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Teacher contract talks accelerate in St. Paul
The school board is assuming that part of its budget shortfall will be covered by union concessions in new pact.
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Talks are accelerating between the St. Paul Public Schools and the St. Paul Federation of Teachers, which represents 3,300 classroom teachers in the district.
"They have been meeting regularly," district spokeswoman Christine Wroblewski said Tuesday, adding that the district does not comment on ongoing contract negotiations. Until recently, negotiators had not been holding regular sessions.
Following a regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, the school board went into closed session to discuss the contract talks.
In June, the district laid off about 150 teacher as part of a $25 million package of budget cuts that included 267 layoffs.
Schools budget assumes union concessions
Some $6 million of the budget cut package is contingent on the St. Paul teachers agreeing to cuts in pay and a freeze of health benefits.
At least one board member has criticized the district administration for including changes to teacher compensation in the budget cutting package without having substantially engaged the teachers union in negotiations.
Currently teachers are working under a contract extension. The prior contract expired June 30; the district and teachers typically don't reach a new contract until after a former pact expires.
Adult classes are at record numbers
In another development, the board learned from its Community Education department that demand for training and enrichment classes for adults, as well as after-school programs for school-age children, continues to climb, largely due to the lingering recession.
"We now are at record numbers," said Lynn Gallandat, director of community education. The district serves about 1,100 people daily -- up 20 percent from two years ago -- at its Hubbs Center where it dispenses a variety of services, ranging from basic literacy for newcomers to General Education Diploma classes and training in commercial vehicle driving and nursing, Gallandat said.
The increased demand for after-school programs is likely the result of parents having to work different hours and a desire to find less expensive child care, said Kristin Keller, program supervisor. People also appear to be cutting expenses by taking classes such as yoga from Community Education that they might otherwise pay more for at a private gym, Keller said.
Gregory A. Patterson • 612-673-7287
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