While we were encouraged to learn that for the short-term a contractual impasse has been avoided by Cincinnati Public Schools and the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, we do hope that the recent complaint submitted by CFT will not derail continued negotiations.

To ensure negotiations continue until an agreement is reached, we believe both CPS and CFT should publicly commit to not declare impasse and pursue negotiations until an agreement has been made. Impasse would mean a third party arbitrator will make decisions about what is best for our children, and not our administration, teachers and board members. This wouldn’t serve CPS, CFT, or our kids.

Cincinnati has an unprecedented opportunity to support real change that will pave the way for improved academic performance that is essential to the future of our students and community. This means putting students first and pursing reforms supported by the community and suggested in The New Teacher Project report, including:

· Annual teacher evaluations in which student achievement is the predominant factor.

· A merit–based compensation system that rewards/retains highly effective teachers.

· A process that allows for a timely exit from the system for teachers unable to help students succeed.

· Student achievement growth, rather than seniority, should drive staffing decisions.

· A “mutual consent” system so that teachers and principals both agree before a teacher is placed in a school.

· Greater flexibility to redesign failing schools and new, high-quality alternatives to parents looking for different options.

CPS has seen some initial successes when they have been able to experiment with innovative reforms in a number of Elementary Initiative schools. In order to sustain these gains and spread reforms throughout the district, it is critical that a new, transformative contract agreement be reached.

Dr. O’dell Owens, Chair, Stand for Kids

Jeff Edmondson, Executive Director, The Strive Partnership

Rolonda Smith, Executive Director, Parents for Public Schools

Stand for Kids is a grassroots child advocacy organization of community members focused on ensuring that every single child in Cincinnati receives an excellent education.

The Strive Partnership works to drive greater success in education for every child, every step, from cradle to career, uniting Cincinnati, Newport, and Covington partners around shared issues, goals, measurements and results, and then actively supports and strengthens strategies that work.

Parents for Public Schools of Greater Cincinnati is part of a national organization of community based chapters that advocates for excellence in public schools.