PROVIDENCE – Late Thursday, a new contract agreement was reached between the Providence Teachers Union and the Providence Public School District, which includes pay raises and extending the school day to allow for more instruction.
The district and the union came to terms on a one-year contract agreement that runs from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, 2024. It includes a 2.5% wage increase at the start of the year followed by a 0.75% increase at the end of the year, the district said.
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Additionally, the new agreement will include the addition of 30 minutes of instruction time each day, which, PPSD says, establishes the longest school day in the district’s history. Elementary students will now have 6 hours, 30 minutes of class time, while middle and high school students will have 7 hours, 15 minutes of instructional time, the district said.
PPSD said the instruction extension is one of the key pillars of the district’s turnaround plan, and based on recommendations by a task force on how to ensure students’ recovery from learning loss suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We know that our students succeed when they are provided high-quality education by teachers who are supported,” Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement. “Anytime we can expand those opportunities and extend learning time it’s a win for Providence students.”
The agreement also includes provision for 90 minutes of professional development every other week after the school day, along with four annual professional development days to support the additional learning time. The 30-minute extension and additional professional development is expected to sunset after one year, the district said.
In a statement, PTU President Maribeth Calabro said the agreement is a testament to the “power of collaboration” and collective belief in the students achieving academic success in the wake of the pandemic. R.I. Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green said in a statement PPSD is “leading by example” in being the first Rhode Island public school district to utilize COVID-19 relief funds to address learning loss.
“This major investment in extending learning time and connecting educators to critical resources and training prioritizes the best interests of all our stakeholders and will help improve academic outcomes,” Infante-Green said.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
