The District and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT) have shaped a landmark and comprehensive collective bargaining agreement around what matters most - advancing the teaching profession in a way that is aligned with the common mission of improving student achievement.

Working shoulder to shoulder throughout the past year of negotiations and many hours of intense bargaining, the new five year agreement provides the commitments and stability needed to move the work forward.

The foundation for this collective bargaining process began earlier this year when the PFT and District sat down to co-author the Empowering Effective Teachers plan. Unlike in years past, teachers and practitioners met at the Cooperative Convening in April 2010 and arrived at recommendations for how to approach some of the more complex details of the plan that ultimately required collective bargaining. Similar to the successful example of a deliberate and collaborative process involving teacher participation which resulted in the co-design of the Research-based Inclusive System of Evaluation (RISE), this contract was also informed by the expertise of Pittsburgh teachers for Pittsburgh teachers.

This level of teacher engagement represents another valuable step forward towards teacher empowerment through teacher involvement. As stipulated throughout the agreement, teachers and practitioners will continue to be engaged in many elements of the work. Two examples include:

The process of bargaining this agreement, from the design, collaboration, engagement and ultimately the implementation of the work cements an historic moment for all of us. This new approach could be a model for other collective bargaining districts across the country.

Working together, we will continue to ensure our teachers are strongly supported, rewarded and recognized for their hard work, as we improve outcomes for students and prepare them to take full advantage of The Pittsburgh Promise®.