BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston Public Schools and the Boston Teachers Union have reached a tentative contract agreement that they said “will put students’ needs at the center of inclusion policy in the City of Boston.”
The agreement focuses of the district’s special education students, including reductions in class sizes and what the groups said is a “collaborative approach” to students with individualized education plans and/or are English learners.
“For far too long in Boston, students with disabilities and their families have faced a system that neither recognizes nor delivers what every child deserves,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m proud of an agreement that supports our educators and takes concrete steps towards building a special education and inclusion model that will help us make Boston a city for everyone.”
“As educators, the needs of our students are our number one priority and this agreement lays the foundation to achieve what we call ‘inclusion done right’ for the benefit of all students within the Boston Public Schools,” said BTU President Jessica Tang. “It is our fundamental belief that – when fully supported and staffed – all students benefit from classrooms that are inclusive and equitable.”
Tang added that the agreement also makes strides toward improving school building conditions and creating more family-friendly policies.
The Boston School Committee will vote to approve the tentative agreement at a future Boston School Committee meeting once the contract has been ratified by members of the union.
Specifics in the agreement include staff training around inclusion policies and best practices with specialized training for special education coordinators, built-in planning time and input for educators, an inclusive education liaison, an expansion of paid parental leave, housing support, and wage increases.
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