Washington Teachers’ Union Ratifies Contract

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Members of the Washington Teachers’ Union overwhelmingly approved a new five-year contract with the District of Columbia Public Schools that union leaders believe will bring much-needed improvements to working and learning conditions for educators and students, the union announced today.

“The five-year contract provides a fair compensation package and important provisions that should help alleviate some of the challenging conditions that have frustrated educators and inhibited recruitment and retention,” said WTU President Jacqueline Pogue Lyons.

Highlights of the package include provisions that improve the sick leave bank, allow teachers to retain up to 10 sick days while still being eligible for the maternity/paternity leave bank, provide wellness days, provide four non-teaching morning blocks each week for teachers to prepare and plan lessons, create a more equitable distribution of work for related-service providers (such as social workers) and provide athletic trainers with the equipment and support they need to keep student athletes safe.

As for wage increases, members will receive a 4 percent bonus for the past year (in which WTU members were working under an expired contract), a 2 percent raise for FY2025, a 3 percent raise for FY2026 and FY2027, and a 4 percent raise for FY2028. By the end of FY2028, new teachers will be earning $71,320. The agreement will raise the average salary to $117,684, and teachers at the top of the salary scale will earn $147,431 by FY2028.

AFT President Randi Weingarten praised the contract but said the repudiated teacher evaluation system must be overhauled.

“I’m glad the WTU educators embraced this contract, which not only has pay increases but addresses conditions that educators need to support their students and support their own families. WTU President Pogue Lyons and her bargaining team deserve thanks for being relentless in sweating the small stuff and Mayor Bowser for listening.

“We know, however, that our work is not finished. We will keep fighting to change the IMPACT evaluation system, which educators know does not work. A 2021 American University study on the IMPACT evaluation system confirmed this.

“IMPACT is a relic of Michelle Rhee’s administration nearly two decades ago. Evaluation systems must support teaching and learning, be aligned with what students need to know and do in the 21st century and what educators need to do to make that happen. We don’t need a continuation of a top-down, high-stakes, test-based era,” Weingarten said.