As a teacher in BCPSS, I don't believe the contract has lived up to its promises. I feel that we've been set up. Perhaps we SHOULD have known that something was fishy about this contract when we saw Alonso and Marrietta English (BTU President) sitting on TV posing and looking quite chummy.

Younger teachers voted for the contract because they saw dollar signs. As a younger teacher, I voted against the contract because it held you responsible for goals that are simply unrealistic.

Teacher STILL don't know how to attain AUs. Whenever I call Central Office to check on my status, I'm given arbitrary responses. A representative from the BTU came speak to teachers at my school. She knew nothing! She kept literally saying, "I don't know the answer to that." Quite disappointing! If North Avenue is responsible for keeping track of the progress that would move us up the "pathways," we should all quit now!

I don't know how many people remember when we first voted for the contract (using paper and pen), it was declined. I found it rather peculiar that the contract was passed the second time around when we voted electronically.

I'm disappointed in the contract! I wish more people had listened to those who warned against this. WE'VE BEEN SET UP.

I just saw this in an update from the BTU: End of year evaluations were uploaded automatically to be banked as AUs. A proficient evaluation is worth 12 AUs; a satisfactory evaluation is worth 9 AUs; and an unsatisfactory evaluation is worth 3 AUs.

Really? Is this for last spring or ongoing? can't tell. No matter, it's an achievement for the BTU that it gets an unsatisfactory eval counted as an "achievement".

All of the teachers who voted against the contract realized what it was: a means by which the city could pay teachers less. Putting salary decisions in the hands of administrations is surefire way to vacate the district of teachers who care about their careers as professional educators. Especially when administrators are being pressured by Alonso to give out as few 'Proficients' as possible, regardless of the quality and dedication of their teachers. Experienced teachers saw this coming a mile away. The contract is a joke, and is the reason that I will be leaving for a district that pays teachers step increases. Shame on the BTU.

@BCPSS Teacher

You bring up a good point. ARE you actually being paid less this year than you would have otherwise? Are you on pace to make less next year than you would have? Is anyone?

@BCPSS Teacher

You bring up a good point. ARE you actually being paid less this year than you would have otherwise under the old contract? Are you on pace to make less next year than you would have? Is anyone?

@BCPSS Teacher

You bring up a good point. ARE you actually being paid less this year than you would have otherwise under the old contract? Are you on pace to make less next year than you would have? Is anyone?

I voted against the contract because generally when something sounds too good to be true it is. I'm taking grad classes that can supposedly be turned in for AU's since we no longer get any type of pay increase for our masters. However, there still isn't a clear way to get my AU's for the credits, I've been told their working on it. Yeah okay, I'm not going to hold my breath. Also the new observation requirements are useless. Expecting principals to write evidence for every single thing, its not possible to write that fast, obviously embellishment and favoritism will happen... Contract is a joke. Shame on those who jumped at fools gold and voted for this.

@Simon--Yes, as a matter of fact, I am making less. My salary is back to where it was in 2008-2009. Thanks, BTU and new contract.

Honestly I don't know. I am earning roughly the same but have no idea what I should have been making or what I would have beenmakingnext year. I never understood the published schedule because every time I thought iwas in line for a raise, there was new contract etc. Twice I have had salary adjustmments due to BCPS error. I still have NO idea how to earn AU's nor how a non-content area teacher level staff member( non tested area) moves along any scale. I was very verbal at contract time last year and every fear has come to reality. The union needs to get into every school and explain clearly what we can expect. HRcan not explain anything. Another BCPS fiasco asfarasIamconcerned.

If we all remember way back when they pitched us this contract, the Union and North Ave. were supposed to use a joint panel to come up with the AU scale 90 days after ratifying the contract... 90 days... It's been a year.

As far as I can see the money to pay us the promised salary isn't there and schools are doing everything they can to keep teachers "satisfactory" because evaluations are the only known way to actually bank AUs.

There is also a clause in this contract that if they can't make the money manifest itself the contract is dissolved. I'd love to see an article tracing the money. Get the numbers of teachers the contract pitch said could get raises, get the number of teachers who currently are eligible for a raise, and do a little math... I doubt BCPSS can afford it.