THE MPS COMMUNICATOR
Issue #7, January 10, 2008

Welcome to the seventh edition of The MPS Communicator, a newsletter
providing information about the talks between Minneapolis Public
Schools (MPS) and the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT),
Local 59, regarding the 2007 - 2009 teachers' contract.

This issue of the MPS Communicator addresses the tentative agreement
between MPS and the teachers' union.

The MFT and MPS reached a tentative agreement for the 2007-2009
teachers' contract at approximately noon on Jan. 7. Teachers will
vote on the contract beginning Friday at the MFT headquarters, and
the voting will continue until 10:30 p.m. Monday. The board of
education is scheduled to vote on the contract Tuesday.

A memorandum of agreement was entered into that will, if the
contract is approved, create new staffing processes for the
assignment of teachers. These processes would be a collaborative
effort and would involve a committee comprised of both teachers and
administrators to interview and select teachers to fill positions.
Seniority would remain as a factor in the selection of candidates
for these positions.

The tentative agreement also includes a financial settlement that
would provide a two-percent increase on both the traditional and
Alternative Teacher Professional Pay System (ATPPS) salary schedules
for 2007-2008 and a one-percent increase for 2008-2009, as well as a
pro-rated lump sum of $750 for each teacher in the second year. The
district would also continue to provide full single health insurance
at no cost to teachers, and the district would pay an additional
$250 this year and $500 next year toward family coverage.

More information on the tentative agreement is addressed in the
following question-and-answer format.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Teacher Placement Process Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)

Interview and Select

Are all schools interview and select?
-- For the 2008-2009 school year, the following schools and programs
have Interview and Select for any vacancies that arise:

-- High schools
-- North Side Initiative sites
-- AYP 3 and 4 sites
-- International Baccalaureate (IB) programs
-- Montessori programs
-- Autism programs
-- Language Immersion and native and heritage language programs
-- Any site/program where 67% of teachers vote to be Interview and
Select

-- For the 2009-2010 school year, all sites and programs are
interview and select.

What happens to sites that are not Interview and Select?
-- Those sites will follow the traditional bidding system.

Is interview and select permanent beginning in 2009-2010?
-- This will have to be negotiated. The MOA expires July 31, 2009.

How does this agreement affect seniority?
-- In layoff, seniority is preserved.
-- Under the interview and select process, current seniority rights
do not apply.

If a teacher seeks an interview under interview and select, will
they get an interview?
-- If the teacher seeks an interview and is among the top five
senior applicants, they will get an interview.

If a school has an IB program, are all vacancies at the school
interview and select?
-- At the elementary and middle school sites, all positions are
considered part of the IB program. Therefore, all vacancies would
be interview and select.
-- At high schools, a select few positions are part of the IB
program. However, since all high schools have interview and select,
all vacancies will be filled through the interview and select
process.

What are the phases for transfer and reassignment?
-- Phase 1: Teachers indicate an interest in being considered
for vacancies at interview and select sites
-- Phase 2: Budget tie-out
Probationary release
Tenured Lay Off (based on licensure in seniority
order)
-- Phase 3: Internal canvassing for vacancies
Interview and Select or Bidding (Year One Only)
-- Phase 4: Excessed placement (years one and two)
-- Phase 5: Tenured recall

How does realignment fit into this?
-- Realignment is eliminated for the length of the MOA.

Would interview and select ever cause a teacher to interview for
their position?
-- No, interview and select is a transfer process used to fill
vacancies only.

If a teacher has been in the district for 20 years and is excessed,
does this mean the teacher could be laid off if not selected for a
position?
-- No, layoffs will occur based on licensure in seniority order.

How will sites know if a teacher is interested in being interviewed
for a position?
-- In the spring, teachers will go online to sign up for the
candidate pools at sites for which they would like to be considered
if a vacancy occurs.
-- The process will be very similar to the online system that has
been used in the past.
-- Licensure will be checked at the time of sign up and teachers
will be listed in the candidate pool in seniority order.
-- Once specific vacancies are identified at the sites, HR will
contact teachers in the candidate pool to verify their interest in
being interviewed.

How much information will teachers be given about vacancies?
-- District-wide postings will be used and will include the
following information:
-- Specific job description including grade level
-- School program description and/or site portfolio for potential
applicants to access
-- Principals will retain the right to internally reassign teachers
based on programmatic needs and enrollment changes. This has always
been the case.
-- Potential candidates will also have an opportunity to visit and
observe the educational environment during non-student contact time
prior to interviewing.

Who will be interviewed?
-- Sites will be given the list of teachers who are requesting
interviews for each vacancy.
-- The top five senior teachers will be guaranteed an interview
along with five other internal candidates from the candidate pool.
-- Those 10 teachers will be interviewed by the site interview team,
and a selection will be made from those interviewed.

Who will make the decision about which teacher is offered the
position?
-- The site team reaches consensus to select finalist.
-- Principal makes final decision for hire if consensus is not
reached.
-- Selected candidate is subject to review and final approval from
HR.

How will the interviewing team be selected?
-- The administrator(s) and building steward(s) will identify
teachers who agree to participate on interview teams.
-- Those teachers and the principal will attend a mandatory training
offered by HR.
-- The principal will select at least two teachers from those
identified to compose interview teams specific to the licensure area
of the vacancies. (i.e. A special education teacher would be a part
of interviewing teachers for a SERT position.)

How will I be notified if I am selected?
-- HR will e-mail the selected teacher with an offer which would
need to be accepted within 24 hours.

What accountability will there be to ensure that the process is fair?
-- The method for selecting the interview team and the consensus
approach should ensure fairness.
-- HR will promptly investigate any complaints and will randomly
monitor interviews.
-- Building stewards may also sit in on interviews at their site.
-- There will be an advisory committee established to oversee the
interview and select process and identify a method of feedback to
determine how the process is working.

Who is the advisory committee?
-- The Quality Schools Collaborative (QSC) will be established to
enhance mutual understanding of, agreement to, and advancement of
MPS strategic plan and academic agenda.
-- Its first area of focus will be the teacher placement process.
-- It will be comprised of representatives from MFT, district
administrators, the Board of Education, and principals.

Excessed Placement

How will excessed teachers get positions if not selected for a
position?
-- After the interview and select phase has been completed, sites
with remaining vacancies will be given a list of excessed teachers
who still need positions.
-- The sites can interview those teachers and make a match. HR would
be notified, and the teacher would be placed into the vacancy.
-- At an in-person excessed placement session, sites will meet with
remaining excessed teachers to try again to make a match.
-- Those still needing a placement may select in seniority order
from remaining vacancies.

Will excessing at the sites happen the same way it has in the past?
-- Yes, the reduction rules for excessing and canvassing in
seniority order will be the same as in previous years. (Per Article
XVI.)

Layoff/Recall

How will layoffs be decided?
-- After budget tie-out, HR will determine whether any teacher
layoffs are necessary by licensure area.
-- Layoffs will continue to be done in strict order of reverse
seniority with the least senior teachers in the licensure areas
being laid off.

Are there exceptions to seniority with regard to recall from layoff?
-- Yes, the following sites and programs will have priority recall
from layoff:
-- Autism
-- Montessori
-- Language Immersion
-- Native and heritage language literacy
-- Lucy Craft Laney and Nellie Stone Johnson, the fresh-started
schools

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Other Tentative Agreement Items

Salary
Will we receive a salary increase?
-- Yes, teachers will receive a 2% increase on the salary schedule
for 2007-2008 and a 1% increase on the salary schedule for 2008-2009
plus a lump sum payment of $750.

-- All step and lane increases that have been implemented will
receive retroactive pay from the beginning of the contract period-
July 1, 2007.

-- These changes will apply to teachers on both the traditional and
ATPPS salary schedules.

Benefits
Are there changes in health insurance benefits?
-- Yes, the district's family contribution will increase in 2007-
2008 from $2500 to $2750 and in 2008-2009 from $2750 to $3250.

-- The district will continue to fully pay single insurance for both
years.

Licensure
I noticed that the licensure language for School Social Workers,
Counselors, and Special Education teachers was deleted. Does this
mean that they don't have to have licenses?

-- No, all employees covered under the MFT collective bargaining
agreement are required by the Minnesota Department of Education to
have state licensure.

-- As a result, this deletion does not change who can work in the
schools.

-- Guaranteed in legislation including PELRA (179A.03, Subd 19)

On behalf of the district, thank you for your interest in this
process and the future of Minneapolis Public Schools. Feedback and
topic suggestions for future issues may be directed to The MPS
Communicator in care of communicator@mpls.k12.mn.us.

Dr. Bill Green
Superintendent, Minneapolis Public Schools