Today, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, along with  Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association, and Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers called to convene a national education summit on labor-management collaboration.  To be held in early 2011, the conference will showcase recent progressive collective bargaining agreements that  have occurred throughout the nation.   Secretary Duncan states,

“In dozens of districts around the country — from Tampa to Pittsburgh to Denver — union leaders and administrators are moving beyond the battles of the past and finding new ways to work together to focus on student success. These districts show us what is possible when adults come together, particularly in tough times, to do the right thing for kids. We need to learn from these successful collaborative efforts and build upon them across the country.”

The U.S. Department of Education reports that two of the agreements that will be showcased are from Maryland.

•   In BALTIMORE, the district and the teachers union have tentatively agreed to a new contract that revolutionizes the teacher salary schedule, paying teachers not just for step increases but for learning and doing the things necessary to achieve great outcomes for their students. It also creates a mechanism for school based decision making involving labor and management.
• In MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD., district and union leaders have developed evaluation systems that incorporate evidence of student learning, including student test scores and peer reviews. Under the system, highly effective teachers help other teachers improve their practice.