Both Sides Hoping Teachers Have Contract by Next Week

Talks between the Los Angeles Unified School District and the 43,000-member teachers’ union pressed on late Friday, as both sides grew optimistic that an agreement will be announced early next week.

Organizers for United Teachers-Los Angeles said they are preparing to brief the union’s Board of Directors on Monday night and present the tentative agreement to 800 school site representatives Tuesday. Supt. Roy Romer would present the contract to the Board of Education for ratification at its regular meeting Tuesday.

If ratified, the contract would avert a teachers strike scheduled for Feb. 27. However, Romer is likely to run into tough questioning by some board members over the cost of the raises and the lack of major concessions on the issue of principals’ flexibility to assign teachers.

A source close to the board said: “There is some real serious concern about whether an agreement will be sustainable, whether there has been adequate analysis done to find out if it is sustainable, what are the trade-offs.”

The two sides have declined to disclose the terms, but sources have indicated it will include a substantial salary and benefits increase and a plan to expand principals’ flexibility.