Demonstrates benefits of collective bargaining for students, schools, and communities
CONTACT:
Zoe Bridges-Curry, (202) 822-2127 x122
zbridges@americanrightsatwork.org
Washington, D.C. – With school budgets strapped for cash and teachers’ collective bargaining rights under attack, schools and communities are looking for success stories and a dose of good news. A new report from American Rights at Work Education Fund does just that by showcasing labor-management partnerships at work in public schools and underscoring the role collective bargaining plays in improving student achievement.
The report, “Partnerships in Education: How Labor-Management Collaboration Is Transforming Public Schools,” is available here.
The report focuses on nine school districts from across the country and highlights partnerships with strong collective bargaining agreements between administrations and teachers’ unions. The schools profiled demonstrate that when educators and administrators work together, the result is improved academic performance across socio-economic divides and increased parent and community engagement. In these schools, teachers and administrators have worked together to find innovative solutions and create opportunities that put students first.
“The schools lifted up in this report make it clear that revoking collective bargaining rights isn’t just the wrong way to address budget deficits—it’s also a threat to the quality of our schools,” said Kimberly Freeman Brown, Executive Director of American Rights at Work. “Partnerships between teachers and administrators foster creative problem solving and innovation, and those are exactly the tools we need to accelerate student performance. Stripping teachers of their voice at the bargaining table is a step in the wrong direction for America’s schools and our children. Now more than ever, we need to work together to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed.”
Schools profiled in the report include:
ABC Unified School District: Pharis F. Fedde Middle School
Los Angeles, CA
Charlotte County Public Schools
Charlotte County, FL
Cincinnati Public Schools: Ethel M. Taylor Academy
Cincinnati, OH
Columbus City Schools District: Linden McKinley STEM Academy
Columbus, OH
Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation: Delaware Elementary School
Evansville, IN
Merced City School District: John Muir Elementary
Merced, CA
Perth Amboy City: Ignacio Cruz Early Childhood Center
Perth Amboy, NJ
Pittsburgh Public Schools: Taylor Allderdice High School
Pittsburgh, PA
Putnam City Schools: Putnam City West High School
Oklahoma City, OK
