Educators at Community School of Excellence charter school in St. Paul reached a tentative contract agreement just two weeks after school leaders cut staff and restructured the school's programs.
Community School of Excellence's fate is in limbo as it tries to confirm a new authorizer before July 1. Without an authorizer, the Hmong-language charter school will be forced to close.
Community School of Excellence is in negotiations with charter school authorizer Minnesota Guild, according to a release Tuesday from the teachers union, Education Minnesota.
The Guild has set conditions for the school including resolving labor problems by using a contract and restoring employees and programs cut, the release said.
The contract agreement needs to be ratified by votes from educators and the school's board of directors. The union educators at Community School of Excellence are scheduled to vote next week.
Teachers at the school have accused the administration of union-busting in firing 20 teachers, many of them union members. School administrators have denied that allegation and teachers said some of those fired have been rehired.
The charter school is approximately 90 percent Hmong, according to Rob Aurand, union treasurer. It's one of the largest charters in the state with nearly 1,000 students.
