Bargaining teams from Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) and the Saint Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) met on Thursday, Dec. 7, to discuss the next contracts for Teachers, Educational Assistants (EAs) and School and Community Services Personnel (SCSP). At the meeting, SPPS presented seven proposals. SPFE presented four proposals and three counter proposals. While there are no tentative agreements between the two parties, there was positive momentum and mutual appreciation for the collaborative conversations at the bargaining table.

SPPS’s new proposals covered:

• the importance of providing a continuum of student mental health supports, including working toward established staff-to-student ratio goals and adding an administrator to each school’s mental health support team
• class size, including eliminating caps in favor of average per teacher targets for each class. The vast majority of SPPS classes fall below current negotiated caps and averages. Having caps also negatively impacts schools’ ability to grow their enrollment and causes families to choose other schools if a particular grade is full. Data on current class sizes by grade level is available here. 
• updating the caseload for EL teachers to a range of 52-57 to reduce the need for fall adjustments that disrupt students and teachers
• continuing contract language for teachers, which would require giving notice by July 1 if a teacher is not returning in the fall
• process for reimbursement for union business leave for teachers, EAs and SCSPs
• placement and transfer process for EAs
• transfer process for SCSPs

SPFE had four proposals covering the Health Care Savings Plan (post-retirement benefit), hourly rates for professional development and additional assignments, summer term pay, and exempting counselors and social workers from being assigned to hallway/bus/lunch duty. All proposals to date can be found on the proposals page. 

At the meeting, the bargaining teams also discussed the timeline for the district’s next request for proposals (RFP) for health insurance. SPPS is seeking an opinion from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office regarding when the district is legally required to enter into a new RFP for health insurance.

SPPS would like to thank the SPFE bargaining team for continuing to negotiate in good faith since this round of bargaining began in September. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 21, at 5 p.m. at 23 Empire Drive. Meeting dates can be found on the negotiations calendar.