Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) and the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) Local 231, reached an agreement on a one-year successor contract. The parties began bargaining in February of 2020 prior to the COVID-19 mandatory school closure and agreed to confine the negotiations to a one-year term due to the uncertainty of school funding in proceeding years. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti and DFT President Terrance Martin agreed to terms on September 24. DFT members ratified the agreement on October 5.
This is the third contract agreement between DFT, the current Superintendent and the DPSCD Board of Education over a four-year period, which has also included the signing of dozens of Letters of Agreement on various reform topics. The Superintendent is authorized to negotiate on the School Board’s behalf in negotiations and receives thresholds of funding and terms as defined in closed sessions. The School Board will officially approve the agreement at the October Board Meeting.
Since 2017, DPSCD teachers have incurred steady pay increases, some as high as $15,000 in three years, since DPSCD returned to local control under an elected school board and appointed superintendent. These actions support the District’s continued progress of attracting and retaining teachers and will assist in continuing to prepare for large scale teacher retirements in the coming years. At the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year, the District had 275 teacher vacancies but started this year with fewer than 50, concentrated mainly in special education.
“A lot of people and school districts talk about being “teacher first” or “teacher-centric” but they lack the actual track record, experience, commitment and ability to problem solve through complicated budgets and competing interests to make it happen. This administrative team and School Board has delivered on its promise to improve salaries, benefits and working conditions to retain and recruit teachers, even amid a pandemic,” said Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. “Our work is not done. We must overcome a legacy of inequitable funding to be fully competitive with surrounding districts at every experience level, but it is undeniable that we are making tremendous progress. We will continue to work at this until our teachers are the highest paid in the country. This is what they deserve and more importantly, this is what our children deserve to receive the education they need.”
DFT members include 4,353-unit members who directly serve students across 54 job classifications primarily functioning as teachers, master teachers, training and support coordinators, and auxiliary staff members such as academic interventionists, attendance agents, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and treating therapists that serve our most vulnerable student populations.
“One of the District’s priorities is to support exceptional talent. As a board we knew in 2017 our teachers deserved salary increases, best in class professional development, and a clear pathway to growth,” said Iris Taylor, DPSCD Board of Education President. “Over the past three years, we have upheld our promise to Detroit’s teachers and staff. Starting teacher salaries have increased by more than $15,000 ($35,682.30 to $51,019), average teacher salaries have increased by more than $13,000 ($56,921 to $70,380), and maximum teacher salaries have increased nearly $10,000 ($66,264 to $76,027).”
