The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, the union that represents teachers and education support professionals, have voted to approve tentative contract agreements with Minneapolis Public Schools, and classes are set to resume Tuesday.
Here's what you need to know.
Does this mean students return to school?
Yes. Classes will begin Tuesday, and staff will return to work Monday for what's being called a "transition day."
District officials and union leaders also arrived at a tentative plan to make up lost class time. Pending approval from the school board, they plan to: scrap a previously scheduled teacher record-keeping day on April 1 and hold classes; add an additional 42 minutes to the end of each school day for the rest of the year beginning on April 11 (after spring break); and push the end of the school year to June 24.
What is in the tentative agreements?
The full agreements were made public Saturday. In a news release early Friday, the union described them as "historic." It said "major gains were made on pay for education support professionals, protections for educators of color, class size caps and mental health supports."
For education support professionals, the union said, the tentative agreement includes wage increases that boost the starting hourly wage from $19.83 to $23.91.
The union leaders said the contract includes "a nation-leading model that exempts teachers of color from seniority-based layoff and excessing" as well as class-size caps.
A memorandum of agreement would also add mental health supports in elementary schools and ensure a social worker in each school building, union leaders said.
The new contract runs through the end of the 2022-2023 school year.
What's next?
The ratifications suspend the strike, pending approval of the agreements by the Minneapolis Board of Education.
Check back with Startribune.com for more updates to this developing story.
