LIHU‘E — After spending more than two years working without a contract, Hawai‘i public school teachers have something in writing. Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi and the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association signed Wednesday a four-year agreement for a new
LIHU‘E — After spending more than two years working without a contract, Hawai‘i public school teachers have something in writing.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi and the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association signed Wednesday a four-year agreement for a new teachers contract.
“I am elated for our teachers,” said Bill Arakaki, Kaua‘i Complex superintendent for the state Department of Education. “It’s about supporting our hardworking and dedicated teachers as professionals through alignment of accountability and continuous improvement.”
HSTA President Will Okabe said in a news release the union’s members have shown “unwavering commitment” to education by putting pressure on the state through sign waving, emails, letters and phone calls.
Abercrombie called the agreement “a milestone for education in Hawai‘i” — for teachers, students and their families.
“This contract provides opportunities for annual pay increases that are long overdue after years of sacrifice from teachers and other public employees,” Abercrombie said in a statement. “These shared sacrifices allowed us to administer the state in a fiscally sound manner and avoid layoffs to balance the budget.”
Public school teachers will see the equivalent of a 3 percent pay increase above the restored 5 percent cut in July 2012, according to HSTA officials. In subsequent years, teachers will see increases of 3 percent and 3.2 percent, and health insurance premium percentages will also be restored.
As part of the agreement, HSTA agreed to the state’s terms for the 2011–13 contract period and to withdraw the teachers union’s complaint at the Hawai‘i Labor Relations Board regarding that contract, according to Abercrombie’s office.
On Wednesday night, 70 percent of HSTA membership voted on the contract, with 95 percent voting in favor of the offer the state presented March 24.
The contract will take effect July 1, in time for the next school year.
Under the new contract, the state plans to establish a fair and thorough evaluation system to improve teaching practices and enhance learning environments, according to HSTA. Teachers will be represented during the decision process to establish the educator evaluation system.
The contract provides for additional hours of training and professional support for teachers, more rigorous probation for new teachers and a professional recognition when beginning teachers complete a performance-based probation.
“This is tied into our strategic plan: student success, staff success and successful systems,” Arakaki said.
Okabe said HSTA’s goal from the start was to establish a fair and equitable contract that would offer professional pay and improve working conditions to attract the “best and the brightest” into classrooms.
Matayoshi said the contract supports teachers in a way that allows a collective focus in the DOE’s efforts toward supporting student achievement and meeting the department’s goals to change public education in Hawai‘i.
“Teachers are critically important because they are the frontline to our students,” Matayoshi said in a release.
Abercrombie said the next step is for the Legislature to fund the agreement as part of the state’s biennium budget, and he already transmitted a message requesting state lawmakers to fund the contract.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0452 or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
