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Teachers— union says MOA submitted; board and union continue negotiations amid budget vote
Summary
The Collingswood Education Association told the board it submitted a memorandum of agreement Friday and urged a response; the board said it received the MOA and will review while administrators continue to press for more revenue to fund raises without layoffs.
Representatives of the Collingswood Education Association told the board on May 6 that the union had sent a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to the district negotiation team and urged the board to respond so a contract can be settled.
"The CEA has sent an MOA to the board negotiations team on Friday. We have yet to receive a response," said Bethann Rogers of the CEA negotiation team during public comment. Rogers asked the board to settle a contract she called "fair and equitable," and several teachers and parents at the meeting echoed that request.
District leaders said they share the priority of settling a contract but must balance raises with long-term fiscal stability. Superintendent Dr. McDowell emphasized the staff—s role in recent academic gains and said the administration and board are pushing to bring in additional revenue rather than rely only on cuts: "The academic progress that we've made would not be possible without the tremendous efforts from our teachers," he said.
Board members and speakers described the options the district faces. Administrators said the approved budget is intended to preserve current staff levels and leave room to provide raises without triggering layoffs. The business administrator confirmed she received the MOA on Friday and said the board will review it; she noted the budget posted on Friday limited the time available to examine the document thoroughly before the Monday hearing.
Why it matters: Settling a contract affects teachers— compensation and the district—s future labor costs. At the meeting, teachers and parents warned that prolonged uncertainty affects seniors— activities and end-of-year planning. The board and union are communicating directly; the CEA asked for a prompt board response to the MOA submitted on Friday.
The public record at the meeting includes statements from classroom teachers and the union representative requesting a prompt settlement. The board said it will respond after reviewing the MOA in the context of the adopted budget and longer-term revenue projections.
