90
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 37.21 39.08 40.99 42.73 44.55 45.46
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 37.75 39.68 41.47 43.28 45.14 46.07
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 38.43 40.26 41.98 43.90 45.77 46.71
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 39.28 41.15 42.91 44.87 46.78 47.73
Sign Language Interpreter
Effective September 1, 2021 - September 1, 2022:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 37.81 39.78 41.65 43.45 49.49 52.52
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 38.39 40.32 42.29 44.08 50.15 53.18
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 38.96 40.94 42.80 44.65 50.81 53.89
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 39.65 41.55 43.32 45.30 51.52 54.64
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 40.52 42.47 44.27 46.29 52.66 55.84
Effective September 2, 2022 - August 31, 2023:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 39.13 41.17 43.10 44.97 51.23 54.36
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 39.73 41.73 43.77 45.63 51.90 55.04
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 40.32 42.37 44.30 46.21 52.59 55.77
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 41.04 43.01 44.83 46.89 53.32 56.55
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 41.94 43.95 45.82 47.91 54.50 57.79
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Effective September 2, 2023 - August 31, 2024:
Base 30 Credits 60 Credits 90 Credits Bachelor’s B+15
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
Step 1 (basic rate) 1 40.31 42.40 44.40 46.32 52.76 55.99
Step 2 (after 3 years) 2 40.92 42.99 45.08 46.99 53.46 56.69
Step 3 (after 6 years) 3 41.53 43.65 45.63 47.60 54.16 57.44
Step 4 (after 9 years) 4 42.27 44.30 46.18 48.29 54.92 58.25
Step 5 (after 12 years) 5 43.20 45.27 47.20 49.35 56.13 59.53
* Paraprofessionals on 26 payments will have this hourly rate pro-rated to reect payment for 10 months
service over 12 months.
4. College Credits
College credits shall be granted for salary purposes for in-service training courses (other than those
for which attendants receive compensation) and for all courses at an institution of higher learning accredited
by the Committee.
5. Surround Care Paraprofessionals (Effective 9/1/07)
A surround care paraprofessionals shall be paid $6.00 per hour in additional to the regular wage for
up to two and a half hours per day if required to take students in excess of the regular class size for that grade
level.
G. Tax Free Annuities
The Committee agrees it is desirable to allow persons in the bargaining unit to take advantage of the
federal law concerning tax-free annuities and shall take such steps as are necessary and possible to implement
this program. (The company or companies providing the coverage shall be mutually agreed upon by the
parties.)
H. Retirement Plan–State-Boston Retirement System
Permanently appointed persons have a percentage of their salaries deducted each pay day according
to law. The amount you must contribute is as follows:
– Eight percent of your regular compensation if appointed on or after January 1, 1984;
– Seven percent if appointed on or after January 1, 1975 yet prior to January 1, 1984;
– Five percent if appointed prior to January 1, 1975.
In addition to the above, for all employees employed on or after January 1, 1979, an additional 2%
contribution is required on salary above $30,000.
One must be under age sixty-ve, upon entering service, to become a member. Special allowances
are granted veterans and those disabled. Generous allowances are made to dependents of those who die on
the job after two years of service. Paras who enter Boston Service may make up ten years out of state service
by contributing to our fund.
Pensions are based on the average of one’s three highest paid years of service; their total years of
service, and their age. One cannot receive more than 80% of the average of their three (3) highest year.
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The following Percentage Table is used:
Age at Date of Retirement Percent
65 or over 2.5
64 2.4
63 2.3
62 2.2
61 2.1
60 2.0
59 1.9
58 1.8
57 1.7
56 1.6
55 1.5
One may retire at any time upon completion of twenty years of service. One may not retire before age
fty-ve without completing twenty years of service.
EXAMPLE - SUPERANNUATION - OPTION A
Group 1 member, at Master column, retiring as of June 30, 1989, under the following conditions:
(a) Age 65
(b) 20 years of service
(c) 1987 $ 9,800
1988 10,500
1989 11,500
31,800 / 3 = $10,600
RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE COMPUTATION*
2.5% of $10,600 x 20 = $5,300
(d) Veteran 300
$5,600
* Please note that this is not the actual method by which salary is computed. This is a more simplistic
method and will give a close approximation for estimate purposes. One cannot receive more than 80%.
For up-to-date information about the retirement law as it affects Boston paraprofessionals, please
see here (http://www.cityofboston.gov/retirement/). For exhaustive information about Mass retirement law in
general, see the Mass Teacher Retirement System web page at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/.
Both sites will provide a complete and up-to-date explanation of all matters concerning the retirement
law.
I. Insurance
The Committee’s contribution to all group hospitalization insurance premiums shall be as follows:
- 75% of the total monthly premiums for the policy selected by the employer, including master
medical or the equivalent benets
- 90% of the total monthly premiums for all approved and authorized health maintenance
organizations
A. Effective July 1, 2007 the City shall cease to offer Master Medical to bargaining unit members.
On July 1, 2007 the City shall offer the indemnity PPO known as Blue Care Elect Preferred. The City’s
rate of contribution for the indemnity PPO shall be 75%. The employee’s rate of contribution shall be 25%.
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B. Effective September 1, 2007 the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized health
maintenance organizations shall be 89%. The employee rate of contribution for all approved and authorized
health maintenance organizations shall be 11%.
C. Effective September 1, 2008 the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized health
maintenance organizations shall be 88%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized
health maintenance organizations shall be 12%.
D. Effective September 1, 2009 the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized health
maintenance organizations shall be 85%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized
health maintenance organizations shall be 15%
E. Effective September 1, 2007 the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized point
of service products shall be 84%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized point
of service products shall be 16%
F. Effective September 1, 2008 the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized point
of service products shall be 83%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized point
of service products shall be 17%
G. Effective September 1, 2009 the City’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized point
of service products shall be 80%. The employee’s rate of contribution for all approved and authorized point
of service products shall be 20%.
H. Adoption of M.G.L. Chapter 32B § 18.
i. The Union agrees to support legislation that would allow Cities and Towns to adopt Section 18
and have the option of applying the provisions of Section 18 prospectively.
ii. In the event that the legislature takes no action on the above mentioned matter by June 30,
2008, the Union will support the adoption of Section 18, in its current form, by the Boston City
Council.
Upon adoption by the Boston City Council, the City will meet with the Union and bargain over the
impact that the adoption will have on current members upon their retirement. It is the intention of the parties
to meet and bargain over the impact of the adoption of Section 18 during the contract period. In the event the
impact of said adoption does not conclude during the contract period, the City reserves its right to maintain
that the impact of Section 18 shall continue to be an impact bargaining issue. Likewise, the Union reserves
its right to maintain that the impact of Section 18 should be addressed as part of successor bargaining. This
agreement shall not be construed as an agreement by either party as to whether or not this matter must
be subject to impact bargaining or successor bargaining. In the event that this matter does become subject
to successor bargaining, the parties will address the matter separately and aside from other matters being
negotiated at the main bargaining table. This subsection shall take effect on the effective date of the collective
bargaining agreement that expires on August 31, 2007 and expire on August 31, 2010.
The employer contribution to the life insurance portion of the group insurance plan ($5,000) policy
shall be 50% with a provision for a paraprofessional to purchase more life insurance at a low rate.
Paras shall have health insurance premiums deducted from May and June paychecks for coverage
through September 30 of the following school year.
The parties agree to comply with the Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Boston and
the Public Employee Committee attached hereto as Appendix “C”.
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J. Pay Credit
The para or the para’s designated beneciary, or if there is no designated beneciary then the estate
of the para who is separated from employment or dies during the school year, shall receive the pay withheld
up to the date of separation or death.
K. Traveling Paraprofessionals and Mileage
All personnel covered by this Agreement who are authorized to use private automobiles for school
business shall be reimbursed for miles traveled in connection with their duties at the IRS rate.
L. Health and Welfare Fund
1. Trust Fund
The Committee and the Union have established a Trust Fund designated as “The Boston Teachers
Union Paraprofessional Health and Welfare Fund,” to provide such benets as are set forth in the
Paraprofessional Health and Welfare Fund Agreement executed between the parties and incorporated herein
by this reference as if set out fully at this point, except that the Fund shall be administered solely by ve (5)
trustees appointed by the Union and three (3) appointed by the Committee.
2. Annual Payment
The payment required annually on behalf of each paraprofessional shall be made at the times required
in the teachers’ contract, in the following amounts:
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Paras 1,112 1,151 1,186
3. Proration
The proration provisions of Section VIII(O) of the teachers’ contract shall apply to paras.
M. Career Awards
Paras shall receive career awards as follows:
After 9 years $2,350
After 14 years $2,850
After 19 years $3,350
After 24 years $3,850
After 29 years $4,350
For paras who have become or do become teachers in the Boston Public Schools, years of service as
paras in the BPS will count towards career awards in the teachers’ unit.
N. Tuition Reimbursement
Effective September 1, 2012, all paraprofessionals with three or more years of service will be entitled
to tuition reimbursement of up to $500.00 per school year for approved college courses. All paraprofessionals
with ve or more years of service will be entitled to tuition reimbursement of up to $1,000.00 per school year
for approved college courses. The total expenditure for tuition reimbursement under this provision shall not
exceed $20,000 per scal year.
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O. Compliance Paraprofessionals
Compliance paraprofessionals after working 90 days in the same position will have all rights and
benets in the contract–provided all paraprofessionals with attachment and recall rights had an opportunity
to exercise them.
P. Laptops for Learning
Effective 9/1/22, as the laptops become available, the following members of the paraprofessional
bargaining unit shall have the option to participate in the L4L laptop program in the same manner as
Teachers, at their discretion:
1. Family Liaisons
2. Community Field Coordinators
3. Sign Language Interpreters
4. ABA Strand Paras
5. Braille and Materials Specialist Paras
6. Library Paras
7. Others as necessary and capacity allows, up to 25% of the paraprofessional bargaining unit.
Q. Leaves of Absence & Sick Leave
1. Absence Due to Injury in the Course of Employment
Persons injured in course of employment shall be granted leave in accordance with the provisions
of this subsection, and such persons shall receive other Workmen’s Compensation benets as provided in
General Laws, Chapter 152.
(a) A bargaining unit member whose industrial accident claim has been accepted and who is receiving
workers’ compensation pursuant G.L. c.152 will have restored all sick leave used after initial date of injury
related to said claim and prior to receipt of workers’ compensation pursuant to G.L. c.152. Such employee
may, after acceptance of said claim, use such of his or her sick leave accrued prior to acceptance of claim, as
may result in the payment of full salary. Any absence due to an injury compensated under G.L. c.152 shall be
counted as creditable service for purposes of determining an employee’s career award entitlement, seniority
and salary step advancement once the employee has returned to work, provided however, that additional
personal days and sick leave days shall not accrue to employees during the period after the employee has
been accepted and is receiving workers’ compensation and until such employee returns to work. Nothing
herein is intended to diminish or reduce any rights or employees pursuant to G.L. c.152.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of the foregoing paragraph, a bargaining unit member who is
absent due to physical bodily injury as a direct result of a physical assault and battery which occurs during the
course of his/her employment and who, as a result of this injury has been accepted for and is receiving Workers’
Compensation payment pursuant to G.L. c.152, shall have restored any sick leave used to supplement his/her
workers’ compensation payment, and which when added to his/her workers’ compensation payment is equal
to his or her full weekly salary. The provisions in this section shall be limited to forty-ve calendar days after
a bargaining unit member has been accepted and is receiving Workers’ Compensation.
2. Military Leave of Absence
Military leave of absence, without pay, may be granted to a permanent para inducted into the armed
forces for the required length of service, according to the terms of the Selective Services and Training Act of
1940, and subsequent amendments by Congress.
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3. Organized Reserve Forces
Every person who is a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States
shall be granted, in accordance with Section 59 of Chapter 33 of the General Laws, leave of absence, without
loss of pay, during the time of his or her annual tour of duty as a member of such reserve component;
provided, however, that such leave shall not exceed seventeen (17) days.
4. Leave for Study
Paras with three (3) or more years of service, who, not later than May 1, request in writing a leave of
absence for the next school year for study at an institution of higher learning accredited by the Committee,
will be granted such leave without pay and will retain the seniority and the sick leave held at the time such
leave for study began.
5. Personal Leave
Paraprofessionals shall be granted personal leave as follows:
(a) Court Summons — school business: no loss.
(b) Death:
(1) Immediate family, including mother-in-law, father-in-law, and anyone residing in the same
household with the paraprofessional: 5 days, no loss.
(2) Niece, nephew, uncle, aunt in-law other than above: 1 day, no loss.
(3) Grandchild or grandparent: 3 days, no loss.
These are consecutive school days immediately preceding, following, or including the day of death,
Holidays, vacation or suspended sessions shall be considered school days under this provision.
(c) Paras who have completed their probationary period will be allowed personal leave for personal
needs not otherwise provided for, not more than two days per year without loss of pay, subject to the following:
(1) Such leave can be provided without hiring a substitute.
(2) Notice is given to the principal or headmaster not later than the school day prior to the date of the
intended personal leave.
(3) In emergency situations, the administrative head of a school shall have the prerogative of
postponing a para’s absence for a personal day until the emergency is over, provided that the Faculty Senate
and/or Building Representative agree(s) that an emergency exists. Unused personal days may be added to
accumulate sick leave for use in subsequent years.
(d) College Degree: to receive degree at college: 1 day, no loss.
(e) Up to 150 person-days per year without loss of pay for teachers and paraprofessionals will
be provided for attending union conventions and conferences scheduled on teacher work days. Names of
individuals to attend will be submitted to the Personnel Department ten (10) school days in advance of the
leave. The BTU Health and Welfare Fund will reimburse the Department for its actual cost of substitutes
lling in for persons on leave to attend a health and welfare-related conference or convention.
(f) Graduation: Members of immediate family, including niece and nephew: 1 day, no loss.
(g) Personal leave without pay: Leave of absence without pay for personal reasons may be granted
paraprofessionals for a period of up to one (1) year with the approval of the Director of Personnel.
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(h) Paraprofessionals shall be granted religious holidays in the same manner as teachers.
No paraprofessional may take a personal day on both the day immediately preceding and the day
immediately following the Thanksgiving recess.
6. Sick Leave
Commencing with the rst year of service (following a sixty (60) day probationary period) and
annually thereafter, each September, fteen (15) days of sick leave shall be granted to each paraprofessional
in actual service on or before October 1
st
of that school year. For a person returning to actual service after
October 1 of the second year of service or any subsequent year, sick leave for that school year shall be added
to the reserve of such person at the rate of 1.5 times the number of months remaining in the regular school
year. Sick leave not used in the year of service for which it was granted shall be accumulated for use in
subsequent years.
Paraprofessionals shall be allowed to use sick leave days for family illness as permitted in the
teacher’s contract.
Paraprofessionals shall be eligible to carry over sick leave upon moving into the teachers’ bargaining unit.
7. Paid Parental Leave
Any qualifying eligible members, employed a minimum of 12 months and who has paid status 1250
hours or the proportionate standard hours in the preceding 12-month period, shall be entitled to Paid Parental
Leave, consistent with the City of Boston Paid Parental Leave and City of Boston Medical Leave Policy. The
Ofce of Human Capital shall maintain a listing of proportionate standard hours by employee group and/or
school. This list can be found in Appendix B. Employees shall be eligible for up to 12 months of leave, of
which 12 weeks is covered by the Paid Parental Leave benet. For those members whose qualifying event
occurs on or after 9/1/2022, the benets include:
• 100% of base wages based on regular work hours for the rst four weeks of leave;
• 75% of base wages on regular work hours for the following four weeks of leave; and
• 50% of base wages based on regular work hours for the following four weeks of leave.
Eligible employees who choose to do so may use accrued sick and/or personal time as a supplement
to receive compensation up to 100% of base pay during any weeks that Paid Parental Leave alone provides
less than 100% of pay and may use additional accrued sick and/or personal time for up to 12 months,
inclusive of July and August.
Such paid parental leave shall run concurrent with the BPS Medical Leave Policy and any other
applicable approved leaves of absence, including those covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, the
Massachusetts Parental Leave Act and/or the BTU contract.
In the event that a member is not eligible for paid leave under the Boston Paid Parental Leave or City
of Boston Medical Leave Policy, the member shall be entitled to take a leave of up to 12 months for which
accumulated unused sick leave may be used. In the event that the member does not have sufcient unused
sick leave available, the leave may still be 12 months but it will be paid only to the extent that the member
has unused sick leave, and the remainder will be unpaid.
Parental leave must be one or two continuous leave periods provided the two continuous periods of
time combined total no more than 12 months.
Leave under this section must be taken within one year of the following events:
• The addition of a child under the age of 18 (or under age 23 with a disability) to the Employee’s family
through childbirth, surrogacy, adoption, foster care placement, or other legal status or placement;
• A stillbirth occurring 20 or more weeks into the pregnancy;
• The birth, adoption or foster care placement of multiple children at the same time constitutes only
one event.
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The policy does not apply in the case of adoption of a new spouse’s children following marriage.
The Union waives its right to bargain over the City’s decision and any impacts associated with such
decision to change or eliminate the Paid Parental Leave Policy. The City will provide thirty (30) days’ notice
to the Union of any change to the parental leave policy.
Any eligible member under the old paid parental leave language in the contract who did not take any
parental leave and had a qualifying event from July 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022 are eligible now for parental
leave under the new policy. For all other members this policy is Effective beginning 9/1/22.
8. Leave for Personal Reasons
The provisions of Section VIII(R)(6)(h) of the teachers’ contract, Maternity and Child Care Leave, as
modied by Section IV(A)(8)(1) of the teacher’s Settlement Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference.
9. Leave for Union Business
Not more than an aggregate of ten (10) employees in the bargaining unit for teachers and
paraprofessionals, who are ofcers of the Union or who are appointed to its staff, shall, upon proper
application, be given leave of absence without pay during the school year for the purpose of performing
legitimate duties for the Union. Employees given leaves of absence without pay shall receive credit toward
salary increments on the schedule appropriate to their rank.
10. Sabbaticals
Paraprofessionals shall be eligible for sabbaticals.
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Article IV
Collective Bargaining
A. Governing Philosophy
The parties believe the collective bargaining method is workable and competent and will add
dignity to the joint effort of the Union and the Committee to reach agreement. In entering upon this new
responsibility, the parties wish to declare their intention to cooperate fully in what must be the joint objective
of both bodies, the best education possible for Boston’s children.
B. Fair Practices
1. Non-Discrimination
As sole collective bargaining agent, the Union will continue its policy of accepting into voluntary
membership and will continue to represent equally all eligible persons in the unit without regard to race,
color, creed, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual preference, age, or handicap.
The Committee agrees to continue its policy of not discriminating against any person on the basis of
race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual preference, age, handicap, or participation in or
association with the activities of any employee organization.
Furthermore, the Union and the Committee shall cooperate in developing and implementing
effective afrmative action.
2. Protection of Individual and Group Rights
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent the Committee, a member of the Committee,
or its designated representatives from meeting with any para for expression of the para’s views. In the
area of collective bargaining, no changes or modications shall be made, except through consultation and
negotiation with the Union. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to permit an organization other than
the Union to appear in an ofcial capacity in the processing of a grievance. Nothing contained herein shall be
construed to prevent any person from informally discussing any dispute with his or her immediate superior,
or processing a grievance on his or her own behalf in accordance with the Grievance Procedure, as set forth
in Article V.
C. Privileges
1. Payroll Deductions for Union Dues
The Union shall secure authorizations for payroll deductions for Union dues and shall provide
electronic copies of such authorizations to the Committee’s Chief Human Capital Ofcer or their designee.
Such authorizations may be revocable as provided by law. The Committee will request the Treasurer of the
City of Boston to submit such sums in total to the Union Treasurer no later than 30 days after such deduction
was made.
Upon request by the Union, the School Committee shall, to the extent allowed by law, provide the
Union with the name, employee identication number, and assignment of any employee from whom it has
received a written request to revoke dues deductions.
2. Union Meetings Within Individual Schools
Union meetings may be held on school property by faculty members of individual schools, provided
there is no interference with any school activity.
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3. Grievance Time For Building Representative
A para who is elected to serve as Building Representative in an elementary school, middle school,
or high school shall be allowed the equivalent of one administrative period per week for conferring with
members of the bargaining unit on grievances or associated matters.
4. C.O.P.E.
If at any time during the duration of this collective bargaining agreement the General Court adopts a
bill allowing for a C.O.P.E. check-off for public employees, the School Department shall cooperate with the
Union in establishing a voluntary C.O.P.E. check-off system in compliance with such legislation.
D. Responsibilities
1. No Union Activity on School Time
Except as provided herein the Union agrees that no para will engage in Union activity during the time
he is assigned to teaching or other duties.
2. Authorized Union Representatives
The Union shall furnish the Committee with a list of its ofcers, and authorized Union representatives,
and shall as soon as possible notify the Committee in writing of any change. No Union representative shall be
recognized by the Committee except those designated in writing by the Union.
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Article V
Dispute Resolution
A. General
It is the declared objective of the parties to encourage the prompt resolution of disputes arising under
this Agreement. The parties recognize the importance of prompt and equitable disposition of any complaint
at the lowest organizational level possible.
Whatever means are used to resolve a dispute arising under this Agreement, a resolution should
be sought that provides fair redress of grievances while giving due consideration to the best interests of
schoolchildren.
Any person(s) or the Union shall have the right to present a dispute and have it promptly considered
on its merits. Paras subject to this Agreement shall not suffer a loss of pay for time spent in conferring and
meeting on a grievance; provided, however, that conferences and meetings will not normally take place
during periods when the individuals involved have classroom duties, except as otherwise provided herein. A
grievance of a continuing nature alleging that it uniformly affects a class of bargaining unit employees need
only be led once and shall be considered to include all subsequent violations.
Any discipline in relation to collective bargaining unit members shall be for just cause.
B. Denitions
A “grievance” shall mean a complaint (1) that there has been as to a para a violation, misinterpretation,
or inequitable application of any of the provisions of this agreement or (2) that a para has been treated
unfairly or inequitably by reason of any act or condition which is contrary to established policy or practice
governing or affecting employees, except that the term “grievance” shall not apply to any matter as to which
the Committee is without authority to act. As used in this Article, the term “person” or “para” shall mean also
a group of paras having the same grievance.
C. Availability of Mediators
The provisions of Section X(C) of the teachers’ contract concerning the availability of mediators to
help resolve disputes arising under this contract are incorporated herein by reference.
D. Dispute Resolution Process for Grievances
Grievances of employees within the bargaining unit shall be presented and adjusted in the following
manner:
1. General Procedures
(a) Step 1: School Level
A para or his or her Union representative may either orally or in writing present a grievance to
the Principal, Headmaster, or Director within a reasonable time, normally thirty (30) school days after
knowledge by the para of the facts giving rise to the act or condition which is the basis of her or his complaint.
The Principal, Headmaster, or Director of the school shall confer with the para at the time of the
complaint or within ve (5) school days with a view to arrive at a mutually satisfactory resolution of the
grievance. At that conference, the para may present the grievance personally or he or she may be represented
by a Union representative; but where the para is represented, he/she must be present. Whenever a grievance
is presented by the para personally, the Principal, Headmaster, or Director shall give the Union representative
the opportunity to be present and state the views of the Union.
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The Principal/Headmaster or Director shall communicate his/her decision orally or in writing to the
aggrieved employee and to any Union representative who participated in this Step within ve (5) school
days after receiving the complaint or within ve (5) school days after the conference, whichever is earlier.
If the grievance is unresolved, a mediator shall be assigned within three (3) school days to assist
the parties in attempting to resolve the complaint. If the dispute is not resolved within three (3) school days
following the assignment of a mediator, the grievance may be appealed to the next step.
The parties shall observe the grievance procedure pertaining to Steps 1, 2, and 3 without regard to the
mediation process specied herein until the utilization of mediators contemplated by this Agreement is made
operational by the School Department and written notice of that implementation is provided to the Union.
(b) Step 2: Cluster Leader or Manager for Employee Relations
If the grievance is not resolved at Step 1, the aggrieved paraprofessional or the Union may appeal by
forwarding the grievance in writing to the appropriate Cluster Leader within ve (5) school days after he or
she has received the Step 1 decision. The appeal shall include:
(1) The name and position of the grievant.
(2) A statement of the grievance and the facts involved.
(3) The corrective action requested.
(4) Name of Union Representative at Step 1; if any.
(5) Signature(s) of grievants or Union representative.
The Cluster Leader will conduct a grievance hearing with the aggrieved para and his or her Union
representative, each of whom shall be given at least two (2) school days’ notice of the hearing. The aggrieved
para shall be given the opportunity to be present at the hearing
The Headmaster/Principal or applicable administrator may also be present at this hearing to state his
or her views. For grievances led at Step 1, mediators shall not be present at Step 2 grievance hearings. For
grievances led at Step 2, a mediator shall be used if requested by both parties.
The Cluster Leader shall issue a written decision on the grievance as soon as possible, but not later
than ten (10) school days after the receipt of the appeal or ve (5) school days after the hearing, whichever is
earlier. A copy will be sent to the aggrieved para and the Union.
The following grievances shall be presented to the Manager for Employee Relations at Step 2 who
shall act in accordance with the procedures and time requirements set forth above:
(1) A grievance alleging that the person was placed on the wrong step of the salary schedule.
(2) A grievance alleging the person’s wages were improperly paid.
(3) A grievance alleging the person was improperly denied an increment.
(4) A grievance alleging the person’s absence deduction was improperly calculated.
(5) A grievance alleging the person was improperly denied a leave of absence without pay.
(6) A grievance led on behalf of a person who is not assigned to a level.
(7) A grievance that, by mutual agreement of the Cluster Leader and Union, should be heard directly
at Central Administration.
(c) Step 3: Superintendent
A decision at Step 2 may be appealed in writing by the para or the Union to the Superintendent of
Schools within ten (10) school days after the decision by the appropriate administrator at Step 2 has been
received. The Superintendent or his or her designated representative shall meet with the aggrieved para
and the Union representative with a view to arriving at a mutually satisfactory resolution of the complaint.
The aggrieved employee and the Union representative will receive at least two (2) school days’ notice of
the meeting and shall be given an opportunity to be heard. The Headmaster/Principal or Director and the
Assistant Superintendent or Director of Personnel may also be present at the meeting and state their views.
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The Superintendent or her or his designated representatives shall communicate her or his written
decision together with supporting reasons to the aggrieved para and to the Union as soon as possible, but
not later than ten (10) school days after receipt of the appeal or ve (5) school days after the conference,
whichever is earlier.
(d) Alternative Procedure for Certain Grievances
All grievances involving in whole or in part violations of section I(F) of this Agreement, “Handling
of New Issues,” shall be submitted to the following procedure in lieu of proceeding through Steps 1 through
3 of the grievance procedure described above. Either party may initiate a grievance in writing by requesting
that it be made the subject of a meeting between a representative of the General Counsel’s ofce and a
representative of the Union. The parties shall meet and confer upon the matter within ten (10) school days
following the request for a meeting in an attempt to resolve the grievance. If the parties agree on a resolution,
they shall reduce this agreement to writing and sign it. The representative of the General Counsel’s ofce
shall be authorized to take appropriate corrective action to redress such grievances.
If no agreement is reached within ten (10) school days, nothing in this clause shall affect the rights or
either party to proceed to arbitration.
2. Initiation of Grievances at Step 2 or Step 3
(a) Grievances arising from the action of ofcials other than the Principal, Headmaster, or Director
may be initiated with and processed in accordance with the provisions of Step 2 of this dispute resolution
process. Where the action is initiated by the Superintendent of Schools, the grievance may be initiated at Step
3.
(b) Conferences held under this procedure at Step 2 or Step 3 shall be conducted at a time and place
that will afford a fair and reasonable opportunity for all persons entitled to be present to attend. When such
conferences are held during day school hours, all persons who participate shall be excused with pay.
3. Time Limits and Application
(a) The time limits specied in any step of this procedure may be extended in any specic instance,
by mutual agreement.
(b) A grievance led at an inappropriate step of the grievance procedure will be considered as
properly led, but the time limits for answering the complaint shall not begin until the grievance is referred
to the appropriate step.
(c) In the event that the immediacy of the grievance requires a para to meet with his/her Principal
or Headmaster suddenly (on a non-scheduled occasion) he/she shall be allowed to have his/her Union
representative present at the meeting, provided he/she rst makes this request of the Principal or Headmaster.
(d) A failure by a para or the Union to process the grievance from one step to the next step within
the time limits provided for will result in an automatic appeal of the grievance to the next step. A failure of a
Committee representative to answer a grievance at any step of the grievance procedure within the time limits
provided shall be considered a denial of the grievance at that step.
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E. Arbitration
1. ArbitrationDened
A grievance which was not resolved at Step 3 under the grievance procedure may be submitted by
the Union to arbitration. The arbitration may be initiated by ling with the Committee and the American
Arbitration Association a request for arbitration. The notice shall be led within thirty (30) school days
after denial of the grievance at Step 3 under the grievance procedure, provided, however, if the Union did
not receive a written reply from the Superintendent at Step 3, then said time limit shall be extended to sixty
(60) school days after submission of the grievance to the Superintendent at Step 3. The voluntary labor
arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association shall apply to the proceeding. The Union will make
a reasonable effort to use no more than two (2) witnesses during the same school hours in arbitration cases.
2. Power of the Arbitrator
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, no dispute or controversy shall be a subject for arbitration
unless it involves the meaning, interpretation, or application of an express provision of this Agreement. The
arbitrator shall have no power to alter, add to, subtract from, or modify any provision of this Agreement.
The parties are agreed that no restrictions are intended on the powers of the Committee, except those
set forth in the language of this Agreement.
3. Decision of the Arbitrator
The arbitrator shall issue his/her written decision not later than thirty (30) days from the date of
the close of the hearings or, if oral hearings have been waived, then from the date of transmitting the nal
statements and proofs to the arbitrator. The decision of the arbitrator will be accepted as nal by the parties
to the dispute and both will abide by it.
4. Arbitration Award Application
The Committee agrees that it will apply to all substantially similar situations the decision of an
arbitrator sustaining a grievance and the Union agrees that it will not bring or continue, and that it will not
represent any employee in any grievance which is substantially similar to a grievance denied by the decision
of the arbitrator. The arbitrator’s fee will be shared equally by the parties to the dispute.
5. Alternate Arbitration Procedure
Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Article, unresolved grievances at Step 3 may be
submitted by the Union to a closed panel of arbitrators and not the American Arbitration Association, under
an alternate arbitration procedure mutually agreed between the parties.
6. Implementation
The Committee will use its best efforts to implement a settlement agreement or an arbitrator’s award
within 30 days after approval of such settlement or receipt of such award and determination not to contest it.
F. ResolutionofDierencesbyPeacefulMeans
The Union and Committee agree that differences between the parties shall be settled by peaceful
means as provided within this Agreement. The Union, in consideration of the value of this Agreement and its
terms and conditions and the Legislation which engendered it, will not engage in, instigate, or condone any
strike, work stoppage, or any concerted refusal to perform normal work duties on the part of any employee
covered by this Agreement.
G. Grievance Process in Autonomous Schools
Changing the grievance process in autonomous schools to that in the dispute resolution section of the
BTU contract shall be the subject of continuing negotiations.
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MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON
AND
THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION, LOCAL 66,
AFT-MASS, AFL-CIO
PARAPROFESSIONALS 2021-2024
In witness whereof, the parties hereto have caused their names to be subscribed as the duly authorized
ofcers and representatives in this 7
th
day of September, 2022.
Boston Public Schools Boston Teachers Union
Local 66, AFT-Mass., AFL-CIO
Drew Echelson Jessica Tang
Acting Superintendent President
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2021-2024 AGREEMENT
Between the
School Committee of the City of Boston
and the
Boston Teachers Union, Local 66, AFT, AFL-CIO
Substitute Teachers and Nurses
EectivefromSeptember1,2021
through August 31, 2024
Article I
Purpose and Scope of Agreement
A. Recognition and Duration
This Agreement is made and entered into on the 7
th
day of September, 2022, by and between the
School Committee of the City of Boston (hereinafter referred to as the “Committee”) and the Boston Teachers
Union, Local 66, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO (hereinafter referred to as theUnion”). The
Committee recognizes the Union as the exclusive bargaining representative for substitute teachers and nurses
who meet the qualications for membership in the bargaining unit set forth in Section I(B) of this Agreement.
This Agreement and each of its provisions shall become effective upon signature by both parties
following ratication, and shall be in full force and effect from September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024.
Negotiations for a subsequent agreement will commence on or after December 1, 2023 upon the request of
either party.
This agreement and each of its provisions shall be in full force and effect from the period of September
1, 2021 to August 31, 2024 and continuing thereafter until such time as the parties have a successor to the
2021-2024 agreement.
B. Qualifying as a Member of the Bargaining Unit
1. AnnualQualication
For the purpose of becoming a bargaining unit member, substitute teachers/nurses must complete
sixty (60) workdays in the same school year. All substitutes who work sixty (60) workdays or more in a
given school year shall be considered bargaining unit members on the rst day of their re-employment in
each subsequent school year. However, if after reaching bargaining unit status in a particular school year, a
substitute teacher/nurse is not re-employed in the next school year following, but returns in a subsequent
year, he/she must work sixty (60) days in that year to be reinstated as a member of the bargaining unit.
2. Removal and Reinstatement
A substitute teacher/nurse who has obtained bargaining unit membership and works fewer than sixty
(60) workdays in the following school year shall be removed from membership in the bargaining unit on
the rst day of the next school year. Such person shall be reinstated as a bargaining unit member upon the
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completion of the sixtieth (60) workday as a substitute in the next school year following removal.
C. Purpose
The purpose of this Agreement is to promote the parties’ joint goal of achieving the best possible
education of the children in the Boston Public Schools by structuring an effective and professional working
relationship between the parties. That relationship should help the school system achieve maximum benet
from the combined expertise and coordinated efforts of the parties. It should also ensure fair and equitable
compensation and fair and professional treatment for those employees represented by the Union.
D. Scope
The parties intend that matters which were raised during the life of this Agreement but withdrawn
will not be negotiated as a supplement to this Agreement, but rather may be addressed in the negotiation
of the successor Agreement. The Committee shall not be deemed to have agreed to any past practice not
specically protected by this Agreement.
E. Management Rights
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Committee and the Superintendent retain all
powers, rights, duties, and authority which they had prior to entering into the Agreement. Such rights of the
Committee include but are not limited to the following rights:
– to establish educational policy;
– to establish the standards and qualications for hire and promotion;
– to determine the size of the work force consistent with the terms of this Agreement;
– to establish job duties for new or substantially changed positions (except that changing the duties of
existing positions shall be subject to collective bargaining to the extent required by law);
– to determine which textbooks shall be used in the schools;
– to prescribe curriculum and rules governing student discipline; and
– to establish educational programs and to determine the number, age, and qualications of pupils to
be served by any such programs.
F. Savings Clause
If any provisions of this Agreement are or shall at any time be contrary to law, the remainder of this
Agreement shall continue in force. The provisions of any federal order shall preempt and supersede any
conicting provision of this Agreement.
G. Denitions
1. Per Diem Substitute
A “per diem” substitute is any person subject day-to-day assignments or reassignments to ll
positions on an interim basis.
2. Long Term Substitute
A “long term” substitute teacher/nurse is any person with proper qualications who is assigned to
ll a position of teacher which is a temporary vacancy and serves continuously in the same assignment in
the same school. A temporary vacancy is one which is anticipated to be vacant for more than twenty (20)
consecutive workdays but less than a full school year, or one in which an assigned substitute actually serves
continuously for more than twenty (20) consecutive days.
3. Cluster/Building Substitute
A cluster/building substitute teacher is any person with proper qualications (including, but not
limited to a satisfactory performance evaluation as a long term substitute teacher in a prior year) who is
assigned to either, 1) a cluster ofce for a full year to rotate in the various cluster schools, as needed, on a
daily basis; or 2) an individual school for a full year.
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Article II
Working Conditions
A. Work Schedule and Duties
Substitute teachers will generally be required to perform the work schedules and duties, in and out of
the classroom, of the regular teacher who is being covered by the substitute; provided, however, the teacher
assignment procedures, teacher program guidelines, and teaching load provisions of the teachers’ contract
shall not be considered as established policy or binding contractual commitment. No long term substitute
teacher may be assigned teaching periods or administrative duties in excess of the maximum allowed for
other teachers in the building.
Long term and cluster substitutes shall participate in professional days along with regular teachers/
nurses and shall be compensated therefor.
All substitutes will receive a duty free lunch, consistent with the school schedule.
Effective 9/1/07, retired teachers who return to substituting shall not be required to take or pass any
test.
B. Method of Assignment
1. General
The School Department shall, when assigning substitute teachers, attempt to take into consideration
the expressed geographic and grade level preference of the substitute teacher, their qualications, their
teaching experience, areas of state certications(s), and educational background, while stafng in accordance
with the needs of the system, the particular district(s) and school(s).
The School Department in deploying substitutes to long-term assignments, will rst seek to place
persons holding certication in the particular area, provided that all other needs of the system and the
particular school or classroom will be met.
Retired teachers who return to substituting shall not be required to take or pass any test.
Substitutes shall have the right to review all documents and information leading to a “do not call”
designation within twenty-four (24) hours of the designation.
2. Cluster Substitutes
The Central Ofce will attempt to assign all cluster substitute teachers to their respective cluster
ofces by November 1 in each school year. However, cluster substitute teachers may be assigned to any
cluster throughout the school year depending upon the needs of the various clusters.
Cluster substitutes will be assigned to a Cluster Ofce by the School Department. Daily assignments
to specic schools within the cluster will be made by the appropriate Cluster Leader or designee. Cluster
substitutes must be assigned rst to schools within their cluster. However, when necessary, cluster substitutes
may be assigned to other schools. Cluster substitutes, when not assigned to a school, shall report to the cluster
ofce on a daily basis.
Persons serving as cluster substitute teachers shall not be eligible to receive a teacher contract, nor
shall they have claims to tenure status if they hold the position of cluster substitute for more than 3 years.
However, such persons may be eligible for a teacher contract in vacancies lled by them that later materialize
into non-tenured teacher positions, provided, however, that all other conditions (including, but not limited to,
Federal Court Orders and the current teachers’ collective bargaining agreement) have been satised.
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Effective September 1, 2000, the Ofce of Human Resources shall assign a minimum of 12 cluster
substitutes to each of the ten Clusters.
3. Long Term Substitutes
A Long Term Substitute shall be granted a provisional contract on or before December 1, if the
assignment in which he or she is serving becomes vacant for the remainder of the school year, provided
that such provisional contract does not negate the rights of a teacher on the recall list. Provisional contracts
granted under this Section shall be prospective.
C. Performance Evaluation
All substitute teachers will be subject to evaluation after fteen (15) consecutive work days in the
same assignment in the same school, and may be subsequently re-evaluated periodically by the building
administrator or their designee outside of the bargaining unit. Cluster substitute teachers shall be evaluated
by the responsible administrator of the school when serving at the school for more than fteen (15) days. A
cluster substitute teacher shall be given two (2) overall performance evaluations for the academic year by the
appropriate Cluster Leader or their designee outside of the bargaining unit.
An overall mark of unsatisfactory shall be expunged following a subsequent year in which a
substitute receives an overall mark of Meets Expectations” or Exceeds Expectations.”
No evaluation mark may be grieved except an overall unsatisfactory.” An overall” mark for a
long-term substitute teacher is the overall mark received from the building administrator during the nal
performance evaluation while serving in the same assignment for more than fteen (15) consecutive days.
Substitute teachers who are subject to disciplinary action, including dismissal, will be afforded
progressive disciplinary measures pursuant to the policies and procedures of the Committee set forth in the
Deputy Superintendent circular.
D. Professional Development
(1) Commencing August 1, 1999, new substitute teachers may be required to attend up to three days
of training to prepare them for teaching in the Boston Public Schools.
(2) The Center for Leadership Development will establish a program to assist substitute teachers
with certication.
(3) Commencing September 1, 1999, long term and cluster substitutes will be required to attend the
eighteen hours of professional development required of teachers. This professional development is scheduled
beyond the school day and long term and cluster substitutes will be paid for this time.
E. Application for Teaching Positions
Those substitute teachers who are certied, recommended as a result of central interview, have a
letter of recommendation from a Boston Public Schools administrator and who apply for teaching positions
will be guaranteed up to four interviews.
F. WiFi
Effective 9/1/22, educators will not be required to use their personal hotspots for Wi-Fi while
working from or within a BPS building/program.
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Article III
CompensationandBenets
A. Salary Schedule
1. General
Salary Schedule - Substitute Teachers
09/01/21 09/01/22 09/01/23
Effective Dates: 3% 3.50% 3%
School Hours Per Diem Rates
6:00 – 6:39 162.51 168.20 173.25
6:40 - 7:09 175.63 172.19 175.63
7:10+ 181.09 187.43 193.06
School Hours Long Term – Over 10 days
6:00 - 6:39 180.79 187.11 192.73
6:40 - 7:09 193.91 200.69 206.72
7:10+ 199.37 206.34 212.53
School Hours Long Term – Over 25 days
6:00 - 6:39 327.12 338.57 348.72
6:40 - 7:09 340.23 352.14 362.70
7:10+ 345.70 357.80 368.53
School Hours Substitute Nurses
6:00 - 6:39 327.12 338.57 348.72
6:40 - 7:09 340.23 352.14 362.70
7:10+ 345.70 357.80 368.53
School Hours Cluster Subs
6:00 - 6:39 197.85 204.78 210.92
6:40 - 7:09 210.97 218.35 224.90
7:10+ 216.43 224.01 230.73
Effective September 1, 2004, the Long Term (after 30 days) rate shall take effect after twenty-ve (25)
consecutive workdays in the same assignment. Effective 9/1/07, all substitute teachers who hold an active,
Massachusetts teaching license shall receive a differential equal to three percent (3%) of the per diem rate.
Cluster/building subs shall be paid on a 22 pay cycle per year.
2. Pay for Long Term Assignments
A long-term substitute assignment must be approved by the Director of Personnel or their designee.
A long-term substitute shall be paid prospectively at the daily rate for long-term substitute assignment
beginning with the eleventh (11th) consecutive workday, or beginning such earlier date upon approval of the
Director of Personnel and or their designee.
In the event that the assigned substitute serves continuously in a temporary vacancy for more than ten
(10) consecutive workdays in a situation when the vacancy was not anticipated or expected to last so long,
such substitute will be paid as of the eleventh (11th) day at the long-term substitute daily rate, from the date
of approval by the Director of Personnel or their designee.
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B. Sick Leave
Starting 9/1/22, long-term Substitutes shall receive prospectively one (1) day of sick leave for
every twenty (20) days worked. Cluster/Building Substitutes shall begin each school year with 9 sick days
deposited in their bank each September 1. Sick leave shall be cumulative from year to year provided that the
substitute teacher remains a bargaining unit member. Accumulated sick leave cannot be used while serving
as a per diem substitute.
All substitutes shall be eligible for professional development activities under guidelines established
by the Professional Development Committee.
Substitutes shall carry over earned sick leave upon becoming teachers or paraprofessionals.
c. Holidays and Vacations
1. Cluster/building substitutes will be paid for the same school holidays as Teachers and for
vacation weeks.
2. Religious Holidays (effective 9/1/22). The committee shall provide cluster/building substitutes
and long term substitutes who observe religious holidays that occur when schools are open up to
two (2) days without loss of pay or personal leave. The Ofce of Equity will maintain a list of
automatically approved religious holidays. Requests regarding other religious holidays may be
made to the Ofce of Equity.
Employees intending to take a day off under this provision of the contract shall notify their supervisor
and the Ofce of Equity and identify the observance at least ten school days in advance. If the nature of the
observance is such that the exact date is not known ten school days in advance, the employee shall provide
notice of the approximate date. If the holiday falls within the rst ten days of the school year, the employee
shall provide notice by the day before the rst day of school for students.
D. Health Insurance
The Committee’s contribution to all group hospitalization insurance premiums shall be as follows:
75% of the total monthly premiums for the policy selected by the employer, including master
medical or the equivalent benets.
90% of the total monthly premiums for all approved and authorized health maintenance organizations.
The employer contribution to the life insurance portion of the group insurance plan ($5,000 policy)
shall be 50% with a provision for level and long-term substitute teachers to purchase more life insurance at
a low rate.
Substitute teachers’ eligibility for health insurance is determined by statutory requirements, as may
be amended. In 1999 the statutory requirements are as follows: An employee must work a minimum of
twenty (20) hours per week on a regular basis, and cannot be a seasonal or emergency employee to be eligible
for health insurance.
The parties agree to comply with the Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Boston and
the Public Employee Committee attached hereto as Appendix “C”.
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E. Health and Welfare Fund
Cluster/Building Substitutes shall be included in the Paraprofessional Health and Welfare Fund
Benet.
9/1/21 9/1/22 9/1/23
Paraprofessionals 1,112 1,151 1,186
Cluster/Building Substitutes 1,112 1,151 1,186
F. Laptops for Learning
As the laptops become available, Cluster/Building Substitutes shall have the option to participate in
the L4L program in the same manner as teachers at their discretion.
G. Per Diem Substitute Bonus
Those individuals who served as per diem substitutes for 120 days or more during the school year
will receive a bonus of $1,250 in June of that year. Those individuals who served as per diem substitutes for
150 days or more during the school year will receive a bonus of $1,750 in June of that year.
H. Cluster/Building Substitute Leaves
1. Bereavement Leave
Cluster/Building Substitute teachers shall be granted bereavement leave as follows:
a. Death in the immediate family, including mother-in-law, father-in-law, and anyone residing
in the same household with the substitute teacher: 5 days, no loss.
b. Death of niece, nephew, uncle, aunt, or in-law other than above: 1 day, no loss.
c. Death of grandchild or grandparent: 3 days, no loss.
2. Paid Parental Leave
Cluster/Building Substitute teachers shall be granted paid parental leave as follows:
Any qualifying eligible members, employed a minimum of 12 months and who has paid status 1250
hours or the proportionate standard hours in the preceding 12-month period, shall be entitled to Paid Parental
Leave, consistent with the City of Boston Paid Parental Leave and City of Boston Medical Leave Policy. The
Ofce of Human Capital shall maintain a listing of proportionate standard hours by employee group and/or
school. This list can be found in Appendix B. Employees shall be eligible for up to 12 months of leave, of
which 12 weeks is covered by the Paid Parental Leave benet. For those members whose qualifying event
occurs on or after 9/1/2022, the benets include:
• 100% of base wages based on regular work hours for the rst four weeks of leave;
• 75% of base wages on regular work hours for the following four weeks of leave; and
• 50% of base wages based on regular work hours for the following four weeks of leave.
Eligible employees who choose to do so may use accrued sick and/or personal time as a supplement
to receive compensation up to 100% of base pay during any weeks that Paid Parental Leave alone provides
less than 100% of pay and may use additional accrued sick and/or personal time for up to 12 months,
inclusive of July and August.
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Such paid parental leave shall run concurrent with the BPS Medical Leave Policy and any other
applicable approved leaves of absence, including those covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, the
Massachusetts Parental Leave Act and/or the BTU contract.
In the event that a member is not eligible for paid leave under the Boston Paid Parental Leave or City
of Boston Medical Leave Policy, the member shall be entitled to take a leave of up to 12 months for which
accumulated unused sick leave may be used. In the event that the member does not have sufcient unused
sick leave available, the leave may still be 12 months but it will be paid only to the extent that the member
has unused sick leave, and the remainder will be unpaid.
Parental leave must be one or two continuous leave periods provided the two continuous periods of
time combined total no more than 12 months.
Leave under this section must be taken within one year of the following events:
• The addition of a child under the age of 18 (or under age 23 with a disability) to the Employee’s
family through childbirth, surrogacy, adoption, foster care placement, or other legal status or
placement;
• A stillbirth occurring 20 or more weeks into the pregnancy;
• The birth, adoption or foster care placement of multiple children at the same time constitutes only
one event.
The policy does not apply in the case of adoption of a new spouse’s children following marriage.
The Union waives its right to bargain over the City’s decision and any impacts associated with such
decision to change or eliminate the Paid Parental Leave Policy. The City will provide thirty (30) days’ notice
to the Union of any change to the parental leave policy.
Any eligible member under the old paid parental leave language in the contract who did not take any
parental leave and had a qualifying event from July 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022 are eligible now for parental
leave under the new policy. For all other members this policy is effective beginning 9/1/22.
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Article IV
Collective Bargaining
A. Payroll Deduction of Union Dues
The Union shall secure authorizations for payroll deductions for Union dues and shall provide
electronic copies of such authorizations to the Committee’s Chief Human Capital Ofcer or their designee.
Such authorizations may be revocable as provided by law. The Committee will request the Treasurer of the
City of Boston to submit such sums in total to the Union Treasurer no later than 30 days after such deduction
was made.
Upon request by the Union, the School Committee shall, to the extent allowed by law, provide the
Union with the name, employee identication number, and assignment of any employee from whom it has
received a written request to revoke dues deductions.
B. Non-discriminationandArmativeAction
As sole collective bargaining agent, the Union will continue its policy of accepting into voluntary
membership and will continue to represent equally all eligible persons in the unit without regard to race,
color, creed, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual preference, age, or handicap.
The Committee agrees to continue its policy of not discriminating against any person on the basis of
race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual preferences, age, handicap, or participation in or
association with the activities of any employee organization.
This section shall not be interpreted as a barrier to afrmative action.
Any afrmative action plan adopted by the Committee shall be negotiable as contemplated by
law. Furthermore, the Union and the Committee shall cooperate in developing and implementing effective
afrmative action in the areas of promotion, teacher assignments, coaching positions, and paid and unpaid
extra-curricular activities.
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Article V
Dispute Resolution
A. General
It is the declared objective of the parties to encourage the prompt resolution of disputes arising under
this Agreement. The parties recognize the importance of prompt and equitable disposition of any complaint
at the lowest organizational level possible.
Whatever means are used to resolve a dispute arising under this Agreement, a resolution should
be sought that provides fair redress of grievances while giving due consideration to the best interests of
schoolchildren.
Any person(s) or the Union shall have the right to present a dispute and have it promptly considered
on its merits. Staff subject to this Agreement shall not suffer a loss of pay for time spent in conferring and
meeting on a grievance; provided, however, that conferences and meetings will not normally take place
during periods when the individuals involved have classroom duties, except as otherwise provided herein.
A grievance of a continuing nature alleging that it uniformly affects a class of bargaining unit
employees need only be led once and shall be considered to include all subsequent violations. Any
discipline in relation to collective bargaining unit members shall be for just cause.
B. Denitions
A “grievance” shall mean a complaint
(1) that there has been as to a member of the bargaining unit a violation, misinterpretation, or
inequitable application of any of the provisions of this agreement or
(2) that a member of the bargaining unit has been treated unfairly or inequitably by reason of any
act or condition which is contrary to established policy or practice governing or affecting employees, except
that the term “grievance” shall not apply to any matter as to which the Committee is without authority to act.
As used in this Article, the term “person” or “teacher” shall mean also a group of teachers having the same
grievance.
C. Availability of Mediators
The Steering Committee shall choose up to fteen (15) employees of the Boston Public School
system to be trained as mediators for the system. All persons chosen shall be acceptable to both the Union
and the Committee. Employees chosen for this position should have demonstrated excellent interpersonal
skills, creativity, and an orientation toward collaborative problem-solving in carrying out their duties in the
system. The candidates chosen should as a group be highly representative of the racial and ethnic diversity
of the school system. They should receive formal training in problem-solving mediation. Appointments as a
mediator should be voluntary.
Appointments should be reviewed annually and terminable at the discretion of the Superintendent
with or without cause.
These mediators shall be available in addition to their regular duties to confer with employees of the
system involved in contract-related disputes on a condential basis seeking to assist the parties in resolving
such difculties. They may talk in person or by phone. Mediators shall be called on to mediate a building-
level discussion of a grievance in Step 1 of the dispute resolution process outlined in the following section.
However, no mediator shall mediate a building-level discussion of a grievance that they have previously
discussed with an employee, unless all parties to the mediation so request in writing.
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The School Department will circulate at least annually to all employees a list of mediators and their
phone numbers. School Department policy shall be to encourage employees to seek help from a mediator to
resolve work-related difculties informally.
D. Dispute Resolution Process for Grievances
Grievances of employees within the bargaining unit shall be presented and adjusted in the following
manner:
1. General Procedures
(a) Step 1: School Level
An employee or his or her Union representative may either orally or in writing present a grievance
to the Principal, Headmaster, or Director within a reasonable time, normally thirty (30) school days after
knowledge by the employee of the facts giving rise to the act or condition which is the basis of her or his
grievance.
The Principal, Headmaster, or Director of the school shall confer with the employee at the time
of the complaint or within ve (5) school days with a view to arrive at a mutually satisfactory resolution
of the grievance. At that conference, the employee may present the grievance personally or he or she may
be represented by a Union representative; but where the employee is represented, he/she must be present.
Whenever a grievance is presented by the employee personally, the Principal, Headmaster, or Director shall
give the Union representative the opportunity to be present and state the views of the Union.
The Principal/Headmaster or Director shall communicate his/her decision orally or in writing to the
aggrieved employee and to any Union representative who participated in this Step within ve (5) school
days after receiving the complaint or within ve (5) school days after the conference, whichever is earlier.
If the grievance is unresolved, a mediator shall be assigned within three (3) school days to assist
the parties in attempting to resolve the complaint. If the dispute is not resolved within three (3) school days
following the assignment of a mediator, the grievance may be appealed to the next step.
The parties shall observe the grievance procedure pertaining to Steps 1, 2, and 3 without regard to the
mediation process specied herein until the utilization of mediators contemplated by this Agreement is made
operational by the School Department and written notice of that implementation is provided to the Union.
(b) Step 2: Cluster Leader or Manager for Employee Relations
If the grievance is not resolved at Step 1, the aggrieved employee or the Union may appeal by
forwarding the grievance in writing to the appropriate Cluster Leader within ve (5) school days after he or
she has received the Step 1 decision. The appeal shall include:
(1) The name and position of the complainant.
(2) A statement of the grievance and the facts involved.
(3) The corrective action requested.
(4) Name of Union Representative at Step 1; if any.
(5) Signature of each grievant or Union representative.
The Cluster Leader will conduct a grievance hearing with the aggrieved employee, and his or
her Union representative shall be given at least two (2) school days’ notice of the hearing. The aggrieved
employee shall be given the opportunity to be present at the hearing. The Headmaster/Principal or applicable
administrator may also be present at this hearing to state his or her views. A mediator may be present if
requested by either party.
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The Cluster Leader shall issue a written decision on the grievance as soon as possible, but not later
than ten (10) school days after the receipt of the appeal or ve (5) school days after the hearing, whichever
is earlier. A copy will be sent to the aggrieved employee and the Union. The following grievances shall be
presented to the Manager for Employee Relations at Step 2 who shall act in accordance with the procedures
and time requirements set forth above:
(1) A grievance alleging that the person was placed on the wrong step of the salary schedule.
(2) A grievance alleging the person’s wages were improperly paid.
(3) A grievance alleging the person was improperly denied an increment.
(4) A grievance alleging the person’s absence deduction was improperly calculated.
(5) A grievance alleging the person way improperly denied a sabbatical leave.
(6) A grievance alleging the person was improperly denied a leave of absence without pay.
(7) A grievance led on behalf of a person who is not assigned to a level.
(8) A grievance that, by mutual agreement of the Cluster Leader and Union, should be heard directly
at Central Administration.
(c) Step 3: Superintendent
A decision at Step 2 may be appealed in writing by the employee or the Union to the Superintendent
of Schools within ten (10) school days after the decision by the appropriate administrator at Step 2 has been
received.
The Superintendent or his or her designated representatives shall meet with the aggrieved employee
and the Union representative with a view to arriving at a mutually satisfactory resolution of the complaint.
The aggrieved employee and the Union representative will receive at least two (2) school days’ notice of
the meeting and shall be given an opportunity to be heard. The Headmaster/Principal or Director and the
Assistant Superintendent or Director of Personnel may also be present at the meeting and state their views.
The Superintendent or her or his designated representatives shall communicate her or his written
decision together with supporting reasons to the aggrieved employee and to the Union as soon as possible,
but not later than ten (10) school days after receipt of the appeal or ve (5) school days after the conference,
whichever is earlier.
2. Initiation of Grievances at Step 2 or Step 3
(a) Grievances arising from the action of ofcials other than the Principal, Headmaster, or Director
may be initiated with and processed in accordance with the provisions of Step 2 of this dispute resolution
process.
Where the action is initiated by the Superintendent of Schools, the grievance may be initiated at
Step 3.
(b) Conferences held under this procedure at Step 2 or Step 3 shall be conducted at a time and place
that will afford a fair and reasonable opportunity for all persons entitled to be present to attend. When such
conferences are held during day school hours, all persons who participate shall be excused with pay.
3. Time Limits and Application
(a) The time limits specied in any step of this procedure may be extended in any specic instance,
by mutual agreement.
(b) A grievance led at an inappropriate step of the grievance procedure will be considered as
properly led, but the time limits for answering the complaint shall not begin until the grievance is referred
to the appropriate step.
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(c) In the event that the immediacy of the grievance requires an employee to meet with his/her
Principal or Headmaster suddenly (on a non-scheduled occasion) he/she shall be allowed to have his/her
Union representative present at the meeting, provided he/she rst makes this request of the Principal or
Headmaster.
(d) A failure by a teacher or the Union to process the grievance from one step to the next step, within
the time limits provided for will result in an automatic appeal of the grievance to the next step. A failure of a
Committee representative to answer a grievance at any step of the grievance procedure within the time limits
provided shall be considered a denial of the grievance at that step.
E. Arbitration
1. ArbitrationDened
A grievance which was not resolved at Step 3 under the grievance procedure may be submitted by
the Union to arbitration, except that the following matters shall not be arbitrable:
– performance evaluations–procedures and marks;
– methods of assignment;
– non-renewals, non-assignment disciplinary actions and dismissals;
– claims of unfair or inequitable treatment allegedly contrary to policy or past practice;
– grievances led by or on behalf of per diem substitutes.
The arbitration may be initiated by ling with the Committee and the American Arbitration
Association a request for arbitration. The notice shall be led within thirty (30) school days after denial of the
grievance at Step 3 under the grievance procedure, provided, however, if the Union did not receive a written
reply from the Superintendent at Step 3, then said time limit shall be extended to sixty (60) school days after
submission of the grievance to the Superintendent at Step 3. The voluntary labor arbitration rules of the
American Arbitration Association shall apply to the proceeding.
The Union will make a reasonable effort to use no more than two (2) witnesses during the same
school hours in arbitration cases.
2. Power of the Arbitrator
No dispute or controversy shall be a subject for arbitration unless it involves the meaning,
interpretation, or application of an express provision of this contract. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary, the arbitrator shall have no power to determine the meaning and scope of the matters expressly
excluded from arbitration in Section V(E)(1) above. Furthermore, the arbitrator shall have no power to alter,
add to, subtract from, or modify any provision of this Agreement. The parties are agreed that no restrictions
are intended on the powers of the Committee except those set forth in the language of this Agreement.
3. Decision of the Arbitrator
The arbitrator shall issue his/her written decision not later than thirty (30) days from the date of
the close of the hearings or, if oral hearings have been waived, then from the date of transmitting the nal
statements and proofs to the arbitrator. The decision of the arbitrator will be accepted as nal by the parties
to the dispute and both will abide by it.
4. Arbitration Award Application
The Committee agrees that it will apply to all substantially similar situations the decision of an
arbitrator sustaining a grievance, and the Union agrees that it will not bring or continue and that it will not
represent any employee in any grievance that is substantially similar to a grievance denied by the decision of
the arbitrator. The arbitrator’s fee will be shared equally by the parties to the dispute.
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5. Alternate Arbitration Procedure
Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Article, unresolved grievances at Step 3 may be
submitted by the Union to a closed panel of arbitrators and not the American Arbitration Association, under
an alternate arbitration procedure mutually agreed between the parties.
6. StafngClause
Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Agreement, no provision of this Agreement shall be
deemed to require the School Committee to hire any particular number or kind of teachers or other personnel
or to maintain any level of stafng, nor shall any arbitrator have the power to order the hiring of any kind or
number teachers or other personnel as a consequence of any violation of this Agreement. This provision shall
not be deemed to restrict any arbitrator from ordering the reinstatement of any employee in any case dealing
with the question of just cause for dismissal.
7. Implementation
The Committee will use its best efforts to implement a settlement agreement or an arbitrator’s award
within 30 days after approval of such settlement or receipt of such award and determination not to contest it.
Such efforts shall include, but not be limited to, establishment of a payment system under which specied
employees of the School Department are to be held accountable for compliance with this section.
F. ResolutionofDierencesbyPeacefulMeans
The Union and Committee agree that differences between the parties shall be settled by peaceful
means as provided within this Agreement. The Union, in consideration of the value of this Agreement and its
terms and conditions and the Legislation which engendered it, will not engage in, instigate, or condone any
strike, work stoppage, or any concerted refusal to perform normal work duties on the part of any employee
covered by this Agreement.
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MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON
AND
THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION, LOCAL 66,
AFT-MASS, AFL-CIO
SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS AND NURSES 2021-2024
In witness whereof, the parties hereto have caused their names to be subscribed as the duly authorized
ofcers and representatives in this 7
th
day of September, 2022.
Boston Public Schools Boston Teachers Union
Local 66, AFT-Mass., AFL-CIO
Drew Echelson Jessica Tang
Acting Superintendent President
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2021-2024 AGREEMENT
between the
School Committee of the City of Boston
and the
Boston Teachers Union, Local 66, AFT Massachusetts
ABA Specialists
EectivefromSeptember1,2021
through August 31, 2024
Article I
Purpose and Scope of Agreement
A. Recognition and Duration
This Agreement is made and entered into on the 7
th
day of September, 2022 by and between the
School Committee of the City of Boston and the Boston Teachers Union. The Committee recognizes the
Union as the exclusive bargaining representative for all ABA Specialists employed by the Committee.
The jurisdiction of the Union shall include those individuals employed by the Committee who now
or hereafter perform the duties of ABA Specialists as described in Article II(A)(1) of this agreement and
currently performed by persons in the bargaining unit as set forth in the preceding paragraph.
This Agreement and each of its provisions shall become effective upon signature by both parties
following ratication, and shall be in full force and effect from September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024.
Negotiations for a subsequent agreement will commence on or after December 1, 2023 upon the request of
either party.
This agreement and each of its provisions shall be in full force and effect from the period of September
1, 2021 to August 31, 2024 and continuing thereafter until such time as the parties have a successor to the
2021-2024 agreement.
B. Purpose
The purpose of this Agreement is to promote the parties’ joint goal of achieving the best possible
education of the children in the Boston Public Schools by structuring an effective and professional working
relationship between the parties. That relationship should help the school system achieve maximum benet
from the combined expertise and coordinated efforts of the parties. It should also ensure fair and equitable
compensation and fair and professional treatment for those employees represented by the Union.
C. Scope
The Committee and the Union agree that they have a common public and educational area of concern
in addition to economic matters such as salary and working conditions. This wider area of concern is to be
approached constructively toward the goal of educational excellence.
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To this end, the Union will from time to time present to the Committee or its designated representatives
views and suggestions on certain school problems clearly within its knowledge and province as the agency
in the School system having the closest overall contact with the ABA Specialists. Subjects considered to be
within the scope of such initiation and discussion are: operation of difcult schools, standards of physical
and housekeeping environment and amenities on school premises, all matters relating to school-based
management, and an increasingly effective curriculum. Periodic consultation will take place without trespass
or interference upon the distinct and special powers and duties of either party in the process. It is hoped
that this continuing consultation throughout the school year will contribute to the enhancement of public
education in the City of Boston.
D. Management Rights
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Committee and the Superintendent retain all
powers, rights, duties, and authority which they had prior to entering into the Agreement. Such rights of the
Committee include but are not limited to the right:
– to establish educational policy;
– to establish the standards and qualications for hire and promotion;
– to determine the size of the work force consistent with the terms of this Agreement;
– to establish job duties for new or substantially changed positions;
– to determine which textbooks shall be used in the schools;
– to prescribe curriculum and rules governing student discipline; and
– to establish educational programs and to determine the number, age, and qualications of pupils to
be served by any such programs.
E. Continuing Negotiations
The Committee and the Union may, by mutual consent, reopen negotiations on the issue of religious
observance at any time during the contract period.
F. Handling of New Issues
Matters of collective bargaining import not covered by this Agreement may, during the life of the
Agreement, be handled in the following manner:
By the Committee: Except as any change may be commanded by the law, the Committee will
continue its policies as outlined herein. With respect to matters not covered by this Agreement that are
mandatory subjects for collective bargaining, the Committee agrees it will make no changes without prior
consultation and negotiation with the Union.
By the Union: In any matter not covered in this Agreement that is a mandatory subject for collective
bargaining, the Union may raise such issues with the Committee for consultation and negotiation; except
that the Union shall not renew or to seek to renew any questions introduced, debated, and settled, either
negatively or afrmatively, during the bargaining prior to nal settlement. This restriction shall not apply to
the areas outlined in section I(C) as subject for continuing consultation.
Being a mutual Agreement, this instrument may be amended at any time by mutual consent.
G. Savings Clause
If any provision of this Agreement is or shall at any time be contrary to law, then such provision shall
not be applicable or performed or enforced, except to the extent permitted by law, and substitute action shall
be subject to appropriate consultation and negotiation with the Union.
In the event that any provision of this Agreement is or shall at any time be contrary to law, all other
provisions of this Agreement shall continue in effect.
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H. Preservation of Existing Laws and Regulations
The School Department shall identify by February 1 of each year those bargaining unit members
who are affected by the School Committee’s policy on the employment of relatives. The Department and the
Union shall meet to discuss the appropriate reassignment of affected members.
I. Denitions
The term “school” as used in this Agreement means any work location or functional division or
group in which a grievance may arise.
The terms “Principal” and “Headmaster” as used in the Agreement mean the responsible
administrative heads of their respective district, school, or department.
The term “ABA Specialist” as used in this Agreement means a person employed by the Committee
as an ABA Specialist and exclusively engaged in the delivery of direct ABA services to individual students
and groups of students as dened in each Individual Education Plan. It is understood and agreed to that
Applied Behavior Analysis is an approach to teaching and learning that can be used throughout the school
day by any employee to support a student and will not be used exclusively by ABA Specialists.
The term “person” as used in the Agreement means a person employed by the Committee in the
bargaining unit as dened in Article I.
The term “Union representative” as used in this Agreement means the Union building representative
or his designee, or an elected or appointed representative of the Union or any of its afliates.
Wherever the singular is used in this Agreement it is to include the plural.
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Article II
Working Conditions
A. General
1. Functions
An ABA Specialist is a non-certied individual employed by the Boston School Committee whose
function is to provide direct ABA services to students as outlined in students’ IEPs, collect individual and
classroom data, work as a team member to ensure delivery of high quality interventions across environments,
and facilitate structured peer group activities as appropriate.
2. ABA Specialists’ Files
ABA Specialists’ les shall be maintained under the following circumstances:
(a) No material derogatory to an ABA Specialist’ conduct, service, character, or personality shall be
placed in the les unless the ABA Specialist has had an opportunity to read the material. The ABA Specialist
shall acknowledge that he/she has read such material by afxing his/her signature on the actual copy to be
led, with the understanding that such signature merely signies that he/she has read the material to be led.
Such signature does not necessarily indicate agreement with its content.
(b) The ABA Specialist shall have the right to answer any material led, and the answer shall
be reviewed by the Assistant Superintendent or Director of the program in which the ABA Specialist is
employed and attached to the le copy.
(c) Upon request by the ABA Specialist, the ABA Specialist shall be given access to the ABA
Specialist’s le without delay.
(d) Upon receipt of a written request, the ABA Specialist shall be furnished a reproduction of any
material in the ABA Specialist’s le.
3. Assistance in Assault Cases
(a) Principals shall report all cases of assault suffered by ABA Specialists in connection with their
employment to the Director of Personnel.
(b) Whenever it is alleged that an ABA Specialist has assaulted an individual or that an individual
has assaulted an ABA Specialist, the Principal and Director of Personnel shall cooperate with the ABA
Specialist involved in the investigation of the incident. The Director of Personnel shall comply with any
reasonable request from the ABA Specialist for relevant information in the Committee’s possession, not
privileged under law, concerning the individual or individuals involved. The Committee shall indemnify an
ABA Specialist in its employment for expenses or damages sustained by the ABA Specialist by reason of
an action or claims against the ABA Specialist arising out of the negligence of such ABA Specialist or other
act of his/her resulting in accidental bodily injury to or the death of any individual or in accidental damage
to or destruction of property, while acting as such ABA Specialist, and may indemnify an ABA Specialist in
its employ for expenses or damages sustained by the ABA Specialist by reason of an action or claim against
the ABA Specialist arising out of any other acts done by the ABA Specialist while acting as such ABA
Specialist; provided, in either case, that after investigation it shall appear to the Committee that such ABA
Specialist was at the time the cause of action or claim arose acting within the scope of his/her employment
and provided, further, that the defense of indemnication sought under this provision shall have been made
by the Corporation Counsel, upon the request of the Committee, or if such Corporation Counsel fails or
refuses to defend such action or claims, by an attorney employed by such ABA Specialist. The Committee
shall appropriate funds for this purpose in the same manner as appropriations for General School Purposes.
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4. Information to the Union
The Union shall be supplied with a current seniority list of all members of the bargaining unit.
5. In-Service Courses
ABA Specialists shall be eligible to participate in the in-service courses offered to teachers. Whether
or not the certicate, upon completion of a course, provides a credit, the identical type of certicate given
teachers is to be awarded ABA Specialists.
6. ABA Specialist Evaluation
A joint committee shall be established to develop an evaluation system and rubric for ABA Specialists.
The committee shall present its system to both parties for ratication by June 30, 2019. If an agreement is not
reached, the data collection and behavior support parts of BPS’s proposal will move forward.
7. Training
(a) At the beginning of the school year and thereafter as may be necessary, ABA Specialists and
newly employed ABA Specialists shall receive appropriate training related to their job at no cost to them and
with pay during normal working hours.
(b) BPS will provide access to the RBT certication course for all current ABA Specialists at no cost
to them and with pay during normal work hours.
8. Just Cause
ABA Specialists who have completed their probationary period shall not be disciplined or discharged
without just cause.
9. Severance Pay
ABA specialists shall be eligible for severance pay as allowed in the teacher’s contract. When ABA
Specialists leave their employment, they will also receive payment for their unused vacation days, up to a
maximum of 50 days. For ABA Specialists hired before February 1, 2001, the daily rate will be computed on
the basis of a 225-day work year. For ABA Specialists hired on or after February 1, 2001, these days will be
computed on the basis of a 260-day work year. Upon their termination of employment, ABA Specialists may
elect to receive the payments described in this section in two scal years. In the event of an ABA Specialist’s
death, the above payments shall be made to the beneciary designated by the ABA Specialist, or, if no
specic designation has been made, payment shall be made to the ABA Specialist’s estate.
10. Assignments
The Deputy Superintendent of Student Support, or her designee, shall issue preference sheets to ABA
Specialists prior to January 1st of the school year, and ABA Specialists shall return these preference sheets
by February 1st of the same school year. The Deputy Superintendent, or her designee, shall consider the best
interests of students, employee performance, and ABA Specialist’s preferences in making assignments for
the following school year.
ABA Specialists may be assigned to either a classroom or a caseload at the discretion of the Deputy
Superintendent or her designee. However, the Deputy Superintendent or her designee can change an ABA
Specialists’ assignment at any time based upon a change in caseload demand or the specic needs of a student
or students. Caseloads shall not exceed thirty direct service hours per week, provided that the 30-hour case
load limitation contemplated by this paragraph shall not be construed to constitute a limitation on the total
number of students an ABA Specialist may be assigned within that total number of hours.
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If an ABA Specialist has concerns about the groupings of their students, she or he may request a
meeting with their Program Director or direct supervisor who will meet with them to discuss their concerns.
Effective on the rst school day of the collective bargaining agreement, BPS maintains exibility to
contract as needed in order to address compliance, caseload, leave, vacancies and any other unanticipated
need not met by the stafng model in the preceding paragraph.
The parties recognize that ABA services are best provided by BPS employees. For school year 2016-
2017 and continuing, BPS agrees it will maintain a complement of not less than ninety (90) full-time ABA’s.
11. Wi-Fi
Educators will not be required to use their personal hotspots for Wi-Fi while working from or within
a BPS building/program.
B. SeniorityandLayos
1. Establishment of Seniority
Seniority shall be based on length of service as an ABA Specialist in the system. Seniority shall be
measured from the rst day of such employment after completion of a probationary period of sixty (60)
work days. In the event an ABA Specialist’s assignment is changed, the ABA Specialist shall maintain his/
her seniority.
2. Retention of Seniority
An employee in the bargaining unit who is laid off shall retain the seniority the employee had before
being laid off, for a period of up twenty-four (24) months. ABA Specialists on layoff shall be obligated at all
times to provide the Director of Personnel their current address and telephone number.
ABA Specialists who have lost seniority as the result of a break in service of two or more years shall
have that seniority (for time worked) fully restored upon the completion of 90 days of work following their
return to an ABA Specialist position.
3. Layoff
ABA Specialists shall be laid off by inverse system-wide seniority. No paraprofessional shall be laid
off or otherwise displaced as a result of the existence of the ABA Specialist job classication.
4. Recall
An ABA Specialist shall be recalled by system-wide seniority to a vacancy. An ABA Specialist who
refuses an opportunity for recall without reasonable grounds shall be placed at the bottom the seniority list
for recall. Upon refusal of another opportunity for recall for any reason, the ABA Specialist shall lose all
seniority and recall rights. An ABA Specialist who has reasonable grounds for refusing a recall opportunity
(more than simply not wanting the offered assignment) shall retain his/her placement in the seniority list for
recall. Upon refusal of another recall opportunity for any reason, the ABA Specialist shall be placed at the
bottom of the seniority list for recall. Upon refusal of another opportunity for recall for any reason, the ABA
Specialist shall lose all seniority and recall rights.
C. CommunicationandNotications
Each ABA Specialist shall be provided with a BPS-issued laptop.
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Article III
CompensationandBenets
A. Payment of Salaries
ABA Specialists shall be paid bi-weekly over 26 paychecks. No ABA Specialist shall be required to
apply for a step increase; such increases shall be automatic.
B. Training Pay
Training, other than that accomplished during the regular school day and school year, shall be
compensated for at each ABA Specialist’s true pro rata hourly rate.
C. Length of Work Day
The work day for all ABA Specialists shall be seven and one half hours, inclusive of lunch. ABA
Specialists shall have a paid duty free lunch of at least thirty (30) minutes and not less than sixty (60) minutes
of self-directed time per day without the presence of students. The supervisors of ABA Specialists shall
review and approve ABA Specialists’ work day schedules prior to September 1 of each year.
D. ABA Work Year/Professional Development Hours
The work year for all 190-day ABA Specialists shall consist of the 180 days that all students are
present, the 2 days teachers and paraprofessionals are present prior to the arrival of students, and a total of 8
days of preparation, school year closeout, and professional development, for a total work year of 190 days.
The eight (8) days of preparation, school year closeout, and professional development shall be
scheduled on the three work days immediately prior to teachers and paras reporting to work, the rst work
day following the New Year’s Day holiday, and the four workdays immediately succeeding the dismissal of
students in June.
At least 12 of the Professional Development hours will be used for PD on Special Education and
Inclusion during SY 22-23 and SY 23-24.
190-day ABA specialists shall not be required to work ESY. ESY assignments shall annually be
made in seniority order from among those ABA Specialists who are hired to work as ABA Specialists during
the ESY. No contractors may be hired for ESY prior to the hiring of all ABA Specialists hired prior to 9/13/17
who wish to work ESY in a given year.
215-day ABA Specialists will work a schedule consisting of the 190 days common to all ABA
Specialists and an additional twenty-ve (25) days for the extended school year (ESY).
Each year, any 215-day ABA Specialist wishing to convert to 190 days shall indicate prior to June
30 whether he or she wishes to convert to 190 days and not be required to work the twenty-ve (25) day
extended school year (ESY) during the summer of the following school year (i.e., if requested to change from
215 to 190 on 6/30/19, the change will go into effect for the 19-20 school year and the ABA Specialist will
be required to work the 2019 summer but not required to work the 2020 summer)
Once an ABA Specialist opts to move to the 190 day work year, they cannot return to the 215 day
work year.
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E. Holidays and Religious Holidays
1. Holidays (effective 9/1/22).
The following named holidays and vacations: Indigenous People’s Day, the Veterans Day holiday,
from Thanksgiving Day until the following Monday, from the rst school day immediately preceding
Christmas to and including the rst day of the following January, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the week
in which the twenty-second of February falls, Good Friday, the week in which the nineteenth of April falls,
Memorial Day, and Juneteenth. Whenever any of the aforesaid holidays falls on Sunday, the schools shall not
be in session on the following Monday.
2. Religious Holidays.
The committee shall provide employees who observe religious holidays that occur when schools are
open up to two (2) days without loss of pay or personal leave. The Ofce of Equity will maintain a list of
automatically approved religious holidays. Requests regarding other religious holidays may be made to the
Ofce of Equity.
Employees intending to take a day off under this provision of the contract shall notify their supervisor
and the Ofce of Equity and identify the observance at least ten school days in advance. If the nature of the
observance is such that the exact date is not known ten school days in advance, the employee shall provide
notice of the approximate date. If the holiday falls within the rst ten days of the school year, the employee
shall provide notice by the day before the rst day of school for students.
F Salary Rate
All ABA Specialists hired after the effective date of the collective bargaining agreement are required
to hold a Bachelor’s degree to be deemed qualied as an ABA Specialist.
Effective September 1, 2021 - August 31, 2022
GRADE 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9
ABA 215 day Grid 45,866 47,930 50,087 52,341 54,696 57,157 59,729 62,418 65,226
Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 Step 15 Step 16 Step 17
68,162 71,229 74,434 77,784 81,284 84,941 88,764 92,758
GRADE 2 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9
ABA 190 day Grid 38,391 40,118 44,262 46,254 48,336 50,510 52,784 55,160 57,642
Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 Step 15 Step 16 Step 17
60,236 62,947 65,779 68,739 71,832 75,064 78,443 81,973
Effective September 1, 2022 - August 31, 2023
GRADE 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9
ABA 215 day Grid 47,472 49,607 51,840 54,173 56,610 59,157 61,820 64,602 67,509
Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 Step 15 Step 16 Step 17
70,547 73,722 77,039 80,506 84,129 87,914 91,871 96,005
GRADE 2 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9
ABA 190 day Grid 39,734 41,522 45,811 47,873 50,028 52,278 54,631 57,091 59,659
Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 Step 15 Step 16 Step 17
62,344 65,150 68,081 71,145 74,346 77,692 81,188 84,842
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Effective September 1, 2023 - August 31, 2024
GRADE 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9
ABA 215 day Grid 48,896 51,696 53,395 55,798 58,309 60,932 63,674 66,540 69,535
Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 Step 15 Step 16 Step 17
72,664 75,934 79,350 82,921 86,653 90,552 94,627 98,885
GRADE 2 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9
ABA 190 day Grid 40,926 42,767 47,186 49,310 51,529 53,846 56,270 58,803 61,449
Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 Step 15 Step 16 Step 17
64,214 67,105 70,123 73,279 76,576 80,022 83,624 87,387
ABA Specialists shall advance one pay step per year.
ABAs who have worked a total of at least 120 days in the prior school year will advance one step on
the salary schedule, to the maximum, at the beginning of each school year following their date of hire. Time
worked as an ABA Specialist, or as a member of the BTU paraprofessional bargaining unit in the Boston
Public Schools shall count towards satisfaction of the 120-day service requirement.
Effective 9/1/19, an educational differential will be granted in the following amount of $1,500 for
ABA Specialists who obtain a BCBA or BCaBA credential, indexed to wages.
G. Tax Free Annuities
The Committee agrees it is desirable to allow persons in the bargaining unit to take advantage of the
federal law concerning tax-free annuities and shall take such steps as are necessary and possible to implement
this program. (The company or companies providing the coverage shall be mutually agreed upon by the
parties.)
H. Retirement Plan – State-Boston Retirement System
The provisions of G.L. c. 32 shall govern the membership of ABA Specialists in the State-Boston
Retirement System.
I. Insurance
The provisions of the Public Employee Committee (Appendix C to this contract) agreement with the
City of Boston shall apply to ABA Specialists.
J. Pay Credit
The ABA Specialist or the ABA Specialist’s designated beneciary, or if there is no designated
beneciary then the estate of the ABA Specialist who is separated from employment or dies during the school
year, shall receive the pay withheld up to the date of separation or death.
K. Traveling ABA Specialists and Mileage
All personnel covered by this Agreement who are authorized to use private automobiles for school
business shall be reimbursed for miles traveled in connection with their duties at the IRS rate.
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L. Health and Welfare Fund
1. Trust Fund
The Committee and the Union have established a Trust Fund designated as “The Boston Teachers
Union Paraprofessional Health and Welfare Fund, to provide such benets as are set forth in the Parapro-
fessional Health and Welfare Fund Agreement executed between the parties and incorporated herein by
this reference as if set out fully at this point, except that the Fund shall be administered by ve (5) trustees
appointed by the Union and three (3) appointed by the Committee. The terms of the Trust and Agreement
shall be amended as necessary to extend coverage and benets to ABA Specialists.
2. Annual Payment
The payment required annually on behalf of each ABA Specialist shall be made at the times required
in the teachers’ contract, in the following amounts:
9/1/18 9/1/19 9/1/20
1,112 1,151 1,186
3. Proration
The proration provisions of Section VIII(O) of the teachers’ contract shall apply to ABA Specialists.
M. Career Awards
ABA Specialists shall receive career awards as follows upon their anniversary date:
After 7 years ....................................................................................$1,250
After 14 years ..................................................................................$1,950
After 19 years ..................................................................................$2,350
After 24 years ..................................................................................$2,550
After 29 years ..................................................................................$3,550
After 34 years ..................................................................................$4,050
After 39 years ..................................................................................$4,550
Employees who have a Master’s degree plus 45 credits or a J.D. will receive an additional $800
per year. Employees who have earned a doctorate from an accredited institution will receive an additional
$3,000 per year.
For ABA Specialists who have become or do become teachers in the Boston Public Schools, years of
service as ABA Specialists in the BPS will count towards career awards in the teachers’ unit.
N. Laptops for Learning
Effective starting during the 2022-2023 school year, as the laptops become available, ABA
Specialists shall have the option to participate in the L4L laptop program in the same manner as Teachers at
their discretion.
O. TuitionReimbursement(Eective9/1/22)
ABA Specialists who have completed at least one year of service shall be eligible for tuition
reimbursement of up to $500 per year for approved college or graduate courses. At three years of successful
employment, ABA specialists will be eligible for tuition reimbursements of up to $1,000 for approved
college courses until they become eligible to receive their career award.
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P. Paid Parental Leave
Any qualifying eligible members, employed a minimum of 12 months and who has paid status 1250
hours or the proportionate standard hours in the preceding 12-month period, shall be entitled to Paid Parental
Leave, consistent with the City of Boston Paid Parental Leave and City of Boston Medical Leave Policy. The
Ofce of Human Capital shall maintain a listing of proportionate standard hours by employee group and/
or school. This list can be found in Appendix J. Employees shall be eligible for up to 12 months of leave, of
which 12 weeks is covered by the Paid Parental Leave benet. For those members whose qualifying event
occurs on or after 9/1/2022, the benets include:
• 100% of base wages based on regular work hours for the rst four weeks of leave;
• 75% of base wages on regular work hours for the following four weeks of leave; and
• 50% of base wages based on regular work hours for the following four weeks of leave.
Eligible employees who choose to do so may use accrued sick and/or personal time as a supplement
to receive compensation up to 100% of base pay during any weeks that Paid Parental Leave alone provides
less than 100% of pay and may use additional accrued sick and/or personal time for up to 12 months,
inclusive of July and August.
Such paid parental leave shall run concurrent with the BPS Medical Leave Policy and any other
applicable approved leaves of absence, including those covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, the
Massachusetts Parental Leave Act and/or the BTU contract.
In the event that a member is not eligible for paid leave under the Boston Paid Parental Leave or City
of Boston Medical Leave Policy, the member shall be entitled to take a leave of up to 12 months for which
accumulated unused sick leave may be used. In the event that the member does not have sufcient unused
sick leave available, the leave may still be 12 months but it will be paid only to the extent that the member
has unused sick leave, and the remainder will be unpaid.
Parental leave must be one or two continuous leave periods provided the two continuous periods of
time combined total no more than 12 months.
Leave under this section must be taken within one year of the following events:
• The addition of a child under the age of 18 (or under age 23 with a disability) to the Employee’s
family through childbirth, surrogacy, adoption, foster care placement, or other legal status or
placement;
• A stillbirth occurring 20 or more weeks into the pregnancy;
• The birth, adoption or foster care placement of multiple children at the same time constitutes only
one event.
The policy does not apply in the case of adoption of a new spouse’s children following marriage.
The Union waives its right to bargain over the City’s decision and any impacts associated with such
decision to change or eliminate the Paid Parental Leave Policy. The City will provide thirty (30) days’ notice
to the Union of any change to the parental leave policy.
Any eligible member under the old paid parental leave language in the contract who did not take any
parental leave and had a qualifying event from July 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022 are eligible now for parental
leave under the new policy. For all other members this policy is effective beginning 9/1/22.
188
Q. Leaves of Absence & Sick Leave
1. Absence Due to Injury in the Course of Employment
Persons injured in course of employment shall be granted leave in accordance with the provisions
of this subsection, and such persons shall receive other Workmen’s Compensation benets as provided in
General Laws, Chapter 152.
(a) A bargaining unit member whose industrial accident claim has been accepted and who is receiving
workers’ compensation pursuant to G.L. c.152 will have restored all sick leave used after initial
date of injury related to said claim and prior to receipt of workers’ compensation pursuant to
G.L. c.152. Such employee may, after acceptance of said claim, use such of his or her sick leave
accrued prior to acceptance of claim, as may result in the payment of full salary. Any absence due
to an injury compensated under G.L. c.152 shall be counted as creditable service for purposes of
determining an employee’s career award entitlement, seniority and salary step advancement once
the employee has returned to work, provided however, that additional personal days and sick
leave days shall not accrue to employees during the period after the employee has been accepted
and is receiving workers’ compensation and until such employee returns to work. Nothing herein
is intended to diminish or reduce any rights of employees pursuant to G.L. c.152.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of the foregoing paragraph, a bargaining unit member who is
absent due to physical bodily injury as a direct result of a physical assault and battery which
occurs during the course of his/her employment and who, as a result of this injury has been
accepted for and is receiving Workers’ Compensation payment pursuant to G.L. c.152, shall have
restored any sick leave used to supplement his/her workers’ compensation payment, and which
when added to his/her workers’ compensation payment is equal to his or her full weekly salary.
The provisions in this section shall be limited to forty-ve calendar days after a bargaining unit
member has been accepted and is receiving Workers’ Compensation.
2. Military Leave of Absence
Military leave of absence, without pay, may be granted to a permanent ABA Specialist inducted
into the armed forces for the required length of service, according to the terms of the Selective Services and
Training Act of 1940, and subsequent amendments by Congress.
3. Organized Reserve Forces
Every person who is a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States
shall be granted, in accordance with Section 59 of Chapter 33 of the General Laws, leave of absence, without
loss of pay, during the time of his or her annual tour of duty as a member of such reserve component;
provided, however, that such leave shall not exceed seventeen (17) days.
4. Leave for Study
ABA Specialists with three (3) or more years of service, who, not later than March 1, request in
writing a leave of absence for the next school year for study at an institution of higher learning accredited by
the Committee, will be granted such leave without pay and will retain the seniority and the sick leave held at
the time such leave for study began.
189
5. Personal Leave
ABA Specialists shall be granted personal leave as follows:
(a) Court Summons — school business: no loss.
(b) Death:
(1) Immediate family, including mother-in-law, father-in-law, and anyone residing in the same
household with the ABA Specialist: 5 days, no loss.
(2) Niece, nephew, uncle, aunt in-law other than above: 1 day, no loss.
(3) Grandchild or grandparent: 3 days, no loss.
These are consecutive school days immediately preceding, following, or including the day of death,
Holidays, vacation or suspended sessions shall be considered school days under this provision.
(c) ABA Specialists who have completed their probationary period will be allowed personal leave
for personal needs not otherwise provided for, not more than four days per year without loss of
pay. Requests for personal leave other than in an emergency shall be submitted to the supervisor
as early as possible prior to the day for which leave is requested. In no event will personal leave
be granted during a school emergency. All personal days not used in the year for which they are
granted shall be added to the employee’s sick leave entitlement for use in subsequent years.
(d) College Degree: to receive degree at college: 1 day, no loss.
(e) Up to 150 person-days per year without loss of pay for teachers, paraprofessionals and ABA
Specialists will be provided for attending union conventions and conferences scheduled on
teacher work days. Names of individuals to attend will be submitted to the Personnel Department
ten (10) school days in advance of the leave. The BTU Health and Welfare Fund will reimburse
the Department for its actual cost of substitutes lling in for persons on leave to attend a health
and welfare-related conference or convention.
(f) Graduation: Members of immediate family, including niece and nephew: 1 day, no loss.
(g) Personal leave without pay: Leave of absence without pay for personal reasons may be
granted ABA Specialists for a period of up to one (1) year with the approval of the Assistant
Superintendent of Human Capital.
(h) ABA Specialists shall be granted religious holidays in the same manner as teachers.
No ABA specialist may take a personal day on both the day immediately preceding and the day
immediately following the Thanksgiving recess.
6. Sick Leave
Commencing with the rst year of service (following a sixty (60) day probationary period) and
annually thereafter, each September, fteen (15) days of sick leave shall be granted to each ABA Specialist
in actual service on or before October 1
st
of that school year. For a person returning to actual service after
October 1 of the second year of service or any subsequent year, sick leave for that school year shall be added
to the reserve of such person at the rate of 1.5 times the number of months remaining in the regular school
year. Sick leave not used in the year of service for which it was granted shall be accumulated for use in
subsequent years.
190
ABA Specialists shall be allowed to use sick leave days for family illness as permitted in the teacher’s
contract.
ABA Specialists shall be eligible to carry over sick leave upon moving into the teachers’ bargaining
unit.
7. Leave for Personal Reasons
The provisions of Section VIII(R)(6)(h) of the teachers’ contract, Maternity and Child Care Leave, as
modied by Section IV(A)(8)(1) of the teachers’ Settlement Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference.
8. Leave for Union Business
Not more than an aggregate of ten (10) employees in the bargaining units for teachers,
paraprofessionals, and ABA Specialists, who are ofcers of the Union or who are appointed to its staff, shall,
upon proper application, be given leave of absence without pay during the school year for the purpose of
performing legitimate duties for the Union. Employees given leaves of absence without pay shall receive
credit toward salary increments on the schedule appropriate to their rank.
9. Sabbaticals
ABA Specialists shall be eligible for sabbaticals.
10. Sick Leave Donation Program
Eligible employees may annually donate sick days to a sick leave bank. Only employees who have
donated are eligible to apply for time from the sick leave bank. Details about this program are set forth in a
Personnel Bulletin issued annually by the Ofce of Human Resources.
191
Article IV
Collective Bargaining
A. Governing Philosophy
The parties believe the collective bargaining method is workable and competent and will add
dignity to the joint effort of the Union and the Committee to reach agreement. In entering upon this new
responsibility, the parties wish to declare their intention to cooperate fully in what must be the joint objective
of both bodies, the best education possible for Boston’s children.
B. Fair Practices
1. Non-Discrimination
As sole collective bargaining agent, the Union will continue its policy of accepting into voluntary
membership and will continue to represent equally all eligible persons in the unit without regard to race,
color, creed, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual preference, age, or handicap.
The Committee agrees to continue its policy of not discriminating against any person on the basis of
race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual preference, age, handicap, or participation in or
association with the activities of any employee organization.
Furthermore, the Union and the Committee shall cooperate in developing and implementing
effective afrmative action.
2. Protection of Individual and Group Rights
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent the Committee, a member of the Committee,
or its designated representatives from meeting with any ABA Specialist for expression of the ABA
Specialist’s views. In the area of collective bargaining, no changes or modications shall be made, except
through consultation and negotiation with the Union. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to permit
an organization other than the Union to appear in an ofcial capacity in the processing of a grievance.
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent any person from informally discussing any dispute
with his or her immediate superior, or processing a grievance on his or her own behalf in accordance with the
Grievance Procedure, as set forth in Article V.
C. Privileges
1. Payroll Deductions for Union Dues
The Union shall secure authorizations for payroll deductions for Union dues and shall provide
electronic copies of such authorizations to the Committee’s Chief Human Capital Ofcer or their designee.
Such authorizations may be revocable as provided by law. The Committee will request the Treasurer of the
City of Boston to submit such sums in total to the Union Treasurer no later than 30 days after such deduction
was made.
Upon request by the Union, the School Committee shall, to the extent allowed by law, provide the
Union with the name, employee identication number, and assignment of any employee from whom it has
received a written request to revoke dues deductions.
2. Union Meetings Within Individual Schools
Union meetings may be held on school property by faculty members of individual schools, provided
there is no interference with any school activity.
192
3. Grievance Time For Building Representatives
An ABA Specialist who is elected to serve as Building Representative in an elementary school,
middle school, or high school shall be allowed forty-ve (45) minutes per week for conferring with members
of the bargaining unit on grievances or associated matters.
4. C.O.P.E.
The School Department shall cooperate with the Union in establishing a voluntary C.O.P.E. check
off system.
D. Responsibilities
1. No Union Activity on School Time
Except as provided herein the Union agrees that no ABA Specialist will engage in Union activity
during the time he or she is assigned to teaching or other duties.
2. Authorized Union Representatives
The Union shall furnish the Committee with a list of its ofcers, and authorized Union representatives,
and shall as soon as possible notify the Committee in writing of any change. No Union representative shall be
recognized by the Committee except those designated in writing by the Union.
193
Article V
Dispute Resolution
A. General
It is the declared objective of the parties to encourage the prompt resolution of disputes arising under
this Agreement. The parties recognize the importance of prompt and equitable disposition of any complaint
at the lowest organizational level possible.
Whatever means are used to resolve a dispute arising under this Agreement, a resolution should
be sought that provides fair redress of grievances while giving due consideration to the best interests of
schoolchildren.
Any person(s) or the Union shall have the right to present a dispute and have it promptly considered on
its merits. ABA Specialists subject to this Agreement shall not suffer a loss of pay for time spent in conferring
and meeting on a grievance; provided, however, that conferences and meetings will not normally take place
during periods when the individuals involved have classroom duties, except as otherwise provided herein. A
grievance of a continuing nature alleging that it uniformly affects a class of bargaining unit employees need
only be led once and shall be considered to include all subsequent violations.
Any discipline in relation to collective bargaining unit members shall be for just cause.
B. Denitions
A “grievance” shall mean a complaint (1) that there has been as to an ABA Specialist a violation,
misinterpretation, or inequitable application of any of the provisions of this agreement or (2) that an ABA
Specialist has been treated unfairly or inequitably by reason of any act or condition which is contrary to
established policy or practice governing or affecting employees, except that the term “grievance” shall not
apply to any matter as to which the Committee is without authority to act. As used in this Article, the term
“person” or “ABA Specialist” shall mean also a group of ABA Specialists having the same grievance.
C. Availability of Mediators
The provisions of Section X(C) of the teachers’ contract concerning the availability of mediators to
help resolve disputes arising under this contract are incorporated herein by reference.
D. Dispute Resolution Process for Grievances
Grievances of employees within the bargaining unit shall be presented and adjusted in the following
manner:
1. General Procedures
(a) Step 1
An ABA Specialist or his or her Union representative may either orally or in writing present a
grievance to the direct supervisor within a reasonable time, normally thirty (30) school days after knowledge
by the ABA Specialist of the facts giving rise to the act or condition which is the basis of her or his complaint.
The supervisor shall confer with the ABA Specialist at the time of the complaint or within ve (5)
school days with a view to arrive at a mutually satisfactory resolution of the grievance. At that conference,
the ABA Specialist may present the grievance personally or he or she may be represented by a Union
representative; but where the ABA Specialist is represented, he/she must be present. Whenever a grievance is
presented by the ABA Specialist personally, the supervisor shall give the Union representative the opportunity
to be present and state the views of the Union.
194
The supervisor shall communicate his/her decision orally or in writing to the aggrieved employee
and to any Union representative who participated in this Step within ve (5) school days after receiving the
complaint or within ve (5) school days after the conference, whichever is earlier.
If the grievance is unresolved, a mediator shall be assigned within three (3) school days to assist
the parties in attempting to resolve the complaint. If the dispute is not resolved within three (3) school days
following the assignment of a mediator, the grievance may be appealed to the next step.
The parties shall observe the grievance procedure pertaining to Steps 1, 2, and 3 without regard to the
mediation process specied herein until the utilization of mediators contemplated by this Agreement is made
operational by the School Department and written notice of that implementation is provided to the Union.
(b) Step 2: Cluster Leader or Manager for Employee Relations
If the grievance is not resolved at Step 1, the aggrieved ABA Specialist or the Union may appeal by
forwarding the grievance in writing to the Assistant Superintendent within ve (5) school days after he or she
has received the Step 1 decision. The appeal shall include:
(1) The name and position of the grievant.
(2) A statement of the grievance and the facts involved.
(3) The corrective action requested.
(4) Name of Union Representative at Step 1; if any.
(5) Signature(s) of grievants or Union representative.
The Assistant Superintendent, or their designee, will conduct a grievance hearing with the aggrieved
ABA Specialist and his or her Union representative, each of whom shall be given at least two (2) school
days’ notice of the hearing. The aggrieved ABA Specialist shall be given the opportunity to be present at the
hearing
The supervisor may also be present at this hearing to state his or her views. For grievances led at
Step 1, mediators shall not be present at Step 2 grievance hearings. For grievances led at Step 2, a mediator
shall be used if requested by both parties.
The Assistant Superintendent shall issue a written decision on the grievance as soon as possible, but
not later than ten (10) school days after the receipt of the appeal or ve (5) school days after the hearing,
whichever is earlier. A copy will be sent to the aggrieved ABA Specialist and the Union.
The following grievances shall be presented to the Director of Labor Relations at Step 2 who shall
act in accordance with the procedures and time requirements set forth above:
(1) A grievance alleging that the person was placed on the wrong step of the salary schedule.
(2) A grievance alleging the person’s wages were improperly paid.
(3) A grievance alleging the person was improperly denied an increment.
(4) A grievance alleging the person’s absence deduction was improperly calculated.
(5) A grievance alleging the person was improperly denied a leave of absence without pay.
(6) A grievance led on behalf of a person who is not assigned to a level.
(7) A grievance that, by mutual agreement of the Assistant Superintendent and Union, should be
heard directly at Central Administration.
(c) Step 3: Superintendent
A decision at Step 2 may be appealed in writing by the ABA Specialist or the Union to the
Superintendent of Schools within ten (10) school days after the decision by the appropriate administrator
at Step 2 has been received. The Superintendent or his or her designated representative shall meet with the
aggrieved ABA Specialist and the Union representative with a view to arriving at a mutually satisfactory
resolution of the complaint. The aggrieved employee and the Union representative will receive at least two
195
(2) school days’ notice of the meeting and shall be given an opportunity to be heard. The Headmaster/
Principal or Director and the Assistant Superintendent or Director of Personnel may also be present at the
meeting and state their views.
The Superintendent or her or his designated representatives shall communicate her or his written
decision together with supporting reasons to the aggrieved ABA Specialist and to the Union as soon as
possible, but not later than ten (10) school days after receipt of the appeal or ve (5) school days after the
conference, whichever is earlier.
(d) Alternative Procedure for Certain Grievances
All grievances involving in whole or in part violations of section I(F) of this Agreement, “Handling
of New Issues,” shall be submitted to the following procedure in lieu of proceeding through Steps 1 through
3 of the grievance procedure described above. Either party may initiate a grievance in writing by requesting
that it be made the subject of a meeting between a representative of the General Counsel’s ofce and a
representative of the Union. The parties shall meet and confer upon the matter within ten (10) school days
following the request for a meeting in an attempt to resolve the grievance. If the parties agree on a resolution,
they shall reduce this agreement to writing and sign it. The representative of the General Counsel’s ofce
shall be authorized to take appropriate corrective action to redress such grievances.
If no agreement is reached within ten (10) school days, nothing in this clause shall affect the rights or
either party to proceed to arbitration.
2. Initiation of Grievances at Step 2 or Step 3
(a) Grievances arising from the action of ofcials other than the supervisor may be initiated with and
processed in accordance with the provisions of Step 2 of this dispute resolution process. Where the action is
initiated by the Superintendent of Schools, the grievance may be initiated at Step 3.
(b) Conferences held under this procedure at Step 2 or Step 3 shall be conducted at a time and place
that will afford a fair and reasonable opportunity for all persons entitled to be present to attend. When such
conferences are held during day school hours, all persons who participate shall be excused with pay.
3. Time Limits and Application
(a) The time limits specied in any step of this procedure may be extended in any specic instance,
by mutual agreement.
(b) A grievance led at an inappropriate step of the grievance procedure will be considered as
properly led, but the time limits for answering the complaint shall not begin until the grievance is referred
to the appropriate step.
(c) In the event that the immediacy of the grievance requires an ABA Specialist to meet with his/
her supervisor suddenly (on a non-scheduled occasion) he/she shall be allowed to have his/her Union
representative present at the meeting, provided he/she rst makes this request of the supervisor.
(d) A failure by an ABA Specialist or the Union to process the grievance from one step to the next
step within the time limits provided for will result in an automatic appeal of the grievance to the next step. A
failure of a Committee representative to answer a grievance at any step of the grievance procedure within the
time limits provided shall be considered a denial of the grievance at that step.
196
E. Arbitration
1. ArbitrationDened
A grievance which was not resolved at Step 3 under the grievance procedure may be submitted by
the Union to arbitration. The arbitration may be initiated by ling with the Committee and the American
Arbitration Association a request for arbitration. The notice shall be led within thirty (30) school days
after denial of the grievance at Step 3 under the grievance procedure, provided, however, if the Union did
not receive a written reply from the Superintendent at Step 3, then said time limit shall be extended to sixty
(60) school days after submission of the grievance to the Superintendent at Step 3. The voluntary labor
arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association shall apply to the proceeding. The Union will make
a reasonable effort to use no more than two (2) witnesses during the same school hours in arbitration cases.
2. Power of the Arbitrator
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, no dispute or controversy shall be a subject for arbitration
unless it involves the meaning, interpretation, or application of an express provision of this Agreement. The
arbitrator shall have no power to alter, add to, subtract from, or modify any provision of this Agreement.
The parties are agreed that no restrictions are intended on the powers of the Committee, except those
set forth in the language of this Agreement.
3. Decision of the Arbitrator
The arbitrator shall issue his/her written decision not later than thirty (30) days from the date of
the close of the hearings or, if oral hearings have been waived, then from the date of transmitting the nal
statements and proofs to the arbitrator. The decision of the arbitrator will be accepted as nal by the parties
to the dispute and both will abide by it.
4. Arbitration Award Application
The Committee agrees that it will apply to all substantially similar situations the decision of an
arbitrator sustaining a grievance and the Union agrees that it will not bring or continue, and that it will not
represent any employee in any grievance which is substantially similar to a grievance denied by the decision
of the arbitrator. The arbitrator’s fee will be shared equally by the parties to the dispute.
5. Alternate Arbitration Procedure
Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Article, unresolved grievances at Step 3 may be
submitted by the Union to a closed panel of arbitrators and not the American Arbitration Association, under
an alternate arbitration procedure mutually agreed between the parties.
6. Implementation
The Committee will use its best efforts to implement a settlement agreement or an arbitrator’s award
within 30 days after approval of such settlement or receipt of such award and determination not to contest it.
F. ResolutionofDierencesbyPeacefulMeans
The Union and Committee agree that differences between the parties shall be settled by peaceful
means as provided within this Agreement. The Union, in consideration of the value of this Agreement and its
terms and conditions and the Legislation which engendered it, will not engage in, instigate, or condone any
strike, work stoppage, or any concerted refusal to perform normal work duties on the part of any employee
covered by this Agreement.
G. Contractual Grievance Process at Autonomous Schools
Changing the grievance process in autonomous schools to that in the dispute resolution section of the
BTU contract shall be the subject of continuing negotiations.
197
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON
AND
THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION, LOCAL 66,
AFT-MASS, AFL-CIO
ABA SPECIALISTS 2021-2024
In witness whereof, the parties hereto have caused their names to be subscribed as the duly authorized
ofcers and representatives in this 7
th
day of September, 2022.
Boston Public Schools Boston Teachers Union
Local 66, AFT-Mass., AFL-CIO
Drew Echelson Jessica Tang
Acting Superintendent President
198
Appendix A
TEACHER PROGRAM AREAS
Regular Education
Complete
Years of Additional
Required Experience Requirements
State Cert. Required in For
Program Area Approval Program Area Special Areas
Art 47 2
Bookkeeping 43 2
Economics 43 2
Ofce Practice 43 2
Shorthand/ Typing 43 2
General Business 43 2
Social Studies 14,13,12 2
Health Education 42 2
English 11 2
French 21 2
German 22 2
Italian 24 2
Latin 29 2
Spanish 23 2
Mathematics 15 2
Biology 18 2
Chemistry 16 2
General Science 19 2
Physics 17 2
Earth Science 20 2
Elementary/
Kindergarten (K-6) 01 2
Music-Instrumental 48 2 Instrument-Specic
Music-Vocal 48 2
Reading 46 2
School Librarian 84 2
Physical Ed. 41 2
Home Economics 44 2
Drama 49 2
Industrial Arts 45 2 * Specialties may
be required
Computer Instructor Any valid 2 * 15 credits in
Certicate Computer
Education as
dened in
appropriate
Circulars.
199
Bilingual
Complete
Years of Additional
Required Experience Requirements
State Cert. Required in For
Program Area Approval Program Area Special Areas
Kindergarten B01 2 Appropriate
Elementary (Grades 1-6) B01 2 language is
English B11 2 required for each
Social Studies B12,B13,B14 2 Program Area:
Mathematics B15 2 (Cape Verdean,
Chemistry B16 2 Chinese, Greek,
Physics B17 2 Haitian, Italian,
Biology B18 2 Portuguese, Russian,
General Science B19 2 Spanish, Vietnamese,
Earth Science B20 2 Laotian, Cambodian,
French B21 2 and any other
Spanish B23 2 language that BPS
Italian B24 2 has a bilingual
Russian B25 2 program).
Portuguese B27 2
Other Modern Language B28 2
Greek B30 2
Business Subject B43 2
Drama B49 2
English as a
Second Language - K-6 01,10 2 Prociency in native
language 01 + (3)
ESL Methods Course
English as a
Second Language - 7-12 11,10 2 Prociency in native
language 11 + (3)
ESL Methods Course
200
Occupational Education
Complete
Years of Additional
Required Experience Requirements
State Cert. Required in For
Program Area Approval Program Area Special Areas
Dental Assistant H41 2
Nurses Aide H36, H40 2
Health Sciences H44 2
Medical Laboratory Technology H45 2
Cabinetmaking
(Bench/Mill Carpentry) T09, T08 2
Building Carpentry T07 2
Plumbing T24 2
Maintenance Repair T12,T53,T57 2
Drafting T13,T14 2
Banking SC7 2
Child Care F58 2
Cosmetology T28 2
Fashion/Interior F62,F66,F77 2
Food Service T25, T26,F60 2
Hotel, Hospitality SC7 2
Retailing/Marketing/Management
SC7 2
Commercial Design T21 2
Fashion Illustration T67 2
Machine Drafting T13 2
Photographic Technology T79 2
Printing T18,T19,T20 2
Television Production T70 2
Data Processing T54 2
Auto Body Repair T01 2
Machine Laboratory T31 2
Sheet Metal T32 2
Welding Laboratory T35 2
Automotive/Truck Repair T06,T80 2
Marine and Small Engine Repair T06,T80 2
Electricity T23 2
Electronics T55,T30 2
Heating/Air Conditioning/
Ventilation T29 2
201
Special Education
Required State
Certicateor Additional
Program Area Category Approval Requirements
1. Audition 58, 300, 06 Sign Language
2. Speech Hearing and a. Speech and Hearing 57 (plus any) 003,
Language 100, 200, 400, 005
3. Vision 400, 005
4. Peripatology 400, 005 Certicate by
Association of
Workers for the Blind
5. Adaptive Physical Ed. 41 (plus any) 003, 56,
100, 200, 750
6. Vocational Special Ed. Voc. approval
(plus any) 003, 56,
100, 200, 750
7. Bilingual Special Ed. Bilingual Certicate Appropriate
plus appropriate language
Special Ed. approval
8. Bilingual Vocational Ed. Vocational approval Bilingual Certicate Appropriate
plus (plus any) 003, 56, language
100, 200, 750
9. ETL Any Special Ed. Circular and approval
approval Cert. or 7
10. Early Childhood 02
11. Severe Special a. Multiple Handicapped 004 Prior experience
b. Developmental Sign Language
12. Mild-to-Moderate a. Learning Disabilities
Special Needs b. Mild Intellectual
Impairment
c. Moderate Intellectual
Impairment
d. Emotional Impairment
e. Autism and Applied
Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Handicapped
13. Severe LAB (Low, Incid. Prior Experience and
including) 502.4 LAB additional quals based
Cluster Program, McKinley on type of program;
Schools or Additional 502.4i circular and Approval
14. COSE
202
Appendix B
PAID PARENTAL LEAVE PROPORTIONATE
STANDARD HOURS ELIGIBILITY
Work Year
Number of Days
Employee Group Daily Hours (Actual Days Worked) for Eligibility
Standard 8.00 or more 243 156
Teachers, Nurses, Guidance,
Social Workers, Librarians,
Psychologist and other members
of the bargaining unit 7.00 183 117
Family Liaisons 8.00 215 138
Paraprofessional 6.17 183 117
Paraprofessional 6.67 183 117
Paraprofessional 6.84 183 117
Paraprofessional 7.00 183 117
Paraprofessional 7.25 183 117
Paraprofessional 8.00 183 117
ABA Specialist 7.50 190 122
ABA Specialist 7.50 215 138
Cluster Subs 7.00 183 117
Work Year
Number of Hours
Employee Group Daily Hours (Actual Hours worked) for Eligibility
Standard 8.00 or more 1944.00 1250
Teachers, Nurses, Guidance,
Social Workers, Librarians,
Psychologist and other members
of the bargaining unit 7.00 1281.00 820
Family Liaisons 8.00 1720.00 1100
Paraprofessional 6.17 1129.11 723
Paraprofessional 6.67 1220.61 781
Paraprofessional 6.84 1251.72 801
Paraprofessional 7.00 1281.00 820
Paraprofessional 7.25 1326.75 849
Paraprofessional 8.00 1464.00 937
ABA Specialist 7.50 1425.00 912
ABA Specialist 7.50 1612.50 1032
Cluster Subs 7.00 1281.00 820
203
Appendix C
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
This Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA” or “Agreement”) is entered into this tenth day of
December 2019, by and between the City of Boston, including the Boston Public Schools (“City”) and the
Boston Public Employee Committee (“PEC”) (collectively “the Parties”):
WHEREAS, the City is a public employer providing certain health insurance coverage to its
subscribers (i.e., employees, retirees, surviving spouses, and dependents); and
WHEREAS, on or about May 4, 2011, the City, by majority vote of the City Council and approval
of the Mayor, accepted M.G.L. c. 32B, §19 (“Section 19”); and
WHEREAS, the City and the PEC entered into an agreement pursuant to Section 19 that set forth the
Parties’ agreements 1,vith respect to health insurance benets for the City’s subscribers for the limited time
period of July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2020 (“2015-2020 PEC Agreement”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the 2015-2020 PEC Agreement, the 2015-2020 PEC
Agreement shall expire and Section 19 shall be revoked on June 30, 2020, thereby returning negotiations
for health insurance to bargaining between the City and individual bargaining units pursuant to M.G.L. c.
150E; and
WHEREAS, the City and the PEC wish to remain in Section 19 bargaining and enter into a successor
to their 2015-2020 PEC Agreement that will set forth and establish the Parties’ agreements with respect to
health insurance benets for the City’s subscribers for the limited time period of July 1, 2020, through June
30, 2025 (“2020-2025 PEC Agreement”), provided certain future events occur and future conditions are
met; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties agree to the following:
1) RFP for Non-Medicare Plans/Benets: The Parties agree that the City will issue a Request
for Proposal (“RFP”) for non-Medicare plans that will be effective no earlier than July 1, 2021.
Consistent with prior practice, the PEC will participate in issuing the RFP and reviewing and
evaluating proposals to aid the City in making a recommendation to the Procurement Ofcial.
Plan design changes will meet the criteria set forth in Appendix A, which is attached hereto. The
Parties acknowledge and agree that Appendix A represents changes to the health insurance plans and
benets from those currently in effect through June 30, 2020. For information regarding the health
insurance plans and benets currently in effect through June 30, 2020, refer to the 2015-2020 PEC
Agreement.
2) Extension of Section 19 by the City: the Mayor shall recommend to the City Council that it agree
to extend its acceptance of Section 19 that is due to expire on June 30, 2020, through June 30, 2025,
which the Mayor approves.
3) PEC Agreement by City and PEC: Provided the City Council votes to extend its acceptance of
Section 19 through June 30, 2025, with the Mayor’s approval, the City and the PEC shall convene
a meeting as soon as possible to approve the terms of this MOA as the terms of the 2020-2025 PEC
Agreement pursuant to Section 19.
4) Expiration of PEC Agreement and Revocation of Section 19: The Parties agree that the 2020-
2025 PEC Agreement shall constitute both a vote by the PEC to enter into a new Section 19
agreement as well as a vote by the PEC to revoke Section 19 and the 2020-2025 PEC Agreement on
June 30, 2025. Therefore, Section 19 shall be deemed revoked on June 30, 2025, and said revocation
shall not require a subsequent agreement between the City and the PEC or subsequent vote by City
Council and approval by the Mayor. If it is later determined that a distinct vote by the City Council
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and approval by the Mayor is required to revoke Section 19, then this agreement shall be deemed to
be supported by the City and the PEC for such revocation.
5) Section 19 Supersedes Collective Bargaining Agreements: As with the 2015-2020 PEC
Agreement, any and all provisions of any collective bargaining agreement relative to health insurance,
including but not limited to health insurance plans, contribution rates, or policies between the City,
the Boston School Committee and any of the bargaining units who are signatories to this MOA,
shall be superseded by the 2020-2025 PEC Agreement, as it is the Parties’ understanding that all
health insurance matters will hereafter be subject to the provisions and procedures of Section 19 and
decisions made between the City and the PEC shall determine said matters, which are therefore not
a proper subject of bargaining for individual bargaining units. Notwithstanding the aforementioned,
dental and vision benets and any health insurance “opt out” clause related to an individual union
shall not be part of this MOA or the 2020-2025 PEC Agreement and shall continue to be negotiated
between the City and each of the collective bargaining units pursuant to M.G.L. C. 150E.
6) Bargaining After Section 19 Revocation: When Section 19 is revoked pursuant to paragraph
#4, above, the PEC will be dissolved and the City shall, unless otherwise agreed to by any or all
bargaining units, negotiate with each bargaining unit individually with respect to health insurance
coverage. Said negotiations, and any available insurance coverage, shall be in accordance with
M.G.L. c. 150E and/or any other applicable law regarding public employee health insurance.
7) Health Insurance Coverage: The Parties agree to the changes contained in Appendix A and B for
all non-Medicare and Medicare plans. For benets in effect prior to July 1, 2020, refer to the 2015-
2020 PEC agreement.
8) Funding: The Parties agree to continue their commitment to self-insurance of medical plans.
9) Prescription Drug Carve Out RFP: The City and PEC agree that during the life of the 2020-2025
PEC Agreement the City may issue an RFP to carve out Prescription Drug benets. The objective
of the prescription drug carve out will be to lower costs through competitive pricing terms and not
lower costs through limited formularies, pharmacy networks, or modications to standard pharmacy
benet management practices (i.e., step therapy, quantity limits, or prior authorization). The Parties
will endeavor to maintain the same formulary for both non-Medicare and Medicare plans; however,
some differences may exist as necessary to comply with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (“CMS”) requirements for Medicare prescription drug plans, such as a PDP. Consistent with
prior practice, the PEC will participate in issuing the RFP and reviewing and evaluating proposals to
aid the City in making a recommendation to the Procurement Ofcial.
10) Medicare RFP: The City and the PEC agree that during the life of the 2020-2025 PEC Agreement,
the City will issue an RFP for Medicare plan design changes and consolidation consistent with
the terms contained in Appendix B of this agreement. This RFP will be issued for Medicare plans
that will be effective no earlier than January 1, 2022. Consistent with prior practice, the PEC will
participate in issuing the RFP and reviewing and evaluating proposals to aid the City in making a
recommendation to the Procurement Ofcial.
11) Reopener to Avoid Affordable Care Act Excise Tax: If any of the plans offered by the City during
the life of the 2020-2025 PEC Agreement are reasonably expected to result in the triggering of the
excise tax, the Parties shall meet as soon as practicable and shall mutually agree to make acceptable
changes to the then current plan design in order to avoid triggering the excise tax.
12) Disease Management: Effective July 1, 2020, the City will allocate the funds provided by the health
insurance carriers to fund well-structured disease management programs through the health insurance
carriers. Employee participation in these programs is voluntary and any employee’s participation or
lack thereof in such programs and the substance of any such participation will not be shared with the
City.
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13) Wellness: The City and the PEC will work together to promote the City’s current wellness offerings
as well as the programs offered by the health plan carriers. However, these funds will not be used to
supplement any disease management related programs. Effective July 1, 2020, the City will allocate
one hundred fty thousand dollars ($150,000.00) per year towards a well-structured wellness
program. Such funds may be permitted to roll over from year to year, however, in no event may the
funds exceed $300,000 in total.
14) Medicare Part B: Throughout the duration of this agreement, the City of Boston shall continue
to reimburse fty-percent (50%) of the cost of Medicare Part B to all retirees who are enrolled
in Medicare Part B, and who are enrolled in one of the City’s Medicare Products. The process,
procedure, eligibility and all other matters related to the Medicare Part B reimbursement shall be
consistent with the City’s current practice.
15) Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Throughout the duration of this agreement, the City of Boston
will cover the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) monthly administrative fee for City of Boston
active employee participants.
16) No Severable Terms: The terms and provisions of this Agreement are not severable. If any term(s)
or provision(s) of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason by a
court of competent jurisdiction, the validity or enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions
shall be invalid and unenforceable.
17) Signatories. The signatories are authorized to bind their principals.
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In witness hereof, the City of Boston and the PEC have caused this agreement to be signed on
December 10, 2019.
For the City of Boston: For the Boston Public Employee Committee:
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Appendix A
Changes to Non-Medicare Plans
Effective July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025
Limited Network Broad Network
HMO Plan HMO Plan PPO Plan
i) Plan Design Changes Effective No Earlier Than July 1, 2020
Co-Pay: Rx Retail NA $10/$30/$55 $10/$30/$55
Co-Pay: Rx Mail Order No Limited $20/$60/$135 $20/$60/$135
Co-Pay: Inpatient Hospital/ Network $50 (Max 1/year) $50 (Max 1/year)
Mental Health HMO Plan
Co-Pay: Outpatient Hospital/ Network $50 (Max 1/year) $50 (Max 1/year)
Surgery in Place until
Co-Pay: Advanced Imagery RFP (2) $50 (Max 1/year) $50 (Max 1/year)
ii) Plan Design Changes Effective No Earlier Than July 1, 2021
Medical Deductible $0
$100 Mem/$200 Fam $100 Mem/$200 Fam
Co-Pay: Specialist Visit $30 $35 $35
Co-Pay: Inpatient Hospital/ $50 (Max 1/year) $100 (Max 1/year) $100 (Max 1/year)
Mental Health
Co-Pay: Outpatient Hospital/ $50 (Max 1/year) $100 (Max 1/year) $100 (Max 1/year)
Surgery
Co-Pay: Advanced Imagery $50 (Max 1/year) $100 (Max 1/year) $100 (Max 1/year)
iii) Premium Contribution Split City/Subscriber
Effective July 1, 2020 80.0%/20.0% 80.0%/20.0%
70.0%/30.0%
Effective July 1, 2021 79.5%/20.5% 79.5%/20.5%
69.5%/30.5%
Effective July 1, 2022 78.5%/21.5% 78.5%/21.5%
68.5%/31.5%
(1) See Administrative Footnotes in Appendix C.
(2) The Parties agree that through an RFP process, non-Medicare Plan offerings will be solicited for the
following Plan designs, with effective date no later than July 1, 2021.
(a) PPO Plan - The network for this plan must include in-network and out-of-network access
to providers in the United States and Territories. Members will be asked to designate a PCP
to facilitate coordination of care, but failure to do so will not result in a penalty, nor will
members be required to obtain a referral from a PCP to see a specialist.
(b) Broad Network HMO Plan - The network for this plan should include access to all
providers within the Carrier’s general network. The network must be Massachusetts based
and ideally will include providers throughout New England. The member will be required to
obtain a referral from a PCP to see a specialist.
(c) Limited Network HMO Plan - The network must be Massachusetts based. The objective
of this Plan is to limit the provider network to quality lower cost providers. The member will
be required to obtain a referral from a PCP to see a specialist.
(3) Benet design details for the new Limited Network Plan will follow the Broad Network HMO Plan
design, except as identied in the chart section (ii) above, and (2)(c) above.
(4) Max 1/year refers to the co-pay and does not limit the number of procedures received per year.
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Appendix B
Changes to Medicare Plans
Effective July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025
Co-pays Effective No Earlier Than January 1, 2021
Co-Pay: Rx Retail $10/$25/$45
Co-Pay: Rx Mail Order $20/$50/$115
Premium Contribution Split City/Subscriber*
Effective July 1, 2020 87.5%/12.5%
Effective July 1, 2021 87.0%/13.0%
Effective July 1, 2022 86.5%/13.5%
Effective July 1, 2024 85.5%/14.5%
(1) See Administrative Footnotes in Appendix C.
(2) This RFP will be issued for Medicare Plans that will be effective no earlier than January 1, 2022. The
intent of the RFP is to reduce the number of Medicare Plan offerings. Final plan designs will include
a nationwide/indemity plan and other plan designs, including a Medicare Advantage plan design,
which are advantageous to the City and members.
Appendix C
Administrative Footnotes to Appendices A and B
During the life of this agreement:
(1) Retirees will continue to see premium contributions deducted from their pension check or if
applicable through direct billing, one month in advance. Employees will continue to see premium
deductions on a pay as you go schedule.
(2) Boston Public School employees not receiving paychecks during summer months will continue to
pay double deductions for this period during the last two (2) months of the school year.
(3) Employees will continue to have sixty (60) days from the date of hire to enroll in health benets.
Through a benets administration system, employees will be able to self-enroll during the rst thirty
(30) days, after which they will need assistance of a Health Benets Representative. Benets begin
on the rst day of the month following hire.
(4) Employees who are involuntarily separated, laid off and/or resignin lieu of termination, including
while charges and/or an investigation is pending, who are enrolled in a City health plan at the time
of separation, and have been making health insurance premium contributions to said health plan
may elect to continue their health benets coverage for one month following separation for the life
of this agreement. To continue coverage, eligible employees must: a. Notify the Health Benets
Ofce in writing no later than 5 p.m. on the last day of the payroll cycle in which they separate by
completing the required form and; b. Provide payment in full for the outstanding employee premium
contributions for the nal month of coverages as well as any arrears owed to the Health Benet
Ofce, including if the nal payroll cycle does not contain a full deduction. Such payment must be
provided alongside the above-referenced form no later than 5 p.m. on the last day of the payroll cycle
in which they separate.
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Amendment to the Agreement
Between the City of Boston and the Public Employee Committee
July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025
This Amendment to the Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Boston and Public
Employee Committee (“PEC”) in effective from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025 (herein after the “2020 –
2025 PEC Agreement”), is entered into on this eighth day of March 2022, by and between the City of Boston,
including the Boston Public Schools (“City”) and the PEC (collectively “the Parties”).
WHEREAS, the City is a public employer providing certain health insurance coverage to its
subscribers (i.e., employees, retirees, surviving spouse, and dependents);
WHEREAS, on or about May 4th, 2011, the City, by Majority vote of the City Council and approval
of the Mayor, accepted M.G.L. c. 32B, section 19 (“Section 19”);
WHEREAS, the City and the PEC entered into an agreement pursuant to Section 19 that set forth
the Parties’ agreement with respect to health insurance benets for the City’s subscribers for the limited time
period of July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2020 (“2020 – 2025 PEC Agreement);
WHEREAS, the 2020 – 2025 PEC Agreement was set to expire on June 30, 2025;
WHEREAS, the City and the PEC wished to remain in Section 19 bargaining and entered into
a successor to the 2015 – 2020 PEC Agreement; the 2020 – 2025 PEC Agreement, which set forth and
established the Parties agreement with respect to health benets for the City’s subscribers for the limited time
period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025;
WHEREAS, the Parties nd it necessary to modify some of the timelines and requirements of the
2020 – 2025 PEC Agreement outlined in Appendix A;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows:
(1) Appendix A will include chiropractor coverage for the Limited and Broad Network HMO
plans effective July 1, 2022. The member out-of-pocket cost will be assessed at the specialist
copay level per visit up to a maximum of
(2) Signatories. The signatories are authorized to bind their principals.
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In witness hereof, the City of Boston and the PEC have caused this agreement to be signed on
March 8, 2022.
For the City: For the Public Employee Committee:
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Appendix D
WITHDRAWAL OF PROGRAM DIRECTORS ARBITRATION
The Union agrees to withdraw its demand for arbitration in Boston Teachers Union and Boston
School Committee, American Arbitration Association Case No. 11390-00804-06 (Gr. Program Directors)
upon the execution of this agreement and funding of the parties’ successor agreement(s) to their 2003-2006
collective bargaining agreement. The Union also agrees that it will not grieve/arbitrate any claim based on
the facts in the above captioned arbitration and will not renew any substantially similar grievance alleging
violations of the collective bargaining agreement based on the school department’s prospective assignment to
program directors of the duty of teaching up to two classes or up to fty percent (50%) of a teacher’s normal
teaching load, provided however, that no member of the Union’s bargaining unit shall be excessed as the
result of any such assignment.
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Appendix E
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
Effective June 30, 2007, paraprofessionals shall achieve highly qualied status in compliance with
the No Child Left Behind Act as condition of employment.
Effective June 30, 2007, teachers shall maintain highly qualied status in compliance with the No
Child Left Behind Act as a condition of employment.
The above language, as proposed by the School Committee is withdrawn without prejudice. In
withdrawing this proposed language, the School Committee does not relinquish any obligations or rights it
has under federal or state law including, but not limited to, the No Child Left Behind Act.
The School Committee and the Union are committed to ensuring that all teachers and paraprofessionals
are highly qualied and agree to continue working together to achieve this goal.
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Appendix F
BOSTON TEACHERS UNION-BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
EXTENDED LEARNING TIME INITIATIVE
May 23, 2006
Overview
All parties have agreed that providing students and teachers in Boston additional learning and
teaching time is an important strategy of many for improving student achievement. There is also agreement
that teachers are integral to the development of each schools’ extended learning time plan. It is further agreed
that each school will develop a working group of all constituencies for on-going review and evaluation of
the program.
For the 2006-2007 school year, the Edwards and Umana/Barnes middle schools will be implementing
an extended day schedule and the Timilty Middle School will expand its current extended day schedule.
The following agreement in support of the Extended Learning Time Initiative has been reached
between the Boston Public Schools and the Boston Teachers Union. On the issue of compensation, the
parties agree to review this issue during the course of the school year.
No Permanent Teacher shall be mandated to work an extended day. Anyone may volunteer to work
an extended day.
The compensation for teachers working extended day hours will be the contractual hourly rate and
shall be retirement-worthy.
Vacancies at an extended day school shall be posted in accordance with contractual provisions.
If a vacancy at an extended day school is ‘open’ posted, it shall be posted in accordance with
contractual provisions, provided, however, a stipend attached to the position shall be for duties independent
of the extended day work, which will compensated as stated in accordance with section 3 above. It is the
intent of section 5 that vacancies requiring additional time can only be posted as ‘open postings’ and only
then, in accordance with normal contractual provisions. And if they are so posted, paragraph 5 is applicable.
The Timilty Extended Day program will continue to fall under Article V A 6, except that participants
in the Timilty program shall not have their hours capped at two.
The BTU and the Boston Public Schools agree that a provisional who becomes permanent can opt
out of the extended day program for an upcoming school year with notice to the administrator before January
1st of the current school year.
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Appendix G
BOSTON TEACHERS UNION AND
BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
STUDENT FEEDBACK IN EDUCATOR EVALUATION
June 30, 2017
The Boston Teachers Union (“BTU”) and the Boston School Committee (“BSC”) (collectively, the
“parties”), recognizing the critical role student feedback plays in the continuous professional improvement
of educators, agree upon the implementation of student feedback for the purpose of informing the self-
assessment and goal-setting components of the educator evaluation process.
The parties agree that, subject to the approval of the Steering Committee, the BSC may engage an
outside contractor to administer instruments of student feedback on teachers. BSC shall ensure that any such
contractor so engaged shall have in place adequate data security and privacy controls. The contractor shall
provide a written description of its data collection procedure and afrm the security of such procedure.
District-wide feedback collection shall occur annually at the end of each school year. The rst year of
student feedback collection shall be the 2017 - 18 school year at all BPS schools. Feedback collected at this
time and thereafter shall be used only to inform the self-assessment and goal-setting components of educator
plans that commence in the fall of 2018 and in subsequent years, subject to paragraph nine (9) below.
Feedback results will be provided only to the educator. Starting in the fall of 2018, each educator
employed in the Boston Public Schools during the prior school year shall annually submit an artifact
evidencing that student feedback received at the conclusion of the prior school year informed that educator’s
goal-setting for the current school year. Data from such artifacts may not be used as direct evidence toward
a rating on any goal, standard or overall.
During the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years, each school shall administer the default student
feedback instruments selected by mutual agreement of BSC and BTU. Starting in the 2018-2019 school year
and continuing, the parties agree that student feedback may take any form approved by the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education as of December, 2015. Schools shall have the discretion to determine
the instruments to be used for each class and grade by two-thirds majority vote of all teachers’ unit educators
at the school, subject to the approval of the Steering Committee. In the absence of a two-thirds majority
vote at a school, that school shall implement the default instruments agreed upon by the parties hereto.
Such default instruments, along with the protocols for their delivery, shall be as determined by the Steering
Committee, and subject to annual review by the Steering Committee.
The parties agree to convene a joint working group to determine accessibility requirements of student
feedback collection methods for students with disabilities, whose rst language is not English, or who may
experience other barriers to providing feedback to their teachers (ongoing).
BPS and BTU shall jointly provide all necessary technical training to educators and students in
preparing for implementation of student feedback.
Educators who are on less-than-one-year plans already in progress in the fall subsequent to
administration of a student feedback instrument may review the feedback results during the current plan,
but need not apply the feedback to self-assessment or goal-setting until the next educator plan commences.
BPS and BTU agree to reopen bargaining over the terms of this agreement no later than June of 2017.
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Appendix H
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOSTON,
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE
BOSTON TEACHERS UNION, LOCAL 66, AFT, AFL-CIO
May, 2019
The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to establish a framework for
collaboration between the City of Boston, Boston Public Schools (BPS), and the Boston Teachers Union
(BTU) to address the equity and quality of inclusive programs and practices within the Boston Public
Schools. The City of Boston, BPS and the BTU are committed to improving educational access and
outcomes for students with disabilities through a collaborative network of stakeholders representing a variety
of perspectives. The BPS and the BTU share a common goal of educating ourselves and others about the
evidence-based benets and best practices of inclusive education. In furtherance of this goal, the BPS and
BTU recognize that they must work collaboratively with each other and community stakeholders to create a
shared vision for inclusion.
This MOU denes, in general terms, the basis on which the BPS and BTU will work in an expedited
manner together along with community stakeholders to improve and expand inclusive practices within the
Boston Public Schools.
Section 1: Establishment of an Inclusion Working Group
The BPS Superintendent and BTU President will establish a working group that will be made up
of BTU members, administrators, school leaders, parents, students and other key stakeholders. The BPS
Superintendent Designate and BTU President shall jointly select appropriate individuals to serve on the
working group before June 14, 2019. The working group will establish such committees as necessary to
accomplish its mission and objectives. The School Department will prioritize to the best of its ability, the data
requests of the working group and will respond in a timely fashion.
Section 2: Charge of the Inclusion Working Group
The working group shall convene as soon as possible but no later than July 5) 2019 and as frequently
as possible to make initial recommendations for the 2019-2020 school year. During the school year, the
Inclusion Working Group shall meet no less than once a month. Moving forward, the working group is
charged with reviewing inclusive practices in the Boston Public Schools) i.e., gathering data about best
practices for inclusion programming/inclusive practices) researching solutions to identied issues that will
improve student outcomes, and making recommendations to improve inclusive programs and practices
within the Boston Public Schools.
Section 3: Mission and Objectives of the Inclusion Working Group
The working group shall make recommendations for immediate and long-term solutions that
will support evidence-based best practices for inclusion programming by reviewing current inclusion
programming within the Boston Public Schools, gathering relevant data and research to identify problems
in inclusion programming, and researching state and national evidence based best practices for inclusion
programming. The functions of the working group will be advisory and shall include, but are not limited to,
making recommendations to meet the following objectives:
• Increase authentic, evidence-based and well-supported inclusive practices;
• Provide research-based academic, social-emotional and behavioral supports to inclusion
classrooms that are based on individual student need;
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• Provide research-based teacher and administrator professional development to improve inclusive
practices;
• Structure inclusion classrooms and school communities to meet the needs of each and every
student;
• Collaborate and communicate with parents and school communities to better support inclusive
practices;
Section 4: Considerations
The working group will consider the following when making its recommendations:
(1) the requirement that all inclusion classrooms are staffed with more than one staff member;
(2) restrictions on the number of certications a teacher may be required to hold/use in certain
classroom settings including any practice where one educator provides multiple types of direct services to
students at one time; and
(3) Adequate time for educators to both provide services for students and adequate time to complete
paperwork and other special education related duties (for example, time previously known as SEIMS, for
inclusion teachers to attend PD, attend meetings and complete testing and consulting.)
Section 5: Inclusion Resources
The City of Boston is committed to providing additional resources to support and maintain
improvements for inclusion programs within the Boston Public Schools by the 2019-2020 school year or
as soon as possible thereafter. As part of this commitment, the City of Boston will continue to advocate at
both the state and federal government as well as philanthropic or other sources for additional resources and
support to meet the needs of all Boston Public School students.
Section 6: Term
The term of this MOU is from the date of the approval of the MOU by all parties through June 30,
2021, including any extensions agreed to in writing by the parties.
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Appendix I
MEMORANDUM OF SHARED VALUES
BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOSTON,
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE
BOSTON TEACHERS UNION, LOCAL 66, AFT, AFL-CIO
May, 2019
The Boston School Committee (BSC) and the Boston Teachers Union (BTU) are committed to
ensuring that the Boston Public Schools provide equal opportunity and access to all Boston Public School
students so that each and every individual student has an educational environment unimpeded by bias or
discrimination where individuals of all backgrounds and experience can succeed and ourish. Moreover,
the BSC and BTU are committed to providing a school climate that empowers our students and reects the
cultural, racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of its student body.
In furtherance of these commitments, beginning in the school year 2019-2020, the BSC and BTU
will meet and discuss equitable access for Boston Public Schools students to culturally relevant learning
opportunities including ethnic studies; athletics, the arts, and extracurricular activities; social services; post
secondary support and planning; and optimum learning environments which includes but is not limited
to, 21
st
century technology, and culturally and linguistically sustaining auricular materials, including dual-
language curriculum.
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B-1
BYLAWS OF THE
BOSTON TEACHERS UNION
Afliated with the
American Federation of Teachers
American Federation of Teachers,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Greater Boston Labor Council
Article I Name
This Organization shall be called The Boston Teachers Union.
Article II Purposes
The purposes of the BTU shall be:
(a) To maintain and improve the condition of its members with respect to salaries, pension,
professional status, conditions of employment in general and the right of freedom of expression
in and out of the classroom.
(b) To raise the standards of the teaching profession by securing conditions essential to the best
professional service and development.
(c) To promote democratization of school administration.
(d) To do all in its power through collective bargaining to provide the best education for the
children we serve.
Article III Membership
Section 1. Any member of Groups I and II professionals, substitute teachers, school nurses, school
paras and any other group for which the BTU was the bargaining agent in the salary agreement of 2006-2010
are eligible for membership. Any person holding membership as of June, 1970 not in the aforesaid groups,
may continue to hold membership unless he/she enters a category under Article III Section 2. Once a member
is promoted beyond Group II he shall no longer have voice or vote in this union.
Section 2. No person above Group II who has the right to recommend hiring or discharging shall be
eligible for membership. No person in an acting position above Group II for a period longer than two weeks
who has the right to recommend hiring or discharging shall have the right to voice and vote in the union while
in said acting position.
Section 3. Applications for membership shall be considered at the next meeting of the Executive
Board which shall make recommendations to the next meeting of the membership. An eligible applicant shall
be admitted to membership by a majority vote of those members present and voting.
Section 4. Members who retire may obtain membership in the BTU Retired Teachers Chapter. RTC
Members will pay sixty dollars ($60.00) per year or have ve dollars per month deducted from their retirement
check and paras will pay $30.00 per year or $2.50 per month from their retirement check (Teachers who have
retired prior to December 1973 pay at para rate.) RTC members shall have voice and vote at membership
meetings except they may not vote on collective bargaining or job actions.
B-2
Section 5. Any laid-off member on a recall list in good standing may be admitted to attend with
voice and vote at BTU meetings for the duration of their recall period. Nothing in these Bylaws shall take
precedence over the Constitution and Bylaws of the AFT except in the case of laid-off teachers.
Article IV Union Ocials
Section 1. The Ofcers of the BTU shall be President, Executive Vice President, and Secretary-
Treasurer. Their duties shall be those normally ascribed to such ofces and as outlined in the Bylaws.
Section 2. The Executive Board of the BTU shall consist of the Ofcers, the Elementary Field
Representative, the Secondary Field Representative, the Paraprofessional/Substitute Teacher Field
Representative, the Political Director and twelve (12) other members to be elected at large. No member may
be a candidate for ofcer and /or Field Representative, and/or member of the Executive Board at the same
time.
Section 3. The Executive Board shall meet at least once a month during the year (September through
August) at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Board. Special meetings of the Board may
be called by the President or two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board, or by petition of 10% of the
membership. The Executive Board shall have emergency powers for Union affairs between meetings of the
membership. Their actions are subject to the review of the membership.
The Board shall set up and be responsible for the operation of all necessary committees. The Board
shall formulate and enforce an annual budget. Monies not in the budget shall not be expended unless approved
by the Executive Board and the membership. The Executive Board shall conduct business of the Union
between meetings of the membership and shall negotiate the salaries of all paid ofcers and employees. The
Executive Board may call before it any ofcer or member to explain any action.
Section 4. The standing committees of the BTU shall be Grievance, Political Action, Editorial Board,
Educational Issues, Sergeant at Arms, and Retired Teachers Chapter. Additional standing committees may
be established at the direction of the Executive Board. The Chairperson of any committee and its members
shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board except as otherwise provided
in these Bylaws.
Section 5. Any Ofcer or member of the Executive Board absent from three consecutive meetings
shall forfeit his ofce unless excused by the Executive Board.
Article V Representation
Section 1. Building or group representatives shall serve as a liaison between the Ofcers and the
Executive Board and the building or group they represent. Each Elementary School or Middle School or
High School or work site or any other group which meets regularly with administration on contract issues
shall be allowed the following numbers of building or group representatives: one (1) representative shall be
allowed for every twenty-ve (25) Union members or portion thereof.
The numbers of representatives shall be determined by the rst payroll in September. These
representatives shall handle all grievances at Step I and shall facilitate and handle all dealings between the
school or group and the BTU. They shall assume their role on the date of their election. Any additional group
as recommended by the Executive Board may be considered as a special group for these purposes.
Section 2. A negotiating team shall be the sole representative of the membership in collective
bargaining with the School Committee and/or its representatives. The negotiating team will be composed of
the President, a professional negotiator appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board
and the membership, and ve persons appointed by the President from the membership. These ve persons
appointed by the President shall be approved by the Executive Board and the membership, at the regular
September membership meeting following the election of Union ofcials.
A collective bargaining committee made up of various interest groups in the BTU shall be appointed
by the President with the approval of the Executive Board and the membership.
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The purpose of the collective bargaining committee shall be to meet periodically with the negotiating
team to advise the team as to the needs of the membership and also to advise and help the team with any
problems which may develop in negotiations.
The collective bargaining committee will not participate in actual negotiations unless requested to
do so by the negotiating team.
Section 3. The President shall declare vacant the position of any member of the Executive Board or
Delegate who has missed three meetings of the appropriate body and has not been properly excused. The
order of appointment shall be the orders to nish in the proceeding election. An election may be ordered by
the Executive Board to ll any such vacancy.
Any ofcer or member of the Executive Board absent from Executive Board meetings shall notify
the Secretary-Treasurer.
Section 4. A list of those present and absent from respective meetings of the Executive Board shall
be published in the report of the Secretary and placed on le in the Union ofce.
Article VI Nominations and Elections
Section 1. Nomination papers will be led at the March membership meeting in election years with
the Election Committee. (Elections shall take place every two years starting in June of 1967). To be eligible
for nomination a member must have obtained the signatures of at least one hundred (100) members in good
standing for the ofces of President, Executive Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Field Representative,
Political Director and at least fty (50) signatures for the positions of the Executive Board. At least twenty-
ve (25) valid signatures shall be obtained by a candidate for Paraprofessional Council or delegate to any
afliated body.
No member may sign more nomination papers than there are vacancies for that ofce or position.
Members seeking nomination for any ofce shall have the option of collecting signatures on paper or
electronically. A valid signature whether collected on paper or electronically shall consist of the following:
(a) the person’s full name; (b) complete home address - number, street, town; (c) school or department; (d)
job title. A handwritten signature on paper must be legible. The validity of all signatures will be checked by
the Election Committee.
No member may sign more nomination papers than there are vacancies for that ofce or position.
The validity of these signatures will be checked by the election committee. A valid signature shall consist of
the following (a) legible signature-person’s full name; (b) complete home address - number, street, town; (c)
school or department; (d) indicate job title.
If a vacancy occurs in the ofce of Executive Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, the positions of
Elementary, Secondary, Paraprofessional Field Representative or Political Director, the following procedures
and timelines shall be followed.
1. If the vacancy occurs between the nal election and September 30 of the rst year of the term,
the President shall nominate a member to ll the vacancy. This member must be approved
by 2/3 of the Executive Board present and voting. Beginning the rst day of school, the
nomination process shall commence, with the preliminary election (if necessary) and nal
elections scheduled within six weeks.
2. If the vacancy occurs between September 30 of year one and April 15 of year one of the
term, the President shall declare a vacancy and a preliminary election (if necessary) and a nal
election shall be held within six weeks.
3. If the vacancy occurs between April 15 of year one and September 30 of year two, the President
shall nominate a member to ll the vacancy. This member must be approved by 2/3 of the
Executive Board present and voting. Beginning the rst day of school, the nomination process
shall commence, with the preliminary election (if necessary) and nal election scheduled
within six weeks.
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4. If a vacancy occurs between October 1 of year two and December 31 of year 2, the President
shall declare a vacancy and a preliminary election (if necessary) and a nal election shall be
held within six weeks.
5. If the vacancy occurs between January 1 of year 2 and the next election, the President shall
nominate a member to ll the vacancy. This member must be approved by 2/3 of the Executive
Board present and voting.
6. Nomination papers shall be made available immediately upon declaration of the vacancy.
The same procedure shall be followed as outlined in Article VI, Section 2.
7. Nomination and appointment to a vacancy shall not preclude a member from being a candidate
in an election for that position.
If there are more than two nominations per position open for Ofcer, Field Representative and
members of the Executive Board a primary election shall be held on the rst Wednesday in May. The two
candidates for each of the three ofces, three Field Representatives and twenty-four candidates for the
Executive Board who receive the highest number of votes in the primary shall be nominated for the nal
election on the rst Wednesday in June. Write-in votes will be considered only if they exceed the number of
signatures required for nomination.
Section 2. The Ofcers and Executive Board members shall be elected by secret ballot with the
members in good standing of the Union voting on the rst Wednesday in June in election years. Delegates
to Conventions and the Greater Boston Labor Council shall be elected in the Final election on the rst
Wednesday in June.
The Ofcers and members of the Executive Board and Delegates shall serve for two years or until
their successors are elected. The President and Executive Vice President shall automatically be delegates to
all conventions and afliated bodies.
In 2005, AFT delegates will be elected for 2005, 2006 and 2007; thereafter AFT delegates will be
elected for the two (2) calendar years after the Election year. (e.g. 2007 election for 2008 and 2009 and 2009
election for 2010 and 2011).
Section 3. An Election Committee consisting of fteen (15) members in good standing of the BTU
and/or the RTC shall be selected from among nominees who have submitted a written statement of interest to
the President of the Union by the 2
nd
Wednesday in April of the year prior to an election. The President shall
submit to the Executive Board the names of all such members in good standing who have submitted a timely
statement of interest at the April Executive Board Meeting.
No candidate for any ofce or position on the Executive Board shall be eligible to serve as a member
of the Election Committee.
The Executive Board shall be solely responsible for selecting by majority vote at an open Executive
Board meeting Election Committee members from among those who have submitted a timely statement
of interest to the President. The Election Committee members chosen by vote of the Executive Board shall
be recorded in the minutes of its meeting and reported to the membership at the next regularly scheduled
membership meeting for approval.
The BTU ofce staff shall be responsible for ensuring the accuracy of all voter eligibility lists. The
Election Committee shall be responsible for all aspects of the primary and nal elections. It shall convene
its rst meeting not later than the June membership meeting following its appointment, at which time it shall
elect co-chairs, a secretary and an election ombudsman from among its members. The Election Committee
shall have the right to adopt by majority vote of those present and voting reasonable rules and regulations
not inconsistent with these Bylaws or the AFT Constitution. Its procedures shall include, at a minimum, the
following:
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a) The co-chairs, after consultation with the other members of the Election Committee, shall
establish a schedule of meetings, an agenda for each meeting and shall notify all committee
members of same.
b) Whenever an election vendor will be utilized, the search for such a vendor shall commence
no later than the September preceding an election. An RFP shall be developed for vendors
specifying the BTU’s unique requirements. The Election Committee will check references
before a nal vendor is chosen.
In the event that an election vendor has been retained for an election and provided satisfactory
services, the Election Committee may elect to retain the vendor for a subsequent election or elections and
thereby forgo the ‘process of selecting a new vendor.The search for an election vendor shall commence no
later than the September preceding the election. An RFP shall be developed for vendors specifying the BTUs
unique requirements. The Election Committee will check references before a nal vendor is chosen.
a) The secretary of the Election Committee shall keep written minutes of all meetings, which shall
be scheduled outside regular working hours. Except for meetings dedicated to the validation
of signatures, all meetings of the Election Committee shall be open to the membership of BTU
and RTC. The minutes shall be published and made available for inspection within 72 hours.
b) The Election Committee shall allot a reasonable time at each of its meetings for members in
attendance to ask questions relating to the Committee’s proceedings and the election process.
The questions, responses and discussion relating thereto shall be included in the minutes of the
meeting.
c) The Election Committee shall establish and publish the procedures governing the election in
accordance with the BTU Bylaws, including a procedure by which members can contact the
union to verify their eligibility to vote and the nature of the mail ballot or electronic ballot
they are eligible to receive, the date by which ballots shall be mailed to eligible voters, the
deadline for receipt of voters’ mail-in ballots or electronic ballots for those members in good
standing electing to vote by mail or electronically. The Election Committee shall establish
hours for in-person voting for both the primary and nal elections. A published hotline shall
be established for members to call to report their non-receipt of a mailed ballot or any election
related problems affecting their ability to vote. Any member who appears on the most recent
dues list shall be allowed to vote after lling out a new membership card if a current card is not
on le. All procedures must be in accordance with the BTU Bylaws.
d) Any member that has not yet received their retiree number from the Boston Retirement Board
and has retired during an election year in good standing should be considered eligible to vote.
If a member appears on the RTC dues list but not on the membership list, they can complete an
RTC membership card and be allowed to vote.
e) The Election Committee shall provide for and staff a “problem solving table” at the polls to
assist voters.
f) The Election Committee shall report the results of each election to the membership through its
co-chairs as expeditiously as possible following the tally of ballots.
Section 4. Building Representative Elections shall be held between May 1 and May 31. Elected
representatives shall submit the election results to the BTU ofce no later than June 1. In the event that
twenty-ve percent or more of the BTU staff is new to the facility the following year, the faculty must revote
in the fall no later than September 30. Schools and programs with any unlled Building Representative
positions will also hold elections to ll those positions, no later than September 30. the votes shall be held by
secret ballot after a ve day notice to staff. The results of these elections shall be reported to the Union ofce
by each School or Group immediately and in writing. The report must be signed by the committee which
conducted each election, with a report of the procedure. If any dispute arises over election of representatives
of buildings or groups the Executive Board shall consider all the facts in any case presented to it and its
decision shall be nal.
Section 5. In the event of a margin of less than 5% of the total votes cast in a particular race between
elected and defeated candidates, a recount may be granted if requested by the defeated candidate of the
incumbent Executive Board in a primary election and of the incoming Executive Board in a nal election.
If a recount is required the candidate must request a recount in writing to the chairperson of the election
committee within twenty-four (24) hours from the time the election results are announced.
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Section 6. In the event that between the nominations and nal elections a candidate for full-
time Union ofce is incapacitated and unable to serve in his/her ofce the Executive Board shall call for
renominations for that ofce.
If an Executive Board or Paraprofessional Council vacancy occurs, that member with the next
highest vote from the election results will serve thereafter.
Section 7. Write-in votes will only count if: (a) the number of votes equals or exceeds the number of
signatures required for nomination (b) the ofce the person is seeking is on the ballot (c) a successful write-in
candidate submits a statement of willingness to serve in that ofce.
Section 8. Members shall vote for the Field Representative assigned to service their category of staff;
provided, however, the RTC members shall vote for the Field Representative category that they were last
assigned to before retiring.
Section 9. Voting for the fteen (15) member Paraprofessional Council will be by paraprofessionals
only.
Article VII Finances
Section 1. The dues of the BTU shall be payable to payroll deductions. It shall be at a yearly rate set
by the membership and collected over a ten month period. Members not subject to payroll deduction will
pay at the same rate annually or semi-annually in advance. Paraprofessionals and substitute teachers shall pay
one-half regular dues. ABA Specialists shall pay sixty-ve percent (65%) of regular dues.
Section 2. A member in arrears of dues for three (3) months shall be notied in writing by the
Secretary-Treasurer that he/she is in bad standing. If he/she does not pay within one month he/she shall be
suspended from the rolls of the Local. To be reinstated all back dues must be paid.
At least thirty (30) days before the date of elections addressed in Article VI of these Bylaws, the
Secretary-Treasurer shall take steps to notify members that:
a) a member must be in good standing to vote;
b) a member who is in arrears in dues payments for three (3) or more months is not in good
standing and not eligible to vote;
c) members on unpaid leave may make arrangements to pay their dues directly to the Union;
d) upon payment of all back dues, the member shall be restored to good standing;
e) members on unpaid leave shall be required to pay only half the amount of dues that would
normally be due; this reduction shall only apply to each full month of unpaid leave;
f) a written message containing the above information must be provided to all members
electronically or by regular mail; or, in the alternative, it can be included in the election
information provided to each member from the election committee;
g) a member on unpaid leave as a result of a criminal indictment shall not be eligible to vote.
Section 3. There shall be an annual audit of the books of the Local by a Registered and Certied
auditor chosen by the Executive Board. This audit shall reect the nancial condition of this Union as of
August 31
st
of the current year.
This report shall be furnished to each member of the Executive Board before November 15
th
.
The Executive Board shall consider this report and make recommendations for a proposed budget to the
December meeting of the membership. A written report shall be available to all members.
Section 4. Any major expenditures recommended by the membership but not in the budget shall
automatically be referred to the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall consider the Budget and make
recommendations to the next meeting of the membership for nal action.
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Article VIII Aliations
Section 1. This organization shall afliate with the American Federation of Teachers, Massachusetts
Federation of Teachers, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and the Greater Boston Labor Council.
Article IX General Membership
Section 1. General Membership meetings shall be held on the second Wednesday of the months
September through June and at such other times as are necessary. Whenever the monthly general membership
meeting falls on a day when school is not in session, the membership meeting will be held on the next
Wednesday when school is in session.
Special meetings may be called by the President, or by petition of 10 members of the Executive
Board, or 10% of the membership. The meeting in June shall be the annual meeting.
A general membership meeting shall have the power to reject or approve any and all actions of
the Ofcers or the Executive Board. Not limiting the generality of the preceding, the following powers are
reserved for the membership only:
(a) The general membership meeting must approve all items for negotiation before they are
submitted to the Boston School Committee.
(b) A general membership meeting is the only body which may accept or reject contracts or call a
work stoppage.
(c) A general membership meeting must pass on all budgets and substantial deviations thereof
before money is expended.
(d) A general membership meeting is the only body which may endorse a candidate for public
ofce.
Article X Amendments
Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by a majority vote of the Executive Board, by a
majority vote of a meeting of the membership or by petition of 10% of the membership. Proposed amendments
shall be considered by the Executive Board and shall be announced to the membership in writing at least
fteen (15) days in advance of the next meeting of the membership. The proposed amendment shall become
part of the Bylaws of the BTU by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting in favor at the next
meeting of the membership. Any motion which alters or amends our collective bargaining agreement shall
require the same notice to the membership as a constitutional amendment.
Article XI Communications
Section 1. Publicity releases from the Union must emanate from the ofce of the President. Personal
opinions shall not be stated publicly by Union ofcials on Union matters on which the Union has acted or has
chosen not to act. Only the President, the Executive Vice President or their designees shall be empowered to
present Union views as expressed in positions already taken by the Union.
Positions or interviews relating to contract negotiation shall be handled in the same fashion.
Section 2. All materials to be distributed in fact sheets or other periodicals coming ofcially from
the Union must receive approval by a majority of the following: President, the Executive Vice President, and
Secretary-Treasurer. Any rejection of submitted material may be appealed for review to the Executive Board.
Section 3. All material to be published in the BUT newspaper must receive the approval of a majority
of the following: President, the Executive Vice President, and the BUT newspaper editor. Any rejection of
submitted material may be appealed for review to the Executive Board.
Section 4. Any material not emanating from the Executive Board or the Union ofce to be distributed
at a meeting of the Executive Board or Membership must be signed by the member or members distributing
such material.
B-8
Section 5. Reports of the President, Executive Vice President and any Standing or Special Committee
must be in printed (typed, mimeo, duplicated) form and presented to the Executive Board and Membership
at each meeting and shall be placed on le as Union records within seven (7) days after action is completed.
None of these reports shall be publicized except as provided in these Bylaws.
Section 6. Secretary-Treasurer reports of all nancial matters concerning the Union shall be in
printed form (typed, mimeo, duplicated, etc.) presented to the Executive Board and to the membership at its
meeting each month. These reports shall be placed on le as union records after action is completed. None of
these reports shall be publicized except as provided in these Bylaws.
Section 7. No individual Union member, Ofcer or Executive Board member shall have the power
to be spokesman for the Union, or any part of the union, unless authorized by the President, Executive Vice
President or by vote of the Executive Board or the membership.
Article XII General Procedures
Section 1. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be ten members and of the General Membership
100 members.
Section 2. Nothing in these Bylaws shall take precedence over the Constitution and Bylaws of the
AFT.
Section 3. No elections shall be held on the day of a scheduled meeting.
Section 4. The current membership card or the most recent pay stub, showing your union dues
deduction, shall be used as identication as a member of the BTU in good standing. Further identication
may be requested.
Section 5. No one other than members of the BTU in good standing shall be allowed to attend any
meetings of the organization unless previous permission of the Executive Board or membership has been
secured.
Section 6. Only the ofcial Negotiators shall petition the School Committee on points of negotiations.
All negotiating items must be submitted in writing to the Union Negotiators by a date to be determined by
the Executive Board each year.
In the event that negotiations are still in progress at the time of a convention, the Executive Vice
President shall take the place of the President at such convention unless permission for the President to attend
is granted by the Executive Board.
Section 7. All actions of the Executive Board shall be subject to the review of the General
Membership.
Section 8. A suspended member loses the right to voice and vote.
Section 9. If all three Ofcers are incapacitated, the Executive Board or its designees approved by
the membership shall choose an Acting President.
Section 10. In the absence of any provision in these Bylaws, the latest revision of Robert’s Rules of
Order shall be binding.
Section 11. Each new member of this local shall be furnished a copy of these Bylaws.
Section 12. Ofcers and Delegates from this local to conventions, afliated bodies and members
in general when acting as spokesman for the local, shall support and work for policies expressed in these
Bylaws or to the policies of the Union still in effect. No Ofcer, Delegate, or member may express his
personal opinions as a spokesman for the local.
Section 13. Contact with the Union Attorney on Union matters other than by the full-time staff shall
be made only with the permission of the President, Executive Vice President or the Executive Board.
B-9
Section 14. Valid nomination papers shall be provided by the BTU. Candidates shall receive papers
either at the BTU ofce or from members of the election committee. No other form shall be accepted. The
way a candidate lls out the top of his/her nomination papers will be the way his/her name will appear on
the ballot.
Section 15. Each member in good standing must be sent notication of union elections fteen (15)
days prior to the date of such elections.
Article XIII General Duties of Ocers
Section 1. The President, Executive Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer shall be the only full-
time paid Ofcers of the Union.
Section 2. To be eligible for any ofce or position on the Executive Board one must have been aan
member in good standing for one year by the time of nal election.
Section 3. One of the three full-time paid ofcers shall be available at all times unless the previous
permission of the Executive Board has been obtained.
Section 4. It shall be the duty of all full-time ofcers to keep the Union ofcer informed of their
whereabouts at all times during the day in order that they might be reached in the event of an emergency.
Section 5. The full-time paid ofcers shall work on a daily basis except city, county, state, and
national holidays. Their vacation period shall be four (4) weeks per year.
Section 6. The full-time paid ofcers shall have their health and basic life insurance paid for by the
Union. They shall pay their own Union dues.
Section 7. Duties of the President.
The President:
(a) Shall be the full-time Chief Executive Ofcer of the Union.
(b) Shall be responsible to the Executive Board and the membership.
(c) Shall preside at meetings of the Executive Board and the membership.
(d) Shall give a written report of his/her activities at all Executive Board and membership
meetings.
(e) Shall be in charge of the Union ofce and all communications to Union members.
(f) Shall be responsible for the work of all committees.
(g) Shall have his/her salary negotiated by the Executive Board.
(h) Shall be the interpreter of these Bylaws subject to the review of the membership.
Section 8. Duties of the Executive Vice President.
The Executive Vice President:
(a) Shall be responsible to the President, the Executive Board and the membership.
(b) Shall preside at the Executive Board and the membership meetings in the absence of the
President.
(c) Shall give a written report of his/her activities at all Executive Board and membership
meetings.
(d) Shall automatically take over the Presidency in case of resignation, impeachment or other
unforeseen event.
(e) Shall carry out duties as assigned by the President.
(f) Shall act as grievance chairperson and process all grievances above step I.
(g) Shall have his/her salary negotiated by the Executive Board.
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Section 9. Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer.
The Secretary-Treasurer:
(a) Shall keep an accurate record of all Executive Board and Membership meetings.
(b) Shall keep the attendance of Executive Board meetings.
(c) Shall preside at the Executive Board and membership meetings in cases of the absences of the
President and Executive Vice President.
(d) Shall be responsible to the President, the Executive Board and the membership.
(e) Shall have his/her salary negotiated by the Executive Board.
(f) Shall be in charge of all Union monies and nancial records.
(g) Shall pay all bills approved by the Executive Board.
(h) Shall co-sign all checks with the President.
(i) Shall be responsible for BTU representation at School Committee meetings.
(j) Shall manage the Union ofce.
(k) Shall be responsible for all preparation and distribution of all Executive Board and membership
meetings minutes.
(l) Shall be responsible for all Union records being up to date and on le in the BTU ofce. He/she
shall give a copy of the minutes of all meetings to the President and Executive Vice President.
(m) Shall notify all Executive Board members of all meetings. He/she shall be responsible for
notication of all general membership meetings.
(n) Shall carry out such eld duties as designated by the President.
(o) Shall give a written report of the status of the Union nances to each meeting of the Executive
Board and membership.
Article XIV Order of Business
Section 1. Call to Order President’s Report.
Minutes of the last meeting of:
(a) Executive Board
(b) Membership
(c) Treasurer’s Report
(d) Executive Vice President’s Report
(e) Committee Reports
(f) Unnished Business
(g) New Business
(h) Adjourn
All reports of individuals or committees must be printed and after acceptance be led as a Union
record.
B-11
GENERAL INFORMATION
Thumbnail Sketch of Parliamentary Procedure
Can be Can be Can be Vote
Motions Debated Amended Reconsidered Required
Privileged
Adjourn Majority
Recess X Majority
Fix the time for adjournment X X X Majority
Question of Privilege or information None
Subsidiary
Lay on the table X Majority
Previous Question
(Move the Question) Majority
Limit or extend debate X 2/3
Postpone to a xed time X X X Majority
Point of Order Appeal X X Majority
Suspension of Rules (special order) 2/3
Withdraw or modify a motion Majority
Main X X X Majority
Reconsider X Majority
Rescind X 2/3 (without
prior notice)
Take from the table Majority
1. To Be Recognized - Raise your hand, wait to be recognized by the Chair, go to the microphone,
identify yourself by name and school or Dept.
2. Debate - Before a motion is debated, it is necessary that the motion be made, seconded and stated
by the Chair. Then inquiries may be put to the Chair or to individuals through the Chair.
3. Quorum - 100 members in good standing. Business continues legally and in proper order until
such time as the quorum is questioned and found lacking. The meeting then must adjourn or recess to obtain
a quorum.
FACULTY SENATE GUIDELINES
Purpose
The purpose of the Faculty Senate is to play an advisory role in the operation of the school and to
problem solve around issues and concerns of the faculty. A Faculty Senate should be formed in each school
building and will be recognized by the administration as having an advisory voice.
Membership & Structure
All BTU members are members of the Faculty Senate and should be welcomed and encouraged to
attend;
Non-BTU members cannot attend or be part of Faculty Senate meetings unless explicitly invited by
the Faculty Senate and for a specic purpose;
Faculty Senate members should elect co-chairs who facilitate and coordinate the Faculty Senate by
October of each school year;
The Faculty Senate should be run by elected co-chairs. If possible, Faculty Senate chairs should not
also be the elected Building Reps;
B-12
The Faculty Senate should be well coordinated and in direct communication with Building Reps in
all contract matters and union policy.
Meetings
Building representatives should organize the rst meeting of the Faculty Senate;
At that rst meeting, Faculty Senate co-chairs should be elected. Dates and times for Faculty Senate
meetings should be set and communicated;
Faculty Senate meetings shall be held at least once a month;
Faculty Senate meetings are typically set to follow the BTU membership meeting, which occurs on
the second Wednesday of each month. This makes it possible for school-based union representatives to be
able to report on important issues that are raised at the monthly membership meetings.
Communication
The Faculty Senate should keep accurate attendance and minutes that will be shared with other
Faculty Senate members monthly;
Faculty Senate representatives shall meet monthly with the Principal/Headmaster to discuss issues
that come up at Faculty Senate meetings;
After meeting with administration, the representatives from Faculty Senate shall report back to the
Faculty Senate members. Issues that are not resolved should be discussed at the next Faculty Senate meeting
at which time further action can be planned.
FILING A GRIEVANCE
One of the most important duties of the Building Representative is the handling of grievances at
Step One. Therefore, it is imperative that all Building Representatives become thoroughly familiar with
the “Dispute Resolution” sections of the contract, and especially with the paragraphs which deal with the
ling of a grievance at the school level. This is found in Article X of the teacher contract and Article V of the
paraprofessional, substitute, and ABA contracts.
Put in general terms, a “grievance” is a statement which says that a teacher’s rights have been
violated due to a misinterpretation or misapplication of the contract. It is not a general complaint or claim of
unfair treatment.
The importance of ling a grievance when applicable is obvious. A grievance must be led every
time an individual teacher’s rights are violated in order to protect the rights of the entire membership.
The following is a list of guidelines which the Building Rep should follow in ling a grievance.
I. Gathering information before meeting with the Administrator
1. Get all the facts from the teacher(s) involved in the grievance.
2. Get copies of all pertinent documents related to the grievance, e.g. bulletins, notices,
letters, e-mails, memos, etc. (Building representatives have the right to obtain copies of
all ofcial school documents).
3. Examine the contract and locate any articles of the contract that have been violated.
II. Initial meeting with the Administrator
1. Request a meeting with the Administrator and the teacher(s) involved.
2. Present the case orally. Show documents and cite the contract violation(s). Explain the
Union’s position and request that the violation be resolved.
B-13
3. It is of the utmost importance that in these meetings the Building Representatives be
prepared, be professional and remain courteous (but rm). Do not insult the Administrator
or attempt to intimidate him or her in any way. On the other hand, do not approach the
Administrator as a subordinate. In this situation, as a representative of the Union the
Building Representative is on equal ground with the Administrator.
4. Make every effort to reach a resolution consistent with the contract at this meeting. This
will save time, work, and money for the Union and possibly considerable inconvenience
for the grievant.
III. Written Grievance
1. If the Administrator is unwilling to resolve the grievance at this meeting, le a written
grievance with the Administrator. (Be sure to make several copies of the grievance - one
for yourself, one for the grievant and one for the Union ofce.)
2. The grievance letter should be succinct but civil. It should include the following
information; Name and position of the grievant, Statement of the grievance, Action
requested, and Name of Union Representative. (See sample grievance letter at the end of
this section.) Send a copy of the grievance to the appropriate Field Representative.
IV. ContactingtheUnionOfce
1. If the Administrator denies the grievance or fails to respond to the grievance within ve
school days, a Field Representative should be contacted. You can call 617-288-2000 or
email the appropriate Field Rep.
2. Send copies of the grievance letter and all pertinent documents to the Union ofce via
email to your Field Representative, via mail to 180 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA
02125 or fax to 617-288-0024.
3. The Field Rep will refer the grievance to mediation, and if the grievance is deemed valid
by the union, two trained mediators will meet with the grievant and the administrator
and attempt to resolve the issue. If this fails, Step Two of the grievance procedure will be
handled by the union’s Executive Vice President.
V. While the Grievance is in Progress
1. The Building Representative should request the Administrator to put in writing any
disputed orders or assignments.
2. The Building Representative should not advise a teacher to disobey or ignore an
Administrator’s order while a grievance is in progress. This may well hurt the chances for
a successful resolution of the grievance and possibly leave the teacher open to charges of
insubordination.
B-14
Sample Grievance Letter
Dear Headmaster Washington,
This letter is to inform you that I am ling a grievance at step one on behalf of Mr. John Adams, a
member of the English Department at the Jefferson High School. Mr. Adams’s grievance is that on Tuesdays
he is assigned to teach periods one, two, three and four totaling 200 minutes.
This program is in violation of the Contract including but not limited to Article V. Section A 3 (d)
which states:
“Teachers shall not be required to teach more than 160 minutes without a lunch break, planning and
development period, or an administrative duty.”
In order to resolve this contract violation, Mr. Adams must be relieved of one of his four consecutive
classes.
Respectfully yours,
Mary Lincoln,
BTU Building Representative
B-15
GENERAL INFORMATION
1.Pre-TaxBenetsforBTUMembers
Flexible Spending (aka Cafeteria Plan) Plan Allows Pre-Tax Income to be Sheltered For
Certain Medical, Dependent Care, and Transportation Expenses
A negotiated benet plan that allows eligible employees to shelter up to $2,500 in pre-tax income
per calendar year to pay for certain medical expenses is in effect. To be eligible for the plan, employees must
work at least 20 hours per week (half-time or more) on a regular basis and must have been employed for a
minimum of one year. A similar plan allows up to $5,000 to be sheltered for certain dependent care expenses
(The DCAP plan), except there is no one year service requirement. Lastly, the transportation plans allow both
the sheltering of up to $205 per month for parking expenses and the sheltering of up to $105 per month for
qualied mass transit (MBTA, Commuter Rail plans. Hundreds of our members use these plan. See www.
cpa125.com for more information.
Under the city’s Medical Spending Plan employees who opt for inclusion will be reimbursed for a
variety of out-of-pocket medical expenses (such as doctor/dentist co-pays, prescriptions) with their pre-tax
dollars which are exempt from federal, state and FICA taxation. A typical teacher who joins the plan can save
up to 33% of $5,000 of out-of-pocket medical expenses per year. Retirement contributions are not affected.
The plan implementation specics of the Medical Spending Plan essentially parallels the Dependent
Care Plan (DCAP) and the Transportation Plans, except as noted.
New employees can sign up for any plan within 30 days of hire or during the Open Enrollment
Period (held in late fall), subject to the eligibility requirement mentioned above. Eligible employees can also
sign up within 30 days of some qualifying life events. As this latter provision is a complicated one, to fully
understand its signicance, one should call CPA, Inc., the city’s current vendor), at 1-800-544-2340 for full
information.
All three plans are relatively straightforward and provide a great tax benet, but employees have to
be cautious when participating inasmuch as moneys set aside for reimbursement must be used up by the end
of the year, or those leftover moneys are forfeited. This regulation arises from Section 125 of the Internal
Revenue Service Code, which governs these plans.
Here’s an example of how the Medical plan works.
1. Teacher Jones estimates that he will spend $2000 this year in out-of-pocket medical expenses, and
authorizes Cafeteria Plan Advisors, Inc. (CPA), the rm that manages the plan for the city, to take out $2000
divided by 22 or $90.91 over 22 pay periods to pay for these expenses. Under all plans deductions are taken
over 22 pay periods only. Each plan year runs from January to December.) The money is taken out of Jones’s
check on a pre-tax basis and is set aside in an account in Jones’s name at CPA. CPA charges Jones $54 per
year for this service. Continuing with the Jones’ example….
In mid-January, Jones has oral surgery. Jones’s out-of-pocket dental expenses total $1500 and Jones
submits receipted payment of the bill to CPA shortly thereafter. Within a matter of two to three weeks, he gets
his $1500 rebated to him. The $1500 spent is not subject to federal (approx. 28%), state (approx. 6%), or the
FICA (1.45% for those who entered employment after 3/31/86) tax. In all, Jones saves approximately 35%
of the $1500 or $525. Jones receives the total reimbursement up front although his annual contributions have
essentially just started. (Jones, incidentally, still has $500 of unused reimbursement money in his account to
be used for medical expenses incurred prior to December 31 of that year.)
B-16
A few points about the Medical Plan:
o Out-of-Pocket Medical expenses are broadly dened, and include for example, deductibles for
visits and prescriptions, out-of-pocket medical expenses, hearing devices, special telephones for the hearing
impaired, special diets, doctor-prescribed weight loss programs, and contact lenses to mention just a few.
Call CPA, Inc. at 1-800-544-2340 for a brochure and a more detailed listing.Over the counter drugs such as
antacids/pain relievers/allergy & cold medicines are allowable expenses. Vitamins are not eligible, unless
they are obtained by a prescription.
o You can get reimbursed for expenses up to your annualized (full) deduction regardless of how
much has been deducted from your paycheck as of the date of claim. (N.B. The DCAP works differently in
this regard. In the DCAP, your reimbursement schedule cannot outpace your contribution schedule.)
o You cannot generally make changes (including a stop) in your contribution schedule once the
calendar year begins UNLESS your certain circumstances (marriage, divorce, death, adoption, or birth)
change. A complete explanation can be found in the brochure published by CPA.
o You will forfeit moneys not used in the calendar year, so you must be very careful in setting up
your annual allowance. Do not overestimate your projected expenses. At the end of the calendar year, you
will have 90 days to submit a claim for reimbursement for expenses that took place during that calendar year.
N.B. These rules are currently in ux and subject to change for the better. For now, assume the worst
case scenario. You will be informed as to any changes.
o While the tax savings are in either plan are great, you need to be aware of plan rules, regulations,
and limitations BEFORE committing.
One can set up a Dependent Care Plan or a Transportation Plan in addition to a Medical Flexible
Spending Account. The mechanics of all plans are essentially the same, except for the issues of the
reimbursement schedule and eligibility. The accounts cannot be co-mingled.
Following is more detailed information about the Dependent Care Plan (DCAP):
The dollar limit of the Dependent Care Plan is $5,000. The same cautions as mentioned above apply.
Please keep in mind a few other points as well.
o Eligible DCAP expenses include day care, elder care, pre-school tuition and before/after- school
programs.
o Should you participate in the DCAP, the tax-free reimbursement you receive reduces the amount
of the income tax credits you are otherwise eligible for. CPA Inc. will help you generally determine whether
using tax credits or setting aside tax-free dollars is the most advantageous method for you. You still may want
to seek independent help from a tax adviser. You can call CPA Inc. at 1-800- 544-2340.
o Should you participate in the Dependent Care Plan you must provide the IRS on form 2441 with
relevant information, including a social security number or a taxpayer ID, regarding the caregiver.
The Transportation Plans are new additions to the Boston plan, and many of our members are
beginning to take advantage for both parking and MBTA/Commuter Rail Plans. Learn more about these
plans at www.cpa125.com, or by calling CPA, Inc., at 1-800-544-2340.
2. Severance Pay and the Sheltering of It
1. The number of hours of severance entitlement is found on your pay stub.
2. Eligible teachers (nurses and so on) and paraprofessionals are eligible to get
reimbursed for unused sick leave upon reaching 10 years of service
B-17
3. Payment comes in two increments, 50% on or before 12/31 of the year of retirement,
and 50% on or before 12/31 of the year after retirement.
4. Sheltering the rst half of your severance pay has now been made easier by an IRS
Ruling
5. A new IRS ruling has made it easier to shelter your severance pay using either a
403.B (Tax-Sheltered Annuity) Plan or a 457 Plan. The new ruling allows this tax-
sheltering device to be used up to 2 1/2 months after completion of service. Formerly,
the contribution had to be completed prior to service departure.
6. Teachers, nurses and paras who wish to do so may shelter the rst half of their
severance pay subject to individual IRS Calendar limits currently in place, taking into
account what (other) ‘sheltering’ contributions you have made to date in a given year,
if any.
Why shelter your severance? To postpone paying both federal and state income taxes on the
amount received. Although you will eventually pay both state and federal taxes on the amount ‘sheltered,’
you may be in a lesser tax bracket at the time you make the withdrawal. When withdrawn, the contribution
and any income or growth it has generated will be taxed as income using the tax rates in effect at that time.
Another reason to shelter or defer part of your severance is that the contribution (or deferral amount) will
grow tax-deferred, i.e., you will not have to pay yearly taxes on the growth or income the contribution earns.
You may shelter your severance using either of the common savings vehicles available to Boston teachers
(nurses and paras) – a 403B or a 457 plan. Both plans accept pre-tax deferrals and allow the employee a range
of savings options. You may use your current plan, subject to IRS-deferral limits, or open a plan of the other
type. There is an essential difference in the plans: In a 403B, you choose the vendor (insurance company
or mutual fund company) and there are 40 or so to choose from; in a 457, the homework is done for you,
as the state has awarded the contract to ING. The state also monitors the operation of the plan. For more
information on ING, see http://www6.ingretirementplans.com/SponsorExtranet/Mass/ if you wish. Other
than this difference, the plans operate essentially the same way.
Both income deferral and tax-deferred yearly growth are tax-advantaged benets to you, but it is not
the intent of this piece to give individual nancial advice. Nor is it the intent here to suggest that any particular
retiring member of the BTU take advantage of this plan, ING or any particular 403b company. That is a
personal decision for each to make after consultation with a nancial professional.
Again, this is not meant to offer nancial advice. You are strongly advised to seek the help of a
nancial professional before taking any of the steps outlined above. For more information, Please call the
union ofce.
3. Small Pension Fund
Boston Public School Teachers Retirement Fund Association (The “Small Pension Fund”).
The following is some general information about the fund which all teachers should be familiar with:
1. $2.40 per month ($24.00 per year) is deducted from the salary of all permanent
teachers. Provisional and substitute teachers do not contribute and are not members.
2. After 30 years of teaching service (equals $720.00 contribution) one is eligible for the
benet of the fund. i.e. a $12.00 per month annuity at retirement.
3. At the time of retirement. teachers may buy back years of outside service. provisional
or substitute service the difference between the contribution and $720.00. There are
two restrictions on the buyback provision (1) at least ten years of the thirty years must
have been in the Boston Public Schools and (2) for one year’s credit at least 140 days
must be worked in one school year.
B-18
4. If a person retires because of disability with less than the required thirty years of service.
That applicant may opt to pay the balance due as though working the full period and
be granted the annuity. Similarly, when an applicant has entered the profession too
late in life to serve a full thirty years. The same option to pay is permitted. Also, those
otherwise qualied to receive annuities who do not wish to complete paying up the full
amount to the Fund may apply for refunds.
5. Any teacher who has contributed to the Fund for more than two years, but who is
leaving the system before thirty years of service is eligible for a refund This refund will
be one half the amount paid into the Fund. Application for refund must be made within
one year after resignation or no refund can be made.
6. When a teacher, who has contributed for two full years, dies before resignation or
retirement, the teacher’s beneciary, or executor of the teacher’s estate must apply for
the refund. The refund for the beneciary or estate in this case is 100% of the amount
paid into the Fund.
7. For more information, call 617-621-4000.
B-19
BTU-COPE CONSTITUTION
The Committee on Political Education
Article I Name
This organization shall be known as Boston Teachers Union Committee on Political Education
(COPE).
Article II Purposes
The purposes of BTU COPE are:
1. To support and strengthen the commitment of the citizens and the government to excellence in
public education at all levels.
2. To promote and strive for the improvement of the public schools by encouraging and stimulating
educators to take a more active part.
3. To encourage educators to know and understand the nature and actions of their government and
the important political issues, as they pertain to public education.
4. To assist educators in organizing themselves for more effective political action, and in car- rying
out their civic responsibilities.
5. To engage in any suitable activities to achieve the purposes stated above.
Article Ill Committee
The affairs of this organization shall be managed by a Committee
1. The Committee shall consist of the President-and nineteen (19) other members.
2. The members of the Committee shall serve concurrently with the term of BTU ofcers.
Article IV Ocers
The Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected by and from the Committee and shall serve
for a term of two years.
Article V Meetings
Meetings shall be scheduled as needed. At least two meetings a year shall be held.
Article VI Parliamentary Authority and Procedure
Except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, all meetings of BTU-COPE shall be governed by
Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised.
Article VII Amendments
Amendments to these By-Laws shall be made in the same manner as amendments to the By- Laws
of the Boston Teachers Union.
Article VIII Finances
The organization shall be nanced by voluntary contributions. All contributions shall be deposited
in a fund distinct and separate from that of any other organization and shall be audited annually by an
independent agent.
B-20
Funds may be disbursed upon approval of a majority of the Committee for normal operating
expenses.
By a two-thirds vote funds may be disbursed to candidates.
Within ninety (90) days following a nal election the COPE Committee will make a full nancial
report to the membership.
Article IX Requirements for Political Endorsements
1. The COPE Committee shall consider recommending endorsements for candidates running in
all Federal elections; for Massachusetts Governor/Lt. Governor and Treasurer; for all State legislative races
where at least 25 BTU members reside; for Mayor of Boston and the Boston City Council. The COPE
Committee shall consider recommending endorsements in other political races when two thirds of the
members of the COPE Committee believe that such consideration is warranted.
2. All candidates in races where the BTU COPE Committee is considering recommending an
endorsement shall be sent a letter and a questionnaire no later than April 1st and shall be informed that in
order to be considered for an endorsement, the candidate must return the completed questionnaire to the BTU
ofce no later than April 15th. Candidates’ questionnaires shall be considered condential and shall not be
distributed beyond the COPE Committee.
3. In situations where an incumbent is seeking reelection, the BTU COPE Committee may elect to
recommend the endorsement of that candidate based on his/her record and questionnaire without conducting
an interview.
4. In all other races, the COPE Committee shall review the questionnaires and decide which
candidates to invite in for an endorsement interview. Based on the questionnaire and interview, the COPE
Committee may elect to recommend the endorsement of a candidate.
5. Members of the COPE Committee shall refrain from working on behalf of any candidate in a
race where the BTU customarily makes endorsements until the Committee has made a decision.
6. In races where the COPE Committee has decided to make no endorsement, members are free to
work for any candidate they choose; however, if the COPE Committee has made an endorsement in a race,
Committee members may not work for or contribute to an opposing candidate. After an election, the BTU
COPE Committee or individual members of the Committee may contribute to a non-endorsed candidate.
7. In state-wide and federal elections, the BTU COPE Committee may make contingent
recommendations; however, the BTU shall not endorse in these races prior to the AFT Massachusetts’
endorsement. If AFT Massachusetts does endorse in a race, the BTU shall either concur with the state
organization’s endorsement or opt to remain neutral. If AFT Massachusetts does not endorse in a race, the
BTU may elect to endorse a candidate or remain neutral.
8. Funds permitting, the BTU COPE Committee shall contribute the maximum allowed by law
to endorse candidates. Also, the COPE Committee may by a 2/3’s vote contribute to other candidates,
organizations or groups as the Committee deems appropriate.
9. The COPE Committee reserves the right to recommend the rescission of any endorsement.
10. In order to receive an endorsement the candidate must receive a two thirds vote of the Committee,
the Executive Board and the Membership.
B-21
CONSTITUTION OF THE
RETIRED TEACHERS CHAPTER
BOSTON TEACHERS UNION LOCAL 66
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AFL-CIO
April 2018
Article One
Name
The name of this organization shall be the Retired Teachers Chapter of the Boston Teachers Union,
Local 66 of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.
Article Two
Purposes
Section 1. To cooperate with the parent body the Boston Teachers Union, and realize all the general
objectives in Article II of the By-Laws of the Boston Teachers Union.
Section 2. To organize all retirees who were members of the BTU Local 66 upon retirement, or who
were in the union prior to promotion and have fallback status to the Boston Teachers Union.
Section 3. To formulate and effectuate programs that will advance the best interests of our members,
specically:
To provide economic information in such matters as Social Security and pensions.
To promote the health and welfare of our members.
To foster social, cultural, educational, and civic pursuits.
Article Three
Membership
Section 1. Members of the BTU, teachers, nurses, paraprofessionals or retirees who were in the union
prior to promotion and have fall-back status to the BTU, are eligible to become members of the RTC of the
BTU upon retirement and application to the Membership Committee. Such retirees shall be entitled to voice
and vote in the Chapter, subject to rules and regulations of the RTC Executive Board.
Section 2. Any RTC member who takes employment with the BPS in a supervisory position or as a
consultant, either full time or part time, who has the responsibility to recommend to hire and/or to discipline
and/or to discharge BTU members must surrender his/her RTC membership.
Section 3. He/she may reapply for membership in the RTC after leaving such employment with the
BPS.
B-22
Article Four
Ofcers
Section 1. The elected ofcers of the Retired Teachers Chapter are: Chairperson, Vice-Chair- person,
Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section 2. Elected ofcers shall serve for a term of two years. They shall take ofce following the
election.
Section 3. The immediate outgoing Chairperson shall serve ex-ofcio until the next election.
Section 4. The ofcers shall have the following functions:
To implement the decisions of the RTC Executive Board and the Standing Committees with the
cooperation of such Committee Chairpersons.
To assist the RTC Executive Board with planning for proper function of the organization.
Section 5. The Chairperson shall prepare the agenda for the RTC Executive Board meeting.
Any RTC member may submit a topic in writing one week prior to the meeting.
Section 6. The planning for the membership meetings shall be the joint responsibility of the
Chairperson and the RTC Executive Board.
Article Five
Standing Committees
Section 1. Membership, Social, Travel, Remembrance, Legislative, Election, Scholarship, Benets,
Data Processing, Social Media/Communications, and Archives shall comprise the Standing Committees.
The RTC Chairperson, subject to the approval of the RTC Executive Board, shall appoint the chairpersons
of such committees.
Section 2. The RTC Chairperson may also appoint co-chairs to the standing committees with the
approval of the RTC Executive Board.
Section 3. Members of standing committees will be appointed with the approval of the RTC
Executive Board.
Article Six
The Executive Board
Section 1. The RTC Executive Board shall consist of Ofcers and Chairpersons of Standing
Committees.
Section 2. A quorum shall consist of fty percent (50%) of the members of the RTC Execu- tive
Board.
Section 3. Regular meetings of the RTC Executive Board shall be held once every month from
September to June. Any member of the RTC may attend RTC Executive Board meetings with no voice or
vote.
Section 4. Special meetings may be called by the RTC Chairperson, or upon the written request of
one-third of the members of the RTC Executive Board.
Section 5. Members of the RTC Executive Board must attend 75% of RTC Executive Board or
membership or committee meetings unless excused by the chair.
B-23
Article Seven
Elections
Section 1. Elections for the Chairperson, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be held every
two years, during odd-numbered years. RTC elections shall coincide with the regular BTU elections. In the
event there is an RTC primary election and no BTU primary, the RTC primary will be held at the Spring
Membership Meeting.
Section 2. All candidates for elected positions must be members in good standing of the RTC by
January 1st of the year prior to the June Election.
Section 3. The RTC Executive Board shall be responsible for conducting and supervising RTC
elections in cooperation with the BTU.
Section 4. Candidates for the elected positions will be advertised in the Boston Union Teacher
following the editorial rules of the newspaper.
A closing date for nomination papers will be the March membership meeting of the BTU. Twenty-
ve signatures of RTC members will be necessary for the nomination of positions of Chairperson, Vice-
Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Article Eight
Vacancies
Any vacancy occurring among the ofcers or committee chairpersons shall be lled at an RTC
Executive Board meeting held subsequent to the announcement of such vacancy. Persons lling vacancies
shall serve to the end of the unexpired term of ofce.
Article Nine
Membership Meetings
A general meeting of the membership shall be held at least two times per year from September
through June. The RTC Chairperson, with the consent on the RTC Executive Board, may call special
meetings.
Article Ten
Amendments
Section 1. Proposed amendments to this constitution must be submitted by a petition in writing to the
Executive Board, signed by a majority of the RTC Executive Board, or by petition signed by not less than
10% of the membership of the RTC.
Section 2. Proposed amendments to the constitutional by-laws shall be considered by the RTC
Executive Board at the next regular monthly meeting after submission, and voted upon not later than the
second meeting of the RTC Executive Board. Such amendment (s) must be accepted by two-thirds of the
RTC Executive Board in order to be placed before the RTC membership.
Section 3. Two-thirds of the members present and voting at the RTC general membership meetings
shall be in the afrmative for the amendment(s) to be accepted and referred to the BTU president.
B-24
Article Eleven
Parliamentary Procedure
Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern parliamentary procedure not specically provided for in this
constitution.
Article Twelve
Dues
Dues for members of the Chapter shall be set by the Boston Teachers Union in accordance with its
constitution and procedures.
Article Thirteen
By-Laws
Section 1. Paid positions in the RTC are as follows:
The RTC Chairperson and RTC Vice-Chairperson are the only paid positions in the RTC. The
Chairperson receives 1/10 of a BTU Field Representatives’ salary. The Vice-Chairperson receives 3/4 of the
Chairperson’s salary.
The RTC Secretary and RTC Treasurer shall receive a stipend equivalent to the BTU Building
Representatives’ stipend.
Section 2. Basic duties of the Chairperson:
He/she will provide leadership and direction in recruiting RTC members to serve on subcom- mittees
or to ll vacant RTC Executive Board positions.
He/she will follow the specic work plan for that position agreed to in the by-laws.
He/she will give an oral report to the membership at the membership meetings and to the RTC
Executive Board at each monthly meeting.
The Chairperson will keep ofce hours on Wednesday from 10 AM to 2 PM to respond to questions
of RTC members.
The assurance of coverage will be in the hands of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson who will
arrange substitute coverage when necessary.
The Chairperson will serve as liaison ofcer between the RTC and the BTU, keeping the RTC
informed as to what is going on in the BTU and keeping BTU ofcers informed as to what is going on in
the RTC.
In the event of the Chairperson’s inability to perform his/her duties for any reason, the Vice-
Chairperson will assume the position of Coordinator. The RTC Executive Board will select a new Vice-
Chairperson. He/she will serve in that position until the next election.
Section 3. Basic duties of the Vice-Chairperson:
He/she will provide leadership and direction in recruiting RTC members to serve on subcommittees
or to ll vacant RTC Executive Board positions.
He/she will follow the specic work plan for that position agreed to in the by-laws.
B-25
He/she will give an oral report to the membership at the membership meetings and to the RTC
Executive Board at each monthly meeting.
The Vice-Chairperson will keep ofce hours on Thursdays from 10 AM to 2 PM and be available to
answer questions of the RTC members.
The assurance of coverage will be in the hands of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson who will
arrange substitute coverage when necessary.
The Vice-Chairperson is responsible for the managing of the RTC Dental Plan and will report
monthly to the RTC Executive Board.
In the event of the Vice-Chairperson’s inability to perform his/her duties for any reason, the RTC
Executive Board will select a new Vice-Chairperson. He/she will serve in that position until the next election.
Section 4. Basic duties of the Secretary:
Takes minutes of the monthly RTC Executive Board and membership meetings. Submits written
copies at the following RTC Executive Board meeting.
Submits minutes to the Boston Union Teacher after acceptance of minutes at the following RTC
Executive Board meeting.
Files minutes to be kept in RTC ofce. Sends reminders for meeting dates.
Is available on Wednesday or Thursday during RTC ofce hours except on the week that the
Executive Board meets.
In the event of the Secretary’s inability to perform his/her duties for any reason, the RTC Executive
Board will select a new Secretary. He/she will serve in that position until the next election.
Section 5. Basic duties of the Treasurer:
Is present at the monthly RTC Executive Board Meetings.
Provides three written reports at the September, February, and June Executive Board meetings that
include expenses and income.
Is available on Wednesday or Thursday during RTC ofce hours except on the week that the
Executive Board meets.
In the event of the Treasurer’s inability to perform his/her duties for any reason, the RTC Executive
Board will select a new Treasurer. He/she will serve in that position until the next election.
B-26
X-1
INDEX
A
ABA Specialists, 177–197
collective bargaining and, 191–192
compensationandbenetsfor,183–190
denitionof,179,193
disputeresolutionand,193–196
purposeofagreementfor,177
scopeofagreementfor,177
Wi-Fiuseby,182
workingconditionsfor,180–182
absence,leavesof.Seeleavesofabsence
academicallytalentedprogram,middleschools,39
academic coaches, 95
AcademicLadderCredit(ALC),107–108
accessibility, 99, 215
accident,absencedueto,118,150
accountability,forqualityandperformance,2–3
ActingAssistantHeadmaster,108
acting positions
compensationfor,108
lling,80
ActingPresidentofUnion,B-8
AdaptivePhysicalEducationTeachers,50,51
administrative periods
denitionof,34
grievancemeetingsduring,124
non-teachingassignmentsand,36
forProjectPromiseteachers,37
forSEIMSduties,45
forSPEDteachers,34
teachingloadand,34
administrators,andCenterforLeadership
Developmentprograms,88
adoption,leaveand,120
AdvisoryCommittee,CenterforLeadership
Development,90
afliationsofUnion,B-7
afrmativeaction
ABA Specialists and, 191
non-discriminationand,123,155,170
paraprofessionalsand,155
stafngand,52
substituteteachers/nursesand,170
teachersand,102
AffordableCareAct,204
AFT,delegatesto,B-4
airqualitytesting,100
ALC(AcademicLadderCredit),107–108
alternatearbitrationprocedure,130,160,175,196
alternative compensation, 122
alternativeeducation,98
alternative service providers, 52
Amendments
to bylaws, B-7
American Arbitration Association
ABASpecialistsand,196
paraprofessionalsand,160
substituteteachers/nursesand,174,175
teachersand,129,130
withdrawalofprogramdirectorscasebefore,
212
AmericanFederationofTeachers,BostonTeachers
Union.SeeUnion
announcedobservations,64,66,67
Annual Education Plan, 2
annual school assessment, 22
annuities,tax-free
ABASpecialistsand,184
paraprofessionalsand,147
teachersand,113
applications
forpromotion,80
forvacancy,79
apprenticeshipclasses,compensationfor,111
April19holidayweek,54,143,184
arbitrationprocedures.Seealsogrievanceand
arbitration procedures
forABASpecialists,196
alternateprocedurein,130,160,175,196
forparaprofessionals,160
forperformanceevaluations,75
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,82
forsubstituteteachers/nurses,174–175
forSupervisorsofAttendance,48
forswimminginstructors,42
forteachers,129–130
withdrawalofprogramdirectorscaseon,212
art,booksandsuppliesfor,99
artifactsofprofessionalpractice,60,64,66
art teachers, 95
asbestos, 99
assaults, i
court leave and, 119
ABASpecialistsand,180
paraprofessionalsand,135,151
teachersand,101
assessment data
collecting, 21–22
recording,39
Assessments Council, Student, 19
assignment
ofABASpecialists,181–182
ofDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,46
ofsubstituteteachers,165
ofSupervisorsofAttendance,48
AssignmentTransferSpecialist,45
X-2
AssistantHeadmaster(subjectmatter)
acting,108
promotionsand,80
scholarshipstandardsand,39–40
Assistant Superintendent
ABASpecialists’lesand,180
COSEand,43
disputeresolutionand,158–159,173,194
leavesofabsencewithoutpayand,189
paraprofessionallesand,135
resource center and, 97
AssistantSuperintendentofHumanResources
laneadvancementand,107
voluntaryexcessingand,81
AssistantSuperintendentofSpecialEducationand
SupportServices,43
AthleticDirector,41
attendancereports,submissiondeadlinefor,39
audio-visualequipmentresponsibility,
compensationfor,110
auditofUnionnances,B-6
awards, career
forparaprofessionals,150
forSupervisorsofAttendance,47
forteachers,116
AWOL, 121
B
Bachelor’s degree
ABASpecialistsand,184
paraprofessionalsalaryand,144–147
teachersalaryand,104–106
bathrooms, 99
benchmarktesting,40
benets.Seealsocompensation
forparaprofessionals,143–154
pre-tax,B-15–B-16
forsubstituteteachers,166–169
forteachers,102–122
bereavement leave
ABASpecialistsand,189
clustersubstitutesand,168
paraprofessionalsand,152
teachers and, 119
bestpractices,fromCenterforLeadership
Development,89
bilingualstaff
class size and, 25
FacultySenatefor,8
GuidanceCounselorsas,29,40
Language Assessment Team Leaders as, 112
paraprofessionalsas,132,137
programareaqualicationfor,77,199
psychologists as, 79
black teachers
afrmativeactionand,52
SchoolSiteCouncilsand,10
BlueCareElectPreferred,115,148
bonuses,forperdiemsubstitutes,168
books, access to, 99
Boston City Council, and Extended Learning Time
(ELT) program, 59
BostonCOMPACT,90
BostonHigherEducationPartnership,89
BostonHoraceMannCharterSchools,18,57,58
BostonPlanforExcellence,90
BostonPublicSchoolTeachersRetirementFund
Association,B-17–B-18
Boston School Sports and Fitness Corporation
(BSSFC),41
Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC)
shareddecision-makingand,12,14
Student Assessments Council and, 19
BostonTeachersUnion.SeeUnion
CommitteeonPoliticalEducationof.See
Committee on Political Education
BostonUnionTeachernewspaper,i
BSAC.SeeBostonStudentAdvisoryCouncil
budget
airqualitytestingand,100
alternativeeducationand,98
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentand,90
coachingstaffand,41
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
56–57
fundingclauseand,121
homeless student support and, 19
foritinerantserviceproviders,51
local decision-making and, 19
needforappropriatelevelof,3
pilotschoolsand,16
forprofessionaldevelopment43,87
SchoolSiteCounciland,11,14
ofUnion,B-2,B-6
building administrators
beginningofteacherworkyearand,53
books and supplies and, 99
class size and, 27
parent-teacher meetings and, 55
performanceevaluationsand,181
professionaldevelopmentscheduleand,53
schoolbudgetand,18
sickleaveand,118
substituteteacherevaluationby,165
BuildingRepresentatives
beginningofteacherworkyearand,53
denitionof,6,134
disputeresolutionforparaprofessionalsand,
157–158
disputeresolutionforsubstituteteachers/nurses
and,171,172,173
effectiveworkingrelationshipsand,8
Executive Board and, B-2
FacultySenateand,B-8
linggrievancesand,156,B-12–B-13
X-3
grievancetimefor,192
leaveofabsencepostponedby,152
SchoolSiteCounciland,12,14
schoolstafngand,15
Unionnoticesand,124
WeingartenRightsand,ii
buildings,96–99.Seealsospecicroomsand
facilities
airqualitytestingin,100
asbestos removal in, 99
constructionandrepairof,100
smokingbanin,100
Wi-Fiin,99,138,165,182
workingconditionsin.Seeworkingconditions
bulletin boards
forschoolinformation,100
forUnionnotices,124
BurkeHighSchool,20
bus passes, 97, B-15
bylaws
ofSchoolSiteCouncils,13
ofUnion,B-1–B-10
C
CafeteriaPlan,122,B-15–B-16
calendar,school,54.Seealsoschedules
careeradvancement,andperformanceevaluation,
73–74
career awards
forABASpecialists,186
forparaprofessionals,150
forSupervisorsofAttendance,47
forteachers,116
CareerinTeachingPanel,87,88,90
CareerinTeachingPlan,90
CareerinTeachingProgram,90
careerladder,90
caseload
forCOSE,42–43
fornon-classroompersonnel,27–28
transitiontoworkloadmodelfor,28
CaseloadEducator,denitionof,60
categoriesofevidence,denitionof,60
CCL (Collaborative Coaching and Learning), 91
CenterforLeadershipDevelopment(CLD),88–91
AdvisoryCommitteeof,89,90
sabbaticalsand,86
substituteteachersand,165
centralofce
clustersubstitutesand,164
SupervisorsofAttendanceand,48
certication
ABASpecialistsand,181
itinerantserviceprovidersand,50
NationalBoardforProfessionalTeaching
Standards and, 91
paraprofessionalsand,141
PDPcerticatesand,53
programareasand,198–202
qualicationsfor,75
state,75,83
teachingoutsideof,36
CEUs(ContinuingEducationUnits),49,89
change,commitmentof,1
ChiefStructuralEngineer,100
child care
DependentCarePlanand,B-14,B-16
leavefor,120,154,190
children,enrolledatparentalplaceofemployment,
122
choral group teachers, 51
Christmasholiday,54,143,184
“ChronicallyUnderPerforming”schools,23
CityCouncilofBoston,andhealthinsurance,149,
185
CitywideHubCommunitySchoolCoordinator,44
class coverage payment, 111
classrooms
facilitiesfor,98,99–100
visitsto,98
classsize,24,25–28,29
classroomteacher,denitionof,60
CLD.SeeCenterforLeadershipDevelopment
clericalparaprofessionals.Seeparaprofessionals
clinical coordinators
compensationfor,112
stafngof,50
clinical social workers
caseloadfor,28
continuingeducationand,50
facilitiesfor,98
layoffsand,83
mental health and social emotional learning
staffand,20
stafngof,20
clubresponsibility,compensationfor,110
Cluster Leader
clustersubstituteevaluationby,164,165
disputeresolutionforABASpecialistsand,194
disputeresolutionforparaprofessionalsand,
158
disputeresolutionforsubstituteteachers/nurses
and,172–173
disputeresolutionforteachersand,127–128
School Site Council voting and, 12
SupervisorsofAttendanceand,48
ClusterOfce
clustersubstitutesassignedto,165
SupervisorsofAttendanceand,48
X-4
cluster substitutes
bereavementleavefor,168
denitionof,163
HealthandWelfareFundfor,168
forparaprofessionals,137
performanceevaluationof,165
professionaldevelopmentfor,165
salaryschedulefor,166
sickleavefor,167
workscheduleanddutiesof,164
coaches
academic, 95
payratefor,110
stafngof,41
CoachesCommittee,41
CodeofDiscipline,100
collaboration, and Extended Learning Time (ELT)
program, 57
Collaborative Coaching and Learning (CLL), 91
collaborativeworkingrelationships,3
collective bargaining
ABA Specialists and, 191–192
committeefor,B-3
compensationmodelsand,18
newissuesand,5,133,159,178
paraprofessionalsand,155–156
substituteteachers/nursesand,170
teachersand,123–125
collegeleaveofabsence
forattendance,152,188
forgraduation,152,189
collegecredits,salarybasedon,147
Committee.SeeSchoolCommittee
CommitteeonPoliticalEducation(C.O.P.E.)
ABA Specialists and, 192
paraprofessionalsand,156
teachersand,124
CommitteeRules,availabilityof,100
commonplanningperiod,31,34
commonprofessionaldevelopmenttime,95
communications,fromUnion,i,B-7–B-8
community
accountabilityof,2
HubCommunitySchoolsand,20
CommunityFieldCoordinators.Seealso
paraprofessionals
excessingand,139,140
laptop program and, 151
RestorativePracticeand,51
salaryschedulefor,145
unioncontractfor,132
vacanciesand,141
communityliaisonparaprofessionals,132.Seealso
paraprofessionals
commuterrailpasses,97,B-15,B-16
compensation.Seealsobenets
forABASpecialists,183,184–185
alternative, 122
certicationand,102
class size and, 27
Collaborative Coaching and Learning (CLL)
and, 91
Committeeobligationsfor,117
forConsultingTeachers,92–93
forCOSE,43
forDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,
45
forExtendedLearningTime(ELT)program,
57–58
forInvestigativeCounselors,46
mileagereimbursementand,112–113
newmodelsfor,18
forNewTeacherDevelopers(NTDs),87
forparaprofessionals,143–154
paycreditand,112,150,185
payratesanddifferentials,104–109
forPeerAssistants,93
forperformingartsteachers,51
inpilotschools,17,18
ProjectPromiseand,37
forprovisionalteachers,103
forRestorativePracticeCoaches,51
salarypaymentandschedulesfor,103–106
severancepayand,113
specialratesandextracurricularpaymentsfor,
110–112
stepplacementandadvancementand,102–103
forsubstituteteachers,166
inSuperintendent’sSchools,23
forSupervisorsofAttendance,47
forswimminginstructors,42
forteachers,102–120
trainingand,143
complianceparaprofessionals,151
computerization
ofcumulativerecords,96
ofreportcards,39
conferences,educational,daysfor,87
constructionandrepairoffacilities,100
consultation,forjointproblem-solving,7
consultationrooms,96
ConsultingTeachers(CTs),92–93
contactingtheUnionofce,i
ContinuingEducationUnits(CEUs),49,89
contracts,52,137,165
contractual hourly wages, 111
convention leave
educational, 119
Union,119,152,189,B-4
cooperatingteachers,35,112
X-5
C.O.P.E.SeeCommitteeonPoliticalEducation
CorporationCounsel,andassaultcases,101,135,
180
COSE,42–43
courses,fromCenterforLeadershipDevelopment,
89
courtleave,119,152,189
coverageparaprofessionals,99
CPRtraining,49
CTs(ConsultingTeachers),92–93
CurriculumFrameworks,63–64
D
dance teachers, 51
dates,effective
ofparaprofessionalcontract,132
ofsubstitutecontract,162
ofteachercontract,4
DayandEveningAcademy,The,18
DayHighSchool,110
DCAP(DependentCarePlan),B-14,B-16
deaf,teachersof,109
death
infamily.Seebereavementleave
ofteacher,compensationafter,112
decision-making
jointSteeringCommitteeand,7
school-based, 2
shared.Seeshareddecision-making
delegatestoconventions,electionof,B-4
demonstration lessons, 91
DepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,45–46
DependentCarePlan(DCAP),B-14,B-16
DeputySuperintendent.Seesuperintendent
DevelopingEducatorPlan,60,71
differentials,109
dignityofeveryperson,3
direct deposit services, 122
DirectedGrowthPlan
afterImprovementPlan,72
denitionof,61
descriptionof,71
developmentof,70
FormativeAssessmentand,68
FormativeEvaluationand,69
observationwith,67
Director
ABASpecialists’lesand,180
denitionof,6
disputeresolutionforparaprofessionalsand,
157,158
disputeresolutionforsubstituteteachers/nurses
and, 172
disputeresolutionforteachersand,127
DirectorofPersonnel,andassaultcases,101,135,
180
disabilities, students with
accessibility and, 215
classsizeand,26
IEPmeetingswith,29
inclusive practices and, 29
disability insurance, long term, 122
discharge
ofABASpecialists,181
ofDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,46
ofInvestigativeCounselors,47
ofparaprofessionals,137
ofsubstituteteachers,165
ofSupervisorsofAttendance,48
ofswimminginstructors,42
ofteacher,afterImprovementPlan,72–73
discipline
ofABASpecialists,181
ofDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,46
ofInvestigativeCounselors,47
ofparaprofessionals,137
ofstudents,100
ofsubstituteteachers,165
ofSupervisorsofAttendance,48
ofswimminginstructors,42
DiscoverySchools,18
diseasemanagementprograms,204
dismissal.Seedischarge
disputeresolution.Seealsoarbitrationprocedures
ABASpecialistsand,193–196
commitmenttopeacefulmeansusedfor,130,
160,175,196
layoffsand,83
paraprofessionalsand,157–159
pilot schools and, 17
recalland,84
substitute teachers/nurses and, 171–175
teachersand,126–130
districtsocialworkers,20
diversity
commitmentto,3
non-discriminationand,123
SchoolSiteCouncilsand,10
sharedvaluesbetweenschoolsandunionfor,
218
doctorate degree
careerawardsand,186
teachersalaryand,107,108
“DoesNotMeetStandards”performancerating
paraprofessionalsand,138,140
voluntaryexcessingand,81
donationprogramforsickleave,190
drama teachers, 51
dual-languageprograms,benchmarktestingin,40
dues.SeeUniondues
duplicationequipment,accessto,97
X-6
duty-freelunches
forABASpecialists,183
forparaprofessionals,144
forsubstituteteachers/nurses,164
forteachers,34–35
E
EarlyChildhoodteachers,andSEIMS,45
earlylearningcenters,compensationfor,112
earlyreleasedays,54
e-Bulletin, i
Editorial Board, B-2
educationalconferencedays,87
EducationalIssuesCommittee,B-2
educationalcontracts,52,137
educationalprinciples,basic,2-3
educator,denitionof,inevaluation,60
educatorevaluation.Seeperformanceevaluation
EducatorPlans,inevaluation,60,67,68,69,70–71
EducatorSupportsProgram(ESP),91–94
Educator Supports Program (ESP) Panel, 92
EdwardsMiddleSchool,214
effectivedates
ofparaprofessionalcontract,132
ofsubstitutecontract,162
ofteachercontract,4
ElectionCommittee,B-3,B-4,B-5
elections
forFacultySenate,B-12
forSchoolSiteCouncil,10,13
forUnionpositions,i,B-3–B-6
ElementaryFieldRepresentatives
electionof,B-3–B-6
as Executive Board member, i, B-2
elementary schools
alternativeeducationin,98
classsizein,25–26,27
duty-freelunchesin,34–35
evening,compensationfor,111
inclusionclassroomsand,28–33
parent-teacher meetings and, 55
planninganddevelopmentperiodsin,34,56
recordingnalrecordsin,38
relieffromnon-teachingtasksin,35
representationfor,B-2
SEIMSand,44
teacherassignmentproceduresin,36
teacher-in-chargein,108–109
emergency,postponingleaveofabsenceduring,
152
Employee Organization/Association, 72
employmentofrelatives,6,134,179
endorsementsbyUnion,B-7
English as Second Language teachers, and class
size,26
Englishassessmenttest,64
EnglishLanguageLearnersProgram,7,10,31,43
equalopportunityandaccess,assharedvalue,218
ESE(MassachusettsDepartmentofElementary
andSecondaryEducation),18,25,57,60,61,62,
64–65,74,215
ESLteachers,andclasssize,26
ESP(EducatorSupportsProgram),91–94
ESP Panel, 92
ETL,andprogramareaqualication,76
evaluation
ConsultingTeachers(CTs)and,93
denitionof,61
evaluationcycles,61,64–70
evaluationofperformance.Seeperformance
evaluation
EvaluationTeamLeaders,8
evaluators
annualorientationfor,65
denitionof,61
DirectedGrowthPlanand,71
EducatorPlanand,70
FormativeAssessmentand,69
FormativeEvaluationand,69
generalprovisionsfor,74–75
goalsettingand,66
ImprovementPlanand,71–73
observationand,67–68
performanceevaluationtimelinesand,73
Self-DirectedGrowthEducatorPlanand,71,
72
SummativeEvaluationand,69–74
teacherself-assessmentand,63,66
eveningschools,compensationfor,111
ExamSchool,39
excessing
ofparaprofessionals,139–140
inpilotschools,18
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,81
programareaqualicationand,77
ProjectPromiseand,37
Superintendent’sSchoolsand,23
ofSupervisorsofAttendance,48
voluntary,81–83
ExecutiveBoardofUnion
annualauditand,B-6
Bylaw amendments and, B-7
communicationsfrom,B-7–B-8
electionof,B-3–B-6
generalproceduresof,B-8–B-9
meeting attendance by, B-2, B-7
membersof,i,B-1,B-2
representationand,B-2–B-3
Unionbudgetand,B-6
ExecutiveDirectorofCenterforLeadership
Development,89
ExecutiveVicePresidentofUnion
communicationsfrom,B-7–B-8
dutiesof,B-9
electionof,B-3–B-5
as Executive Board member, i, B-2
X-7
exemplaryperformancerating
careeradvancementand,73–74
denitionof,62
observationand,67
goalsettingby,66
self-assessmentand,63
Self-DirectedGrowthPlanfor,60,71
SummativeEvaluationand,69,70
experiencededucator,denitionof,61
ExtendedLearningTime(ELT)program,56–59,
214
ExternalFundsbudget,18
extracurricularactivities,110,112
F
Faculty Senates
Chairpersonsof,8,B-11
formationandrecognitionof,7–8
guidelinesfor,B-11–B-13
leaveofabsencepostponedby,152
parent-teacher meetings and, 55
SchoolSiteCouncilsand,12,14
family
deathin.Seebereavementleave
denitionof,inevaluation,61
homelessness and, 19
familyleave.Seematernityleave;parentalleave
familyliaisons,142
familymembers.Seerelatives
Fast Lane transponders, 97
fathers,parentalleavefor,119–120
femalepersonalpronouns,6
lecabinets,99
les,employment
forABASpecialists,180
forparaprofessionals,135
forteachers,100–101
nalrecords,recording,38
nances,bylawson,B-6
FirstAidcertication,49
exibility,importanceof,2
FlexibleSpendingAccount(FSA),205
FlexibleSpendingPlan,97,122,B-15–B-16
exibleworkdays,35
FormativeAssessment,22,61,73
FormativeEvaluation,61,69,73
fringebenets,forswimminginstructors,42
fundingclause,121
funds.Seebudget
G
GardnerPilotAcademy,20
GeneralCounsel,anddisputeresolution,128,159
general membership meetings, B-7
goal,denitionof,inevaluation,62
goalsetting,inperformanceevaluation,64,65,66
GoodFridayholiday,54,143,184
GoverningBoard,inpilotschools,17,18
gradelevel,classsizeby,26
grades,recordingof,38,39
graduation,leavesofabsencefor,152,189
grandfatherprotection
forcoaches,41
in program areas, 77
GreaterBostonLaborCouncil,delegatesto,B-4
grievanceandarbitrationprocedures,i.Seealso
arbitration procedures
alternativeproceduresfor,159
BuildingRepresentativesand,156,192
foroutsideeducationalcontracts,52
forperformanceevaluations,75
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,82
schooltimefor,124,192
forSupervisorsofAttendance,48
forswimminginstructors,42
timelimitsin,159,173–174,195
Grievance Committee, B-2
grievances, i
denitionof,127,157,171,193
disputeresolutionfor,126–130,157–159
ling,B-12–B-14
guidanceadvisors,40
guidance counselors
budgetfor,51
caseloadfor,28
facilitiesfor,96
FacultySenatefor,8
exibleworkdaysfor,35
mental health and social emotional learning
staffand,20
professionaldevelopmentfor,95
pilotschoolsand,16
salaryschedulefor,107,108
stafngof,20,40
H
headmasters.Seeprincipals/headmasters
HealthandWelfareFund
forABASpecialists,186
forclustersubstitutes,168
forDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,
45
forInvestigativeCounselors,46
forparaprofessionals,150,168
forSupervisorsofAttendance,47
forteachers,116–117,150
Unionconventionleaveand,119,152,189
HealthCareersAcademy,18
health insurance
forABASpecialists,185
Medicareplanchangesand,208
MemorandumofAgreementfor,203–205
non-Medicareplanchangesand,207
forparaprofessionals,140–141
forsubstituteteachers/nurses,167
forteachers,114–115
X-8
healthmaintenanceorganizations(HMOs)
changesto,207
paraprofessionalsand,148,149
substituteteachers/nursesand,167
teachersand,114,115,116
healthparaprofessionals,49,139
H.H.H.O.R.C.,compensationfor,109
high needs, students with, 19
high schools
alternativeeducationin,98
classsizein,25–26,27
duty-freelunchesin,34–35
evening,compensationfor,111
HubCommunitySchoolCoordinatorand,44
inclusionclassroomsand,28–33
masterschedulein,33
planninganddevelopmentperiodsin,34,56
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,81
recordingnalrecordsin,38
representationfor,B-2
SchoolSiteCounciland,9,10
SEIMSand,45
summerreview,compensationfor,111
teacherassignmentproceduresin,35–36
high school students
school-based management and, 9
SchoolSiteCouncilswith,9,10,15
hiring
rateof,102
School Site Council Subcommittee and, 15
ofsubstitutes,38
holiday schedule
forparaprofessionals,143–144,152,153
forteachers,54,119
Home Economics
booksandsuppliesfor,99
facilitiesfor,96
stafngfor,40
homelessness,jointcommitteeon,19
homeroomclasses,34,55
HoraceMannCharterSchools,18,57,58
hourlypositions,payratefor,110
hourlywages.Seealsocompensation
contractual, 112
forparaprofessionals,144
HubCommunitySchools,20,44
HubCommunitySchoolCoordinator,44
hybrid teacher roles, 51
I
IEP.SeeIndividualizedEducationPlan
ILT(InstructionalLeadershipTeam),11,21,29,
30,56
ImprovementPlan
denitionof,61
ConsultingTeachers(CTs)and,93
descriptionof,71–73
DirectedGrowthPlanand,71
observationand,67
unsatisfactoryratingand,73
IndigenousPeople’sDay,54,143,184
IndividualProfessionalDevelopmentPlan(IPDP),
23,88
IndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct
(IDEA),29
in-service courses
forABASpecialists,181
forparaprofessionals,136
forteachers,181
inclusioneducation,28–33
teacherinputin,29–30
transition to an inclusive district in, 29
InclusionEducationLiaison,33
InclusionPlanningTeams,29–30
InclusionWorkingGroup,216–217
individualizedbenchmarktesting,40
IndividualizedEducationPlan(IEP)
ABASpecialistsand,180
announcedobservationsand,67
classsizeand,25,26
COSEand,42
inclusiveclassroomsand,29,30–31
studentswithdisabilitiesand,28
IndividualProfessionalDevelopmentPlans
(IDPD),23
industrialaccidentclaims,118
IndustrialArts
booksandsuppliesfor,99
classsizefor,25
compensationfor,107
facilitiesfor,96
promotionand,80
stafngfor,40
informationavailability,100
InformationOfcer,45
injury,absencedueto,118,151,188
InnovationSchools,57,58
InstructionalLeadershipTeam(ILT),11,21,29,
30,56
instructionaltime,inSuperintendent’sSchools,23
insurance
health.Seehealthinsurance
life,116,149,167
long term disability, 122
internal appeals process, in pilot schools, 17
interventionprocess,inpilotschools,18
interviews,writtennoticeafter,85
InvestigativeCounselors,46–47
IPDP(IndividualProfessionalDevelopmentPlan),
23
itinerantserviceproviders.Seealsospecic
providers
consultationroomsfor,96
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
58
lecabinetsfor,99
X-9
SEIMSand,44
stafngof,50–51
J
JacksonMannSchool,109
jobsharing,forparaprofessionals,138
Joint Commission on Students and Families
Experiencing Homelessness, 19
jointproblem-solving,7–8
JointLabor-ManagementCommittee
foralternativecompensation,122
evaluationprocessandproceduresand,74
forJROTC,51
forSuperintendent’sSchools,24
transitiontoworkloadmodeland,28
JointTaskForce(JRC),andExtendedLearning
Time(ELT)program,56,57,58,59
JointUnion/ManagementCommittees
forcomputerizationofreportcards,39
forevaluatingparaprofessionals,136
forguidancecounselors,40
foritinerantserviceproviders,50
forProfessionalDevelopmentInstitute,94
forStudentSupportCoordinators,51
forUniedStudentServices,28
journeymanclasses,compensationfor,111
JROTC,51,110
Juneteenthholiday,54,143,184
K
kindergarten
classsizefor,40
stafngfor,40
startingdayof,53
kindergarten teachers
FacultySenateand,8
schedulesfor,40
L
LaborCouncil,GreaterBoston,delegatesto,B-4
laneadvancement,107
Language Assessment Team Leader, compensation
for,112
LanguagePathologists.SeeSpeechandLanguage
Pathologists
Laptops
forABASpecialists,168
Wi-Fiinschoolbuildingsand,99,138,165,
182
LatinHighSchool,110
LatinSchool,38
lawdegree(J.D.),andsalaryschedule,107,186
laws
layoffsand,83
provisionscontraryto,5,133,163,178
recalland,84
SchoolSiteCouncilcompliancewith,14
studentswithdisabilitiesand,28
layoffs
ofABASpecialists,182
ofClinicalSocialWorkers,83
ofDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,46
ofparaprofessionals,138–139,140–141
procedurefor,83
programareaqualicationand,77
seniorityand,46
of636 Coordinators,49
ofSPEDteachers,76,77
ofSupervisorsofAttendance,48
ofswimminginstructors,42
Unionmembershipand,B-2
leadership,foreffectiveworkingrelationships,8
leadershipdevelopmentprograms,88
leadsignlanguageinterpreters,50
LeadTeachers,88,89,91
learning,multiplemeasuresof,63–64
learningspaces,facilitiesfor,98
leavesofabsence
forABASpecialists,187–190
foradoption,120
AWOL and, 122
forbereavement,119,152,168,189
forchildcare,120,152,189
forcollegeattendance,152,188
forcollegegraduation,152,189
forconventions,119,152,189,B-4
forcourtbusiness,119,152,189
forparentalleave,119–120,153–154,187
forparaprofessionals,151–153,154
programareaqualicationand,76
seniority and, 75
forteachers,117–121
leavingschoolpremisesduringduty-freelunch,35
lengthofpupilday,54
lengthofschoolday,54,55
lengthofschoolyear,53–54
lengthofservice,andstepplacement,103
lengthofworkday/year.Seeschedules
letterofreasonableassurance,78
Level4School,ExtendedLearningTime(ELT)
program in, 57
Level 5 School, Extended Learning Time (ELT)
program in, 57
librarians,exibleworkdaysfor,35
libraries,facilitiesfor,96
libraryparaprofessionals.Seealso
paraprofessionals
layoffsand,139
professionaldevelopmentfor,138
salaryschedulefor,145
lifeinsurance,116,149,167
local level decision-making, 2, 19
long term disability insurance, 122
X-10
long term substitutes
denitionof,163
performanceevaluationof,165
professionaldevelopmentfor,165
provisionalcontractsfor,165
salaryschedulefor,166
sickleavefor,167
workscheduleanddutiesof,165
loopingmodelofteacherassignment,36
lounges,forteachers,97
low-performingschools,22–23
lunchduty,35
lunches,duty-free.Seeduty-freelunches
M
mailboxes,forteachers,97
malepersonalpronouns,6
managementrights,ofCommitteeand
Superintendent,5,133,163,178
ManagerforEmployeeRelations,anddispute
resolution,127–128,158,172–173
markbooks,101
marks,recordingof,38
MartinLutherKingJr.Day,54,143,184
MassachusettsCommissionerofEducation,57
MassachusettsCurriculumFrameworks,63,64
MassachusettsDepartmentofElementaryand
SecondaryEducation(ESE),18,25,57,60,61,62,
64–65,74,215
MassachusettsEducationReformAct,79,88
MassachusettsEnglishProciencyAssessment,64
MassachusettsVocationalTechnicalEducation
Frameworks,64
MasterMedical,cessationof,115,148
Master’sdegree
careerawardsand,186
stepplacementand,103
teachersalaryand,103–106
maternityleave,119–120,154,190
MBTAbusandsubwaypasses,97,B-15,B-16
MCASAlternativeAssessmentportfolios,101
MCASStudentGrowthPercentile(SGP),64,70
measurable,denitionof,62
mediatorsfordisputeresolution
forABASpecialists,193
forparaprofessionals,157
forsubstituteteachers/nurses,171
forteachers,126–127
MedicalSpendingPlan,B-15–B-16
MedicarePartB,205
Medicareplans,changesto,208
meetings,Union,i,124,155
membership,ofUnion,B-1–B-2,B-6
membershipmeetings,Union,B-6
membershiprotation,forSchoolSiteCouncils,10
MemorialDay,54,143,184
MemorandumofAgreement
forABASpecialists,197
forhealthinsurance,203–205
forparaprofessionals,149,161
onstudentfeedbackineducatorevaluation,215
forsubstituteteachers/nurses,168
forteachers,116,131
MemorandumofSharedValues(May2019),218
MemorandumofUnderstanding(May2019),
216–217
mentalhealthproviders,20
mentoringprogram,paraprofessional,138
middle schools
alternativeeducationin,98
class size in, 25
duty-freelunchin,34–35
masterschedulein,33
planninganddevelopmentperiodsin,34,56
recordingnalrecordsin,38
relieffromnon-teachingtasksin,35
representationfor,B-2
summerreview,compensationfor,111
teacherassignmentproceduresin,35–36
telephonesforteacherusein,97
mileage reimbursement
forABASpecialists,185
foritinerantserviceproviders,50
forparaprofessionals,150
forteachers,112–113
militaryleaveofabsence,120,151,188
militaryservice,andcompensation,106
minorityteachers,andafrmativeaction,52
MOA.SeeMemorandumofAgreement
mothers
nursingroomsfor,99
parentalleavefor,119–120,153–154,187
motions, in parliamentary procedure, B-11
multiplemeasuresofstudentlearning,63–64
music,facilitiesfor,96
music teachers
compensationfor,51,106
FacultySenatefor,8
professionaldevelopmentfor,95
stafngfor,40
N
NationalBoardCertication,50,91
NationalBoardforProfessionalTeaching
Standards, 91
National Teachers Examination, 75
“NeedsImprovement”performancerating
denitionof,62
peerassistanceandreviewand,94
negotiatingteam,B-2–B-3
NewTeacherDevelopers(NTDs),87
NoChildLeftBehind,23,213
nominationsforUnionpositions,B-3–B-6,B-9
X-11
non-discrimination
ABA Specialists and, 191
paraprofessionalsand,155
substituteteachers/nursesand,170
teachersand,123
non-Medicareplans,changesto,207
non-teachingtasks,35,36
notication,denitionof,inevaluation,61
NTDs(NewTeacherDevelopers),87
nurses
budgetfor,51
caseloadfor,28
consultationroomsfor,96
contractarticlesnotapplyingto,6
creditforpriorexperienceof,103
denitionof,6
FacultySenatefor,8
layoffsand,82
lengthofworkdayfor,54
pilotschoolsand,16
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,81
provisional, 79
reemploymentof,84–85
stafngof,49
substitute.Seenurses,substitute
suppliesfor,99
nurses,substitute,162–175
annualqualicationasUnionmembersby,162
collectivebargainingfor,170
dispute resolution and, 171–175
hiringof,38
performancedevelopmentfor,167
purposeofagreementfor,163
removalandreinstatementasUnionmembers
of,162
scopeofagreementfor,163
stafngfor,49
Wi-Fiuseby,165
workingconditionsfor,164–165
nursing rooms, 99
O
observation
announced,64,66,67
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentand,89
denitionof,62
ImprovementPlanand,71
NewTeacherDevelopersand,87
performanceevaluationand,64,66–68
unannounced,64,66,67,73
occupationaleducation,programareaqualication
for,200
occupational therapists
budgetfor,51
caseloadfor,27
consultationroomsfor,96
stafngof,50
OfceofHumanResources
clustersubstitutesand,165
leavesofabsenceand,118,121
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,82
sickleaveand,118,190
OfceofSpecialEducationandStudentServices,
28
ofcersofUnion,i,B-2
openpostings.Seevacancies
orderofbusiness,B-10
orientation programs
forevaluators,65
fornewteachers,53,87
forparents,55
forschool-basedmanagement,12
overalleducatorperformance,65
overtime
forDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,
45
forInvestigativeCounselors,46
P
PAR(PeerAssistanceandReview),91,94
ParaprofessionalCouncil,B-3,B-6
ParaprofessionalFieldRepresentative,i,B-3,B-13
paraprofessionalmentoringprogram,138
paraprofessionals,132–161
AWOL, 122
classsizeand,25,26
collectivebargainingfor,155–156
compensationandbenetsfor,143–154
coveragefor,99
creditforpriorexperienceof,103
denitionof,134,157
dispute resolution and, 157–159
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
58
HealthandWelfareFundfor,168
inclusionclassroomsand,32
foritinerantserviceprovides,51
forkindergartenandpre-kindergarten,40
NoChildLeftBehindand,213
pilotschoolsand,16,18
purposeofagreementfor,132
scopeofagreementfor,132–133
assubstituteteachers,38
inSuperintendent’sSchools,23
Unionduesand,B-6
Wi-Fiuseby,135
workingconditionsfor,135–138
ParaprofessionalTrainingProgram,136–137
parental leave
paraprofessionalsand,153–154
proportionatestandardhourseligibilityfor,202
teachersand,119–120
X-12
Parent Council
parent-teacher meetings and, 55
School Site Councils and, 12
Student Assessments Council and, 19
waivers and, 15
parent orientation sessions, 55
parents
accountabilityof,2
commitmenttodiversityby,3
importanceofinvolvementof,2
jointSteeringCommitteewith,7
parentalleavefor,119–120,153–154
SchoolSiteCouncilwith,9,10,12,13,15
shared decision-making and, 9
parent-teachermeetings,55,96
parking, 97
parliamentary procedure, B-11
PartDdrug(PDP)plans,Medicare,204
parties,denitionof,inevaluation,62
paycredit,112,150,185
payrolldeductionofUnionfees
forABASpecialists,191
bylawson,B-6
forparaprofessionals,155
forsubstituteteachers,170
forteachers,124
PDPcerticates,53
PDPs(professionaldevelopmentpoints),40,53,
71, 77
PEC(PublicEmployeeCommittee),116
peerassistance,88,93
PeerAssistance(PA)program,93–94
PeerAssistanceandReview(PAR),91,94
PeerAssistants,93
peercoaching,89
pension,withSmallPensionFund,B-17–B-18
perdiemdifferential,forteachers,109,111
per diem substitutes
bonusfor,168
denitionof,163
salaryschedulefor,166
sickleaveand,167
performance,accountabilityfor,2
performanceassessmentofschool,21–22
performanceevaluation,60–75
ABASpecialistsand,181
ConsultingTeachers(CTs)and,93
cyclesfor,64–69
denitionsfor,60–63
EducatorPlansand,70–71
evidenceusedin,63–64
paraprofessionalsand,136
Peer Assistance program and, 91
purposeof,60
studentfeedbackin,215
ofsubstituteteachers/nurses,165
ofSupervisorsofAttendance,48
timelinesandgeneralprovisionsfor,73
performancerating,denitionof,62
PerformanceStandards
denitionof,62
performanceratingwith,62–63
performingartsteachers,51.Seealsospecic
teachers
person,denitionof,6,134,157,170
personal leave
forABASpecialists,189
forparaprofessionals,151–153
forteachers,118–121
personalpronouns,asinclusiveofallemployees,6
PersonnelDepartment,Unionconventionleave
and,119,152,189
PersonnelManager,andteacherles,101
PersonnelSubcommitteeofSchoolSiteCouncil
coachesand,41
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,79
roleof,11
transfersand,79
votingby,13
physical education
classsizefor,25
facilitiesfor,97
professionaldevelopmentfor,95
promotionand,80
physical therapists
budgetfor,51
caseloadfor,27
consultationroomsfor,96
facilitiesfor,99
stafngof,50
pilot schools
bestpracticesfrom,89
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
57,58
shareddecision-makingand,17–18
planbooks,101
planninganddevelopmentperiods,37,58,91,
100,109
pluralpronounreferences,6,134,179
Political Action Committee, B-2
PoliticalDirector,i,B-2,B-3
politicalendorsementsbyUnion,B-7
postingofvacancies.Seevacancies
post-observationconference,67
Post-TransferPlacementProcess(PTPP),81–83
PPOPlan,115,148,207
pregnancy,andmaternityleave,119–120
pre-kindergarten,stafngfor,40
pre-observationconference,67
PrescriptionDrugbenets,204
PresidentofFacultySenate,andSchoolSite
Councilsand,12,14
X-13
PresidentofUnion
communicationsfrom,B-7–B-8
dutiesof,B-9
Educator Supports Program (ESP) and, 92
electionof,B-3–B-6
as Executive Board member, i, B-2
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
56
HubCommunitySchoolCoordinatorand,44
asjointSteeringCommitteeco-chair,7
pilot school mediation and, 17
regular meetings between Superintendent and,
7
representationand,B-2–B-3
SchoolInterventionTeamsand,22
School Site Council Subcommittee and, 12
SEIMSand,45
special meetings called by, B-7
TeacherLeadershipFundand,90
teacher reassignment in Superintendent’s
Schoolsand,24
pre-taxbenets,B-15–B-16
primaryevaluator,denitionof,61
principals/headmasters
actingpositionsand,108,109
afrmativeactionand,52
assaultcasesand,101,135
careeradvancementand,73
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentprograms
for,88
coachesand,41
collaborativeworkingrelationshipsand,8
denitionof,6,134,179
disputeresolutionforparaprofessionalsand,
157–158
disputeresolutionforsubstituteteachers/nurses
and, 172
disputeresolutionforteachersand,127–128,
129
effectiveworkingrelationshipsand,8
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
56
Faculty Senates and, 7
exibleworkdaysand,35
gradechangerequestsand,38
grievanceproceduresand,i,B-12–B-14
ImprovementPlanand,73
inclusionclassroomsand,31
InstructionalLeadershipTeamand,11
leavesofabsenceand,121,152
leavingschoolpremisesduringduty-freelunch
and,35
lengthofschooldayand,54
noticesfollowinginterviewsand,85
parent-teacher meetings and, 55
peerassistanceandreviewand,94
performanceevaluationand,60,64,65
pilotschoolteacherexcessand,18
planandmarkbooksand,101
professionaldevelopmentand,54,141
ProfessionalTeacherStatusand,73
ProjectPromiseand,37
provisionalteachersand,37
school-based management and, 9
asSchoolSiteCouncilco-chair,14
asSchoolSiteCouncilmember,10,11,12,13
schoolstafngand,15
Superintendent’sSchoolsand,23,24
teacherassignmentsand,37
trainingand,8
unannouncedobservationsand,67
vacanciesand,82
waivers and, 15
prior work experience
paraprofessionalsand,140
teachersand,102–103
privileges in collective bargaining
forparaprofessionals,155–156
forteachers,123–124
problem-solving,joint,7–8
professionaldevelopment,85–95
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentfor,88–89,
165
ConsultingTeachers(CTs)and,92–93
importanceof,2
foritinerantserviceproviders,50
forlibraryparaprofessionals,138
opportunitiesfor,86,88
ofparaprofessionals,136–137
PDPcerticatesfor,53
PDPs(professionaldevelopmentpoints)for,40,
53,71,77
schoolyearand,53–54
ofsubstituteteachers,165,167
inSuperintendent’sSchools,23–24
timefor,53,95
ProfessionalDevelopmentCommittee
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentand,89
paraprofessionalsand,137
substitutesand,167
professionaldevelopmentdays,53,95
ProfessionalDevelopmentInstitute,95
ProfessionalDevelopmentInstituteCoordinator,95
professionaldevelopmentplans,23,88
professionaldevelopmentpoints(PDPs),40,53,
71, 77
professionaldevelopmentprograms,2,88
ProfessionalTeacherStatus(PTS)
attaining,73
denitionof,62
EducatorPlansand,60–61
experiencededucatorand,61
goalsettingand,65
X-14
procientperformancerating
careeradvancementand,73,74
denitionof,62
DirectedGrowthPlanfor,71
educationevaluationand,74
goalsettingby,65
Self-DirectedGrowthPlanfor,60,71
summativeevaluationand,69,70
unannouncedobservationand,66
program areas
certicationrequirementsfor,198–202
qualicationfor,75
program/subjectcode,135
programmingpreferencesheets,35,36,101
programswithteacherassignments,35–36
ProjectPromise,37
promotion,76,80
pronounreferences,6,134,179
provisional nurses, 79
provisional teachers
extendeddayschoolsand,214
grantingpermanentstatusto,37
School Site Council Subcommittee and, 15
stepplacementfor,103
transfersand,79
tuition reimbursement and, 91
psychologists
budgetfor,51
caseloadfor,28
certicationreimbursementfor,50
consultationroomsfor,96
facilitiesfor,98
FacultySenatefor,8
lecabinetsfor,99
laneadvancementand,107
mental health and social emotional learning
staffand,20
mileagereimbursementand,112,113
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,81
professionaldevelopmentbudgetfor,51
salaryschedulefor,107
stafngof,20,50
stafftrainingfor,32,50
transfersof,70
PTPP(Post-TransferPlacementProcess),81–83
PTS.SeeProfessionalTeacherStatus
PublicEmployeeCommittee(PEC),116
publicofceendorsementsbyUnion,B-7
pupilday,lengthof,54
Q
quality,accountabilityfor,2
qualityassurance,andschoolassessment,21
quorum
Educator Supports Program and, 92
ExecutiveBoardand,B-8
inparliamentaryprocedure,B-13
SchoolSiteCounciland,13
R
ratedpositions,lling,80
RatingofOverallEducatorPerformance,62–63
ReadingRecoveryTeachers,51
reasonableassurance,letterof,79
reassignment
poolvacanciesand,82
SPEDteachersand,77
Superintendent’sSchoolsand,24
recall
ofABASpecialists,182
ofDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,46
ofparaprofessionals,139–140
procedurefor,84
programareaqualicationand,76
provisionalcontractsforlongtermsubstitutes
and,165
ofswimminginstructors,42
recalllist,75,84,165,B-2
records
computerizationof,96
lecabinetsfor,99
reemployment,84–85
reimbursement policies
formileage,50,112–113,150,185
fortravel,112–113,150
fortuition,91,150
reinstatementofsubstitutesintoUnion,162
relationships,working,3,7–8
relatives
bereavementleavefordeathof,119,152,168
employmentof,6,134,179
religiousholidays,119,153
religious observance, continuing negotiations on,
133,178
removalofsubstitutesfromUnion,162
repairstoschoolproperty,100
reportcards,computerizationof,39
representation, right to, ii
RequestsforProposal(RFP)
DiscoverySchoolsand,18
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
57
pilotschoolsand,16,17
ReserveForcesleaveofabsence,120,152,188
residency,85
resignation
compensationafter,113
withdrawalof,84–85
resource centers, 97
resource rooms
classsizeand,26
SEIMSand,44
resources.Seebudget
respect,mutual,3
restrooms, 99
“restructuring”schools,23
retiredteachers,returningassubstitutes,165
X-15
RetiredTeachersChapter,B-2
retirement
compensationafter,113
returningassubstituteafter,164
retirement plans
forABASpecialists,185
forparaprofessionals,147–148
forteachers,113–114
revenue.Seebudget
RFP.SeeRequestsforProposal
RestorativePracticeCoaches,51
rightofreturn
ofDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,46
ofInvestigativeCounselors,47
ofparaprofessionals,140
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,82
ofSupervisorsofAttendance,48
right to representation, ii
rights,protectionof,6,123,155,191
rotationfornon-teachingtasks,36–37
RTC.SeeRetiredTeachersChapter
rubrics,inperformanceevaluation,64,65,67
S
sabbaticals
forABASpecialists,190
forparaprofessionals,154
forteachers,86
salary.Seealsocompensation
paraprofessionalschedulefor,144–147
schedulefor,104–106
stepplacementandadvancementand,102-103
substituteteacher/nurseschedulefor,168
Saturday work
alternativeeducationand,98
NewTeacherDevelopersand,87
ProjectPromiseand,37
savingsclause,5,133,163,178
SBM.Seeschool-basedmanagement
Schedule A schools, in Extended Learning Time
(ELT)program,18,56–58,59
Schedule B schools, in Extended Learning Time
(ELT)program,57,58,59
schedules.Seealsovacationschedules.
forABASpecialists,183
forCOSE,43
forDepartmentofImplementationpersonnel,
45
earlyreleasedaysand,54
forExtendedLearningTime(ELT)program,
56,57,58
forfamilyliaisons,142
exible,fornon-classroomprofessionals,35
innovativeschedulingpilotfor,33
forInvestigativeCounselors,46
forNewTeacherDevelopers(NTDs),87
forparaprofessionals,143–144
forparent-teachermeetings,55
forperformanceevaluation,73
forpilotschools,17–18
postingof,100
forprofessionaldevelopment,53,95
ProjectPromiseand,37
forRestorativePracticeCoaches,51
forsubstituteteachers,165
forSupervisorsofAttendance,47
forteachers,33–35
workyearand,53–54
scholarshipstandards,39–40
school,denitionof,6,134,179
SchoolAdjustmentCounselors,54
schoolassessment,19,21–24
school-basedCOSE,43
school-based decision-making, 2
school-basedleadershipdevelopment,88
school-basedmanagement(SBM),9–11
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentand,88,89
goalsandphilosophyof,9
jointSteeringCommitteefor,7
paraprofessionalsand,138
pilotschoolsand,16–18
schoolbudgetsand,18
SchoolSiteCouncilsfor,9–11
shareddecision-makingand,12–16
schoolbudget.Seebudget
schoolcalendar,54.Seealsoschedules
School Committee
afrmativeactionand,52,123,155,170,191
arbitrationand,129–130,175,196,212
assaultcasesand,101,135,180
availabilityofrulesof,100
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentAdvisory
Committeeand,90
collaborativeworkingrelationshipwith,3
collectivebargainingforparaprofessionalsand,
155–156
collectivebargainingforsubstituteteachers/
nursesand,170
collectivebargainingforteachersand,123–125
compensationmodelsand,18
compensation obligations and, 117
constructionandrepairand,100
diversityand,10
Educator Supports Program (ESP) and, 91
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
59
HealthandWelfareFundand,116–117,150,
185
healthinsuranceand,167
HubCommunitySchoolsand,20
informationforUnionfrom,124
innovativeschedulingpilotand,33
JointUnion/Management.SeeJointUnion/
ManagementCommittees
X-16
leaveofabsenceforUnionofcersand,117
listofauthorizedUnionrepresentativesfor,
125,156,192
local decision-making about budget and, 19
managementrightsof,5,133,163,178
newissuesand,5,133,178
NoChildLeftBehindand,213
parking and, 97
pilotschoolsand,16,18
programareaqualicationand,75
recognitionofUnionby,4,132
sabbaticalsand,86
schoolbudgetsand,18
shared decision-making and, 9
sharedvalueswithunion,218
snowremovaland,98
SteeringCommitteeand.SeeSteering
Committee
stepplacementand,102–103
studentdisciplineand,100
Unionrepresentativerecognitionby,125
volunteers and, 52
waiverofrulesof,15–16
school day
earlyrelease,54
lengthof,54,55
SchoolDepartment
afrmativeactionand,52
airqualitytestingand,100
alternativeeducationand,98
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentand,88
clustersubstitutesand,137,164
coachesand,41
collaborativeworkingrelationshipwith,3
collectivebargainingand,123
compensationmodelsand,18
compliancewithlawand,14
computerizationofreportcardsand,39
C.O.P.E.and,124,156,192
court leave and, 119
coverageparaprofessionalsand,99
DiscoverySchoolsand,18
disputeresolutionand,127,158,172,194
duplicationfacilitiesand,97
effectiveworkingrelationshipsand,7
employmentofrelativesand,6,134,179
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
57
FlexibleSpendingCafeteriaPlansand,122
fundingclauseand,121
guidancecounselorsand,40
InclusionWorkingGroupand,216
innovativeschedulingpilotand,33
itinerantserviceprovidersand,50
jointproblem-solvingand,7
kindergartenand,40
laneadvancementand,107
lawcomplianceand,14
leavesofabsenceand,121
mediators and, 127, 172
MemorandumofUnderstanding(May2019)
with,200–201
NewTeacherDeveloper(NTD)and,87
nursesand,49
ofcialtestsof,recordinggradesfor,39
outside educational contracts and, 52
ParaprofessionalTrainingProgramand,137
paraprofessionaltransfersand,140
parent-teacher meetings and, 55
pilotschoolsand,17,18
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,80,83
professionaldevelopmentand,86,87,88
programareasand,76
recalllistand,75,84
schoolcalendarand,54
SchoolSiteCounciland,10,14
shared decision-making and, 12
stafngand,15
substituteassignmentsby,164
summerprogramand,37
TedWilliamsTunnelpassesand,98
telephonesforteacheruseand,97
tolls and, 97
trainingand,14
transfersand,78,140
vacancies posting and, 121
volunteers and, 52
waivervotesand,15,16
schoolfacilities,96–99.Seealsospecicrooms
andfacilities
airqualitytestingin,100
asbestos removal in, 99
constructionandrepairof,100
smoking ban in, 99
Unionmeetingsin,124,155,192
workingconditionsin.Seeworkingconditions
SchoolInterventionTeams,2,22
school-leveldisputeresolution.Seealsodispute
resolution
forABASpecialists,193–194
forparaprofessionals,157–158
forsubstituteteachers/nurses,172
forteachers,127–128
schoolnurses.Seenurses
schoolpsychologists.Seepsychologists
SchoolReformPlan,23
School Site Councils, 9–11
afrmativeactionand,52
annual school assessment and, 22
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentand,88
coachesand,41
compliancewithlawand,14
compositionof,9–10
discretionarypowerof,14
diversityand,10
X-17
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
57,58
inclusionclassroomsand,30
operationof,12–14
paraprofessionalsand,137
parent-teacher meetings and, 55
roleof,11
schoolbudgetand,14,19
scopeofauthorityof,14–16
Subcommitteeof,12–13,15
trainingof,14
transfersand,79
waivers and, 15
schoolstafng.Seestafng
school system
accountability in, 2
collaborativeworkingrelationshipsin,3
commitmenttodiversityin,3
HubCommunitySchoolsand,20,44
mutualrespectanddignityin,3
sharedvalueswithunion,218
schoolyear.Seealsoschedules
lasttwodaysof,55
lengthof,53–54
SDM.Seeshareddecision-making
SecondaryFieldRepresentative,i,B-2
Secretary-TreasurerofUnion
communicationsfrom,B-7
dutiesof,B-6,B-8,B-10
electionof,B-3–B-6
as Executive Board member, i, B-2
Unionduesand,B-6
securityparaprofessionals,139,140,145
SEI(ShelteredEnglishImmersion)classsize,25
SEIMSarbitration,44–45
self-assessment,inperformanceevaluation,63,66
Self-DirectedGrowthPlan
afterImprovementPlan,73
denitionof,60
descriptionof,71
FormativeEvaluationand,61,68,69
SummativeEvaluationand,70
unsatisfactoryratingand,71
seminars,fromCenterforLeadership
Development,89
SeniorDirectorofAthletics,41
seniority
ABASpecialistsand,181,182
determining, 75
excessingand,81,82
layoffsand,83
paraprofessionalsand,136,138–139
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,81
in program areas, ranking by, 75
recalland,84
Sergeant at Arms Committee, B-2
severance pay
forABASpecialists,181
forparaprofessionals,137
recalland,84
shelteringof,B-16–B-17
forteachers,113
shareddecision-making(SDM),9–20
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentand,88
goalsandphilosophyof,9
pilotschoolsand,16–18
schoolbudgetsand,18
SchoolSiteCouncilsand,12–14
sharedvalues,218
ShelteredEnglishImmersionclasssize,25
shelteringofseverancepay,B-16–B-17
sick leave
forABASpecialists,189–190
donationprogramfor,190
forparaprofessionals,153
pregnancyand,119–120
severancepayand,B-16
forsubstituteteachers/nurses,167
forteachers,118
signlanguageinterpreters,50,107,139,146,151
singularpronounreferences,6,134,179
636Coordinators,49
SmallPensionFund,B-17–B-18
smoking on school grounds, 99
snowremoval,98
socialemotionallearningstaff,20
SocialWorkers,Clinical.SeeClinicalSocial
Workers
SpecialAssistantDirectorMusic,106
specialclassdifferential,109
SpecialEducation(SPED)
MCASAlternativeAssessmentportfoliosand,
101
jointSteeringCommitteewith,7
paraprofessionalsand,139
planninganddevelopmentperiodsand,34
programareaqualicationand,76,201
promotionand,80
specialprovisions,76–77
Special Education and Support Services, and
COSE,43
SpecialEducationProgram,7,10
specialmeetings,Union,B-7
SPED.Seespecialeducation
speech and language pathologists
budgetfor,51
caseloadfor,27
consultationroomsfor,96
facilitiesfor,98
stafngof,50
SRP(SchoolReformPlan),23
X-18
stafng.Seealsoteacherstafng
afrmativeactionand,52
ofalternativeserviceproviders,51
disputeresolutionand,130,175
School Site Councils and, 15
ofspecialgroups,40–42
ofSuperintendent’sSchools,24
ofteachers.Seeteacherstafng
State-BostonRetirementSystem
forABASpecialists,185
forparaprofessionals,147–148
forteachers,113–114
statecertication,75,83
statelaws.Seelaws
Steering Committees
CoachesCommitteeand,41
computerizationofreportcardsand,39
disputeresolutionand,126
jointproblem-solvingand,7
lawcomplianceand,14
mediators and, 171–172
outside educational contracts and, 52
pilotschoolsand,16
school-based management orientation and, 12
schoolbudgetsand,18
School Site Council monitoring and, 12
studentfeedbackonteachersand,215
subcommitteeand,12–13
waiversand,16
SteeringCommitteeSubcommittee,12–13
step placement and advancement
forparaprofessionals,143
forteachers,102–103
streetduty,35
Student Assessments Council, 19
Student Councils, and School Site Councils, 12
studentdevelopmentcounselors(SDCs),40.See
also guidance counselors
StudentGrowthPercentile(SGP),64
StudentInformationSystem,101
studentnurseobservers,49
students
accountabilityof,2
disciplineof,100
educatorevaluationfeedbackfrom,215
feedbackfromforteacherevaluation,74
homelessness and, 19
jointSteeringCommitteewith,7
multiplemeasuresoflearningby,63–64
SchoolSiteCouncilwith,10
TeachBostonProgramand,90
student stations, and class size, 25
StudentSupportCoordinators,51,81
study leave
forABASpecialists,188
forparaprofessionals,137,152
substantiallyseparateteachers,andSEIMS,44
substitutes
annualqualicationasUnionmembersby,162
forIndustrialArtsorHomeEconomics,40
longterm.Seelongtermsubstitutes
fornurses.Seenurses,substitute
forparaprofessionals,137,152
pilotschoolsand,16
retiredteachersreturningas,165
forSupervisorsofAttendance,48–49
forteachers.Seeteachers,substitute
Unionduesand,B-6
SubstituteTeacherFieldRepresentative,B-2
subway passes, 97, B-15
suitableprofessionalcapacity(SPC),82
SummativeEvaluation,63,68–70
summerprogram,37
summerreviewschools,compensationfor,111
summer work
COSEand,43
forInvestigativeCounselors,46
forparaprofessionals,141
Sumner Tunnel, 97
Superintendent
ABASpecialists’assignmentand,181–182
actingassistantheadmasterdesignationby,108
annual school assessment and, 22
arbitrationand,160,174
caseloadand,26
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentand,89,90
collectivebargainingand,123–124
compliancewithlawand,14
COSEand,43
denitionof,inevaluation,63
DiscoverySchoolsand,18
disputeresolutionforABASpecialistsand,
194–195
disputeresolutionforparaprofessionalsand,
158–159
disputeresolutionforsubstituteteachers/nurses
and,173
disputeresolutionforteachersand,128,129
Educator Supports Program (ESP) and, 92
effectiveworkingrelationshipsand,7,8
evaluator training and, 75
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
56,58
itinerantserviceprovidersand,50
asjointSteeringCommitteeco-chair,7
lawcomplianceand,14
leaveofabsenceand,121
managementrightsof,5,133,163,178
mediators and, 171
nursesand,49
PeerAssistanceandReviewand,92
pilot school mediation and, 17
ProfessionalDevelopmentInstituteand,95
ProfessionalTeacherStatusand,73
promotionsand,80
X-19
provisionalteachersand,37
regularmeetingsbetweenUnionPresidentand,
7
sabbaticalsand,86
SchoolInterventionTeamsand,22
SchoolSiteCouncilauthorityand,14
School Site Council Subcommittee and, 12
SEIMSand,44
shared decision-making and, 9
Student Assessments Council and, 19
Superintendent’sSchoolsand,23–24
TeacherLeadershipFundand,90
unsatisfactoryratingand,73
waivingpoliciesof,15–16
WholeSchoolImprovementPlansand,21
writtennoticeafterinterviewand,85
Superintendent’sSchools,22–24,138
Supervising Evaluator
denitionof,61
disagreementsand,74
ImprovementPlanand,71,72
SupervisorsofAttendance(SOAs),47–49
SupervisorsofMusic/ArtsEducation,40
supervisoryexperience,andpromotion,80
supplies, access to, 99
SupportsProgram.Educator(ESP),91–94
surroundcareparaprofessionals,139,140,141,145
suspendedsession,andparaprofessionals,143,152
suspensionfromUnion,B-8
suspensionofstudents,101
swimminginstructors,42,139
syllabus, given to parents, 55
T
tax-freeannuities
forABASpecialists,185
forparaprofessionals,147
forteachers,113
taxes
excisetaxonmedicalinsurance,204
pre-taxbenetsand,B-15–B-16
shelteringofseverancepayand,B-16–B-17
TeachBostonProgram,90
teacher,denitionof,6,60
teacher-in-charge,compensationfor,108,109
Teacher Leadership Framework, 19
TeacherLeadershipFund,90
teacherparaprofessionals.Seeparaprofessionals
teachers
academic coaches supporting, 95
accountabilityof,2
assignedtomorethanonebuilding,61
AWOL, 121
certicationof.Seecertication
childrenof,enrolledatparent’sschool,122
creditforpriorexperienceas,102–103
EducatorSupportsProgram(ESP)for,91–94
excessingof.Seeexcessing
hiringof,15
loungesfor,97
NoChildLeftBehindand,213
orientationprogramfor,53
pilotschoolsand,16
provisional.Seeprovisionalteachers
reassignmentof,24
recallof.Seerecall
SchoolInterventionTeamsand,22
SchoolSiteCouncilswith,10,13,15
shared decision-making and, 9
Student Assessments Council and, 19
studentfeedbackon,215
substitute.Seeteachers,substitute
inSuperintendent’sSchools,23,24
teachingloadand,33–35
teachingoutofcerticateand,36
transferof.Seetransfers
tuition reimbursement and, 91
Wi-Fi use by, 99
workingconditionsfor,96–101
teachers,substitute,162–175
annualqualicationasUnionmembersby,162
collectivebargainingfor,16
compensationandbenetsfor,166–169
dispute resolution and, 171–175
hiringof,38
paraprofessionalsas,38,137
performanceevaluationof,165
professionaldevelopmentfor,165,167
purposeofagreementfor,162
removalandreinstatementasUnionmembers
of,162
scopeofagreementfor,162
Wi-Fiuseby,165
workingconditionsfor,164–165
teacherstafng,25–40
assignmentproceduresfor,35–36
classsizeand,25–28
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
56,58
inclusionclassroomsand,28–33
minority representation among, 52
ProjectPromiseand,37
recordingnalrecordsand,38
relieffromnon-teachingtasksand,35
schedulingand,33–35
scholarshipstandardsand,39–40
School Site Council Subcommittee and, 15
substitutehiringand,38
summerprogramand,37
teachingloadand,33–35
teachinglicenses,32,51,63,77,78,95,166
teaching loads
inclusionclassroomsand,28
Superintendent’sSchoolsand,23–24
teachersand,33–35
tech support personnel, 51
X-20
TedWilliamsTunnelpasses,97,98
telephones
guidancecounseloraccessto,96
teacher access to, 97
termination.Seedischarge
testing,individualizedbenchmark,40
testingkits,foritinerantserviceproviders,50
testscores,recording,39
ThanksgivingDay
ABASpecialistand,189
dismissalondaybefore,55
paraprofessionalsand,143
personalleaveand,119,153
schoolcalendarwith,54,143,184
theater teachers, 51
ThompsonMiddleSchool,17,37
Tier1schools,schedulingof,24
Tier2schools,schedulingof,24
Tier3schools,schedulingof,24
timelines,forperformanceevaluation,73
TimiltyMiddleSchool,37,214
Tobin Bridge, 97
tolls, 97
T bus and subway passes, 97, B-15
tradeschools,evening,compensationfor,111
tradesteachers,salaryschedulefor,106,107
trafcpatrolduty,35
trainees,andcooperatingteachers,35
training
forABASpecialists,181,183
onbestpractices,89
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentprograms
for,88,89
foreffectiveworkingrelationships,8
forEvaluators,74
forExtendedLearningTime(ELT)program,57
forinclusionclassrooms,32
NewTeacherDevelopers(NTDs)and,87
fornurses,49
forparaprofessionals,136–137,143
onschool-basedmanagement(SBM),88
forSchoolSiteCouncils,14
forsubstituteteachers,165
transfers
ofparaprofessionals,140
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,81–82
SPEDteachersand,76–77
ProjectPromiseand,37
promotionsand,80
resultingfromwaivers,16
School Site Council Subcommittee and, 15
Superintendent’sSchoolsand,24
ofSupervisorsofAttendance,48
trainingpay,143
transportation
Fast Lane transponders and, 97
MBTAbusandsubwaypassesand,97,B-15,
B-16
parking and tolls and, 97
TransportationPlanforexpensesin,B-15,B-16
travelreimbursementand,112–113,150
TransportationOfcer,45
TransportationPlan,B-15,B-16
travelreimbursement,112–113,150
travelingassignments,forkindergarten,40
TreasurerofUnion.SeeSecretary-Treasurerof
Union
tuitionreimbursement,91,150
TurnaroundSchools,57,58
tutorialprogram,forparaprofessionals,137
U
Umana/BarnesMiddleSchool,214
UmanaSchool,137
unannouncedobservations,64,66,67,73
underperformingschools,22–23
Union(BostonTeachersUnion)
afrmativeactionand,52,123,155,170,191
airqualitytestingand,100
annualqualicationofsubstituteteachers/
nursesfor,162
CenterforLeadershipDevelopmentand,88,90
CoachesCommitteeand,41
collaborativeworkingrelationshipswith,3
collectivebargainingforparaprofessionalsby,
155–156
collectivebargainingforteachersby,123–125
communicationsfrom,i,B-7–B-8
compensationmodelsand,18
constructionandrepairand,100
contacting, i
convention leave and, 119, 152
DiscoverySchoolsand,18
disputeresolutionforparaprofessionalsand,
157–158
disputeresolutionforsubstituteteachers/nurses
and, 171–175
disputeresolutionforteachersand,126–127
diversityand,10
duesof.SeeUniondues
Educator Supports Program (ESP) and, 91
electionsof,i,B-3–B-6
employmentofrelativesand,6,134,179
ExecutiveVice-Presidentof.SeeExecutive
Vice-PresidentofUnion
Extended Learning Time (ELT) program and,
59
HealthandWelfareFundand,116–117,150,
185
Hub Community Schools and, 19
innovativeschedulingpilotand,33
jointproblem-solvingand,7
JointUnion/ManagementCommitteeand.See
JointUnion/ManagementCommittees
lawcomplianceand,14
leavesofabsenceand,121,154
X-21
leavesofabsenceforofcersof,117,154,190
meetingswithinschoolsand,124,155
meeting times and locations, i
MemorandumofUnderstanding(May2019)
with,200–201
newissuesand,5,133,159,178
NewTeacherDevelopersand,87
nursesand,49
orientationprogramfornewteachersand,53
outsideeducationalcontractsand,52,137
ParaprofessionalTrainingProgramand,137
parentalleaveand,154
pilotschoolsand,16–17,18
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,81,83
presidentof.SeePresidentofUnion
ProfessionalDevelopmentInstituteand,95
promotionsand,80
recognitionof,byCommittee,4,132
removalandreinstatementofsubstitute
teachers/nursesin,162
SchoolInterventionTeamsand,22
SchoolSiteCounciltrainingand14
Secretary-Treasurerof.SeeSecretary-Treasurer
ofUnion
senioritylistsforparaprofessionalsand,136
senioritylistsforteachersand,136
shared decision-making and, 9
sharedvalueswithBostonPublicSchools,218
SteeringCommitteeand.SeeSteering
Committee
studentfeedbackonteachersand,215
TeachBostonProgramand,90
telephonesforteacheruseand,97
timefornegotiationsin,123–124
tolls and, 97
transfersand,78
Treasurerof.SeeSecretary-TreasurerofUnion
Vice-Presidentof.SeeExecutiveVice-President
ofUnion
viewsandsuggestionsfrom,5,133
volunteers and, 52
websiteof,i
Uniondues
bylawsfor,B-5,B-6
forparaprofessionals,155
forsubstituteteachers/nurses,170
forswimminginstructors,42
forteachers,124
Unionrepresentatives.SeealsoBuilding
Representatives
Committeerecognitionof,125
denitionof,6,134,170
listofauthorized,125,156,192
timeallowedfordutiesof,123–124,156
unittests,recordinggradesfor,39
unsatisfactoryschoolassessment,22
unsatisfactoryperformancerating
coachingand,41
denitionof,62
DirectedGrowthPlanfor,71
dismissaland,73
EducatorEvaluationand,74
EducatorPlanand,66
expungingof,165
goalsettingand,67
ImprovementPlanfor,61,71–73
observationand,67,68
self-assessmentand,63
stepadvancementand,103
ofsubstituteteachers/nurses,165
SummativeEvaluationand,70
Supervising Evaluator and, 72
transfersand,79,80
voluntaryexcessingand,80,81
voluntarytransferandexcessingrightsand,82
V
vacancies
excessingand,81
onExecutiveBoard,B-3–B-4
atextendeddayschools,214
forparaprofessionals,postingof,141
paraprofessionalswhoqualifyfor,141
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,81,82
posted on website, 79
procedurefor,79
promotionsand,80
returningfromleaveofabsenceand,121
substituteteachersand,165
suitableprofessionalcapacity(SPC)and,82
vacation schedules
forparaprofessionals,143–144
personal leave and, 119, 152
forteachers,53
values,shared,218
VeteransDay,54,143,184
videoobservation,denitionof,62
vision services, 51
visionteachers,50,107
vocational education
booksandsuppliesfor,99
compensationforsummerclassesof,111
facilitiesfor,96
stafngfor,41
VocationalTechnicalEducationFrameworks,64
voluntaryexcessing.Seealsoexcessing
Post-TransferPlacementProcessand,81
voluntary programs, 52
volunteers, 52
voting
byalternateSchoolSiteCouncilmembers,13
to approve waivers, 15
Faculty Senate and, B-12
by School Site Council, 12
X-22
W
waivers,andSchoolSiteCouncil,15–16
warningnotices,recording,39
website,Union,i
Wednesday deadlines
FacultySenatemeetingsafterUnion
membershipmeetingsonthesecondWednesdayof
September through June, B-12
grade and attendance reports due no earlier than
noonontheWednesdayfollowingvacation,39
UnionElectionCommitteenominationsdueby
thesecondWednesdayinApril,B-4
Unionmembershipmeetingsonthesecond
WednesdayofSeptemberthroughJune,i,B-7
UnionnalelectionontherstWednesdayin
June,B-4
UnionprimaryelectionontherstWednesday
inMay,B-4
WeingartenRights,ii
wellness,205
WholeSchoolImprovementPlans
annual school assessment and, 21
professionaldevelopmentscheduleand,53
School Site Council and, 11
Wi-Fi,inschoolbuildings,99,138,165,182
withdrawalofprogramdirectorsarbitration,212
working conditions
forABASpecialists,180–182
mutualrespectanddignityin,3
forparaprofessionals,135–138
forsubstituteteachers/nurses,164–165
forSupervisorsofAttendance,48
forteachers,96–101
workingrelationships,3,7–8
workingspace,98
workloadmodel,28
Workmen’sCompensation,75,118,151,188
workshops,fromCenterforLeadership
Development,88
workyear/day.Seeschedules
write-invotes,B-4,B-6
Y
year,school,lengthof,52–54
yearbookresponsibility,compensationfor,110
X-23
X-24
