Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

With more than half of the state's 36 school districts scheduled to start classes this week, nine districts still do not have new teacher contracts in place -- although so far, no teachers' union has threatened to strike and schools are expected to open on schedule.

Last week, 17 districts opened their schools as planned.

Three school districts with unsigned teacher contracts hashed out tentative agreements over the Labor Day weekend: Little Compton, Newport and Smithfield.

School and union officials in Little Compton and Newport said they had not yet scheduled a vote to ratify the tentative agreements. Officials in Smithfield said the school committee would vote tomorrow night.

Districts with unresolved teacher contracts:

In Scituate, the school committee and teachers' union scheduled an 8 a.m. negotiating session today, according to School Committee member Ernest Macure. Classes are scheduled to start in Scituate on Wednesday.

School officials and union representatives in Burrillville and Tiverton -- two districts that are in their second year without signed teacher contracts -- met in mid and late August. It is unclear whether both sides have met within the past few days, as they have declined to comment on negotiations. Tiverton teachers are under a long-standing Superior Court order that requires them to be in their classroom, and the union has asked that new talks not be held until after the November elections.

Burrillville's schools opened Aug. 27; Tiverton schools are scheduled to open tomorrow.

Bristol Warren, where schools opened Aug. 27, has scheduled another round of talks for Wednesday, and Johnston, which also started classes Aug. 27, will hold more negotiations Sept. 5.

Cranston and Providence, two of the largest districts in the state and the first to open on Aug. 26, have had recent negotiations, but have not yet come to an agreement, according to school officials.

Schools in East Providence are scheduled to open Wednesday. Roberta Brady, outgoing president of the teacher's union, said the union has suggested several dates to resume talks and is waiting to hear back from school officials. East Providence's teacher contract does not expire until Oct. 31.

School and union officials in Glocester scheduled a meeting for last week, but both sides have declined to comment on specifics of the negotiations. Glocester schools have the latest start date this year, as classes are scheduled to begin Sept. 8

Jennifer D. Jordan
Journal Staff Writer

 Tags  schools

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