Teacher contract negotiations near agreement, with strings attached

On May 7, negotiating teams for the Associated Teachers of Petersburg (ATP) and Petersburg School District met for a private discussion. The certified teacher contract negotiations have been in a stalemate for months. The situation is constrained by inadequate state education funding that has not adjusted for inflation since 2017. The lack of funding is causing trouble for the district budget to meet the union's expressed need for teacher salary increases.

At the May 7 meeting, the district presented another offer for the union's consideration that includes the salary schedule proposed by the...