Cleveland school board accepts fact-finding report, teachers to vote next

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Board of Education met in special session Thursday night to consider a fact-finder's recommendations regarding teacher salaries. 

The Cleveland Teachers Union contract with the school district runs through 2013, however negotiations were reopened over salary issues. When the two sides couldn't reach an agreement on wages, they went to fact finding. 

The teachers union membership will vote on the fact-finding report Friday, Monday and Tuesday and union leaders are urging them to reject it.

"Once again the district's trying to balance the budget on the backs of teachers," CTU president David Quolke said.

Under the fact-finder's recommendations, which the board accepted Thursday night, the school district would see a savings of $13.6 million. Teachers' base salaries are protected but there is a reduction in the number of days they're paid, including:

-Elimination of 3 voluntary professional days, saving the district approximately $2.85 million
-Modification of the District’s proposal relative to reducing class size overage payments from $5 to $2.50 and from $1 to $.50 saving the district approximately $368,000 in FY 2014
-Elimination of three mandatory professional development days, saving the district approximately $3.45 million
-Elimination of six paid holidays, saving the district approximately $6.91 million.

“We are satisfied with the Fact Finder’s recommendation that addresses the district’s financial deficit,” said CMSD CEO Eric Gordon, in a news release on Thursday. “While it certainly does not resolve all our financial challenges, we believe it is a fair and thoughtful recommendation that respects the needs of both parties.”