CEA Members,
On November 10, 2023, CEA filed a class-action grievance against the District regarding mandatory classroom observations performed by third-party vendors such as iReady, HMH, and Curriculum Assoiciates. CEA presented evidence gathered from dozens of schools that these observations and related tasks violated several provisions of our Master Agreement. Predictably, despite this evidence, the District denied this grievance at Step Two. On December 14, 2023, your CEA Board of Governors voted unanimously to advance the grievance to binding arbitration. Accordingly, CEA filed with the American Arbitration Association the next day.
Faced with the prospect of a decision on this case being made by a neutral arbitrator, the District approached CEA seeking a settlement. We are thrilled to report that have just signed a binding settlement agreement with the District. Beginning February 1, all classroom observations and related tasks performed by non-District employees (i.e. vendors), are to be conducted only on a voluntary basis at the sole discretion of CEA bargaining unit members.
This means that for the duration of our current CEA contract, meetings and observations with curriculum vendors (and anyone else who isn’t a CCS employee) are strictly voluntary. If you find them helpful, you may continue to participate. If you do not, do not participate. It’s completely up to you.
We’d like to thank the many CEA members who contracted us with their stories and documentation which enabled us to successfully enforce our contract. It’s thanks to the diligence and tenacity of so many members of our Union that we’re able to take “one more thing” off the plate of our members.
In Solidarity,
John Coneglio
CEA President