Portland Public Schools were ordered to pay high school teachers a week’s extra pay by arbitrator William Reeves. The decision was made after teachers in the school district were forced to take on additional classes and students, effectively working a combined $750, 000 for nothing.
According to Reeves, the increase in students teachers gain must directly correspond to the number of jobs the district cuts, but Portland Public schools doubled the acceptable ratio. The arbitration not only resulted in compensation for the additional work teachers took on, but another $750, 000 to compensate the work they will do under the following circumstances:
- All students must be limited to taking only seven classes in an eight-period schedule unless they are in special education or designated as “academic priority“.
- No teacher will be allowed to teach more than 180 students per term.
According to reports, more than 40 percent of teachers at certain Portland Public Schools had 180 students or more. The decision is a significant step for the well-being of our countries teachers but it poses an incredible stress on strapped-for-cash school districts. Hopefully education will be a priority in this year’s election cycle.
