The Learning Curve: High Tech High Union (almost) has a contract.

Organizers of the charter network’s high-tech high school have reached a contract agreement, a year after organizers began negotiating with the school’s management team. The contract provides teachers with an improved pay scale and additional pay increases, guaranteed lunch breaks, an established teacher evaluation process and limits on class sizes.

“It’s a big win for teachers in our efforts to stabilize our schools and align[High Tech High’s]design principles with practice,” wrote Hayden Gore, High Tech’s top teacher and union president.

The interim agreement allowed the union to win a key point that led to the two sides reaching the final at the end of November.

That main sticking point was who had the final say if a teacher appealed the firing of someone fired for cause. The union argued there should be a panel made up of union representatives, school leadership and independent third-party representatives. The school leadership wanted him to be the charter’s CEO.

High Tech High teachers are frustrated by what they see as an unappealable culture of random shootings. If the school leadership kept the final say, teachers feared they would be stuck with an at-will hiring system that could undermine any benefits they had negotiated. The tentative agreement they reach provides a crucial final third party.

According to data compiled for the San Diego 2021 Parent Guide to San Diego Schools, High Tech high schools have the least experienced teachers of any school in the county. Of the more than 600 schools in the county with average teacher experience, 10 of the 13 schools with the least experience are high-tech high campuses.

Another sticking point was the length of the probationary period for high-tech senior teachers before they became established teachers. The association wants a 2-year period while the school management asks for a 3-year entry period. Finally, the two parties agreed for 3 years.

Gore said the final contract is “a definite trade-off,” but the union’s main goal is to have the original contract approved by the CEO pending an appeals process.

Because what we understand is that if we don’t have due process, if we don’t have an independent third-party grievance process, especially after teachers are wrongfully terminated, we don’t have much of a contract. Standing on top of everything,” Gore said.

The contract has not yet been announced. The High Tech High board still must approve the deal. It plans to vote at its January 25 meeting. Members of the union’s bargaining unit must also vote to ratify the deal. If approved, the contract will be in effect through the 2024-2025 school year.

“This is great news and the first step in the right direction that we (HTH and HTEC) believe will provide a framework for sustainability and stability for our community, families and students for years to come,” Caleb Rashad, High Tech High Interim CEO and Board Chair Gary Jacobs told Charter Network staff. and families in their statements.

Gore agreed that this is an important first step, but said there is still more work to be done to restore trust between teachers and high-tech leaders.

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