Aurora Education Association

AEA Reaches Tentative Agreement with APS

Posted 9.20.12

As was announced last week a tentative agreement has been reached between representatives of APS and AEA for contract changes for the 2012-13 school year. These tentative agreements resolve the impasse that existed in bargaining and avoids the fact-finding process that had been scheduled later this month.

Here are more specific details of the tentative agreement.

Compensation: Given the fiscal realities there will be no general salary increase this year. However the experience step increase will be implemented in phases throughout this year. Under the proposed agreement, effective in December teachers who are eligible [individuals with previous In-District/Out of District approved experience] will start receiving half the normal step increase on the salary schedule. In April the second half of the step increase will be implemented. This means by the end of the school year eligible teachers will receive the full step.

Educational lanes were frozen last year due to budget concerns. If the upcoming November mill levy election is successful lanes will be unfrozen effective with the January pay period.

Senate Bill 191: The passage of SB 191 two years ago requires the adjustment of specific provisions of our collective bargaining agreement. We made adjustments to our agreement as outlined below:

Article 18: Teacher Transfers: SB 191 requires changes in the procedures for transferring teachers when they are moved due to enrollment changes, program adjustments, etc. Primarily this involves the requirement that the receiving building must approve the appointment of the incoming teacher. This is called “mutual consent”. In Article 18 we have distinguished between involuntary transfers and mutual consent transfers; outlined procedures for determining who would be chosen for transfer; and established procedures for mutual consent placements.

Article 19: Reduction In Force: SB 191 requires that when a reduction in force (RIF) occurs a teacher’s performance will be the initial criteria reviewed when determining what teacher may be selected for reduction. In article 19 we have kept much of the same procedures used in our past agreement for conducting a RIF. However we have adjusted the procedures for selection of a teacher to be reduced to comply with SB 191.

Article 35: Performance Evaluation – Memorandum of Understanding: SB 191 requires significant changes in evaluation. We have not changed our contract language yet but we recognize, in the Memo, that the new APS Rubric/Evaluation will be piloted in selected sites this year; that it will be fully piloted in the 2013-14 school year; and performance ratings obtained during piloting will not be used in determining probationary/nonprobationary status as stated in SB 191.

This tentative agreement has been recommended by both the AEA Board of Directors and the AR Council. There will be a general membership meeting held next Tuesday September 25 at the PLCC, Mount Massive for the purpose of presenting the tentative agreement and answering questions. We will then conduct our ratification vote via electronic voting. We will provide specific contract language and salary schedule data through both AEA and District websites for review before ratification. The tentative agreement is subject to approval by AEA members and the APS Board of Education.

Negotiations