Central Falls trustees approve two-year teachers contract; Council 94 ratification delayed

The Central Falls School District Board of Trustees voted Nov. 4 to approve a ratified two-year contract with the Central Falls Teachers Union (CFTU) that district staff described as student-centered and instructional in focus.

Superintendent summarized four principal shifts in the agreement: added clarity around inclusion and co-teaching practice; conversion of some daily "unassigned" periods into academic preparation time for teachers to plan, collaborate and receive coaching; new limits on using unassigned periods to leave campus (approval required, not to be used to arrive late or leave early); and a rule reducing disruptive cascading vacancies late in the school year so midyear bids would not take effect until the following school year.

The contract includes a 3% step increase on all scales in each year of the two-year agreement, retroactive to Sept. 1, and will be forwarded to the Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education for final approval at its Nov. 18 meeting.

"Depending on whether you are currently a tenured teacher or not, you'll have either one or two of those unassigned periods now become academic preps," the superintendent said during the presentation.

Vote and next steps

- Motion to approve the CFTU contract: moved by Tom Evans; seconded by Hugo Figueroa. Voice vote: unanimous ayes. Outcome: approved (approve_cftu_contract).

- Council 94 (representing paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodial staff and others) did not complete ratification earlier that day; on counsel's advice the board voted to table the Council 94 item and will consider it when ratification is complete.

What trustees asked and staff said

Trustees asked about how academic-prep time will be used and who will facilitate it. Staff said the time can be used for grade-level common planning, debriefs with instructional coaches (the district has increased coach capacity), and other collaborative work; some schools are developing facilitation structures where budget allows.

Trustees also asked about the contract process and stated that, if the board approves tonight, the contract will go to the state education council for final review and approval on Nov. 18.

Speakers and attributions

- Tom Evans — Board member (mover of the motion to approve CFTU contract) (first reference 00:00:25) - Hugo Figueroa — Board member (second on approval) (first reference 00:00:25) - Superintendent — presenter (first reference 01:59:48) - Deputy Superintendent Lynch — referenced as a participant in negotiations (first referenced 01:59:48)

Authorities

- policy/regulatory: Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education review and approval process (referenced as the next step for contract approval).

Actions

- kind: motion; motion: "Approve the CFTU proposed contract as presented by the superintendent." Mover: Tom Evans. Second: Hugo Figueroa. Vote: yes (unanimous). Tally yes:5 no:0 abstain:0. Outcome: approved.

- kind: motion; motion: "Table Council 94 contract item" (procedural, because ratification not completed). Mover: not specified in transcript; second: not specified. Vote: voice; outcome: tabled. Notes: counsel advised tabling until ratification is complete.

Provenance

- topicintro: excerpt at 01:59:48 "we have an opportunity to bring to you a contract for both unions tonight. We're gonna start with the principals teachers union." (transcript excerpt). - topfinish: excerpt at 02:12:44 "Any opposed? Any abstentions? I'm also an aye. The motion carries unanimously." (transcript excerpt).

Searchable_tags:["CFTU","teachers_contract","labor_relations","Central Falls"],