PAL: Partnership with Administration and Labor A Model for Effective Union-Management Relations Presented by Dr. Carol Hansen, Assistant Superintendent - Human Resources Mr. Ray Gaer, President – ABC Federation of Teachers ABC Unified School District Cerritos, California

Overview of ABC Unified School District  Serves the Communities of Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, Portions of Lakewood and Norwalk in Southeast Corner of Los Angeles County  Ethnic Breakdown – 92% Ethnic Minority; 42% Hispanic/Latino; 40% Asian Pacific Islander; 10% African-American; 8% White  Student Population: 21,029 (TK-12)  30 Schools – 19 Elementary Schools; 5 Middle Schools; 5 High Schools; 1 Adult School; (10 Preschools; 16 Magnet Schools)  51% - Low Income Families  20% - English Learners  District’s Drop Out Rate - 3.5%  Total Number Of ABC Employees - 3,350; Teachers: 1,035

Human Resources 85% of your budget is personnel – classified, certificated, and management Recruitment, Screening, Hiring, Placement, Transfer, Leaves, Resignation, Retirement, Discipline and Dismissal Supervision and Evaluation School Site Staffing and Assignment Collective Bargaining, Negotiations, and Contract Management

First Things First COMMUNICATION RELATIONSHIPS COMMON VISION

History of PAL Strife to Stability ( ) A new partnership between administration and labor (PAL) with a new superintendent and new board committed to collaborate with the teacher’s union towards the goal of student achievement Guiding Principles and Behaviors Partnership Charter Statement signed by board and union leaders PAL Conference/West Coast Labor Management Workshops Continue to create new structures and systems for collaboration (Southside Schools Initiative to Common Core)

Why Partnerships? Quality of Decisions Quality of Implementation Motivation through Voice Full participation Partial participation Pseudo participation

The Partnership’s Guiding Principles All students can succeed and we will not accept any excuse that prevents that from happening in ABC. We will work together to promote student success. All needed support will be made available to schools to ensure every student succeeds. We will work together to ensure that happens.

The Partnership’s Guiding Principles The top 5% of teachers in our profession should teach our students. We will work together to hire, train, and retain these professionals. All employees contribute to student success. All negotiations support conditions that sustain successful teaching and student learning. This is the MAIN THING! We won’t let each other fail.

The Partnership’s Behaviors We work hard to understand the core of each other’s jobs We respect each other We are honest with each other We do not “sugar coat” difficult issues We disagree without being disagreeable We reflect on each other’s comments, suggestions, and concerns

The Partnership’s Behaviors We reflect on each other’s comments, suggestions, and concerns. We seek clarification until we understand. We maintain confidentiality. We both “own the contract.” We solve problems rather than win arguments. We laugh at ourselves and with each other.

Mission Statement The ABC Partnership is a collaborative effort to improve student achievement and to enhance the teaching and working environment for faculty, staff, and administration through the institutional partnering of colleagues in the ABC Unified School District and the ABC Federation of Teachers. Faculty and administration should have a voice in those decisions that reflect the collaborative efforts and goals of the partnership emphasizing a common understanding of the issues, joint research, sharing of information, mutual respect, and working together to ensure each others’ success.

Where does PAL work? A progression of PAL work Budget and Negotiations Contract Management and Employee Issues Academic Services and Programs

Budget Transparency Attend budget workshops together Chief Business Officer and Chief Negotiator meet and compare numbers Budget overview meetings with all unions and management led by the superintendent Greater understanding of expenditures and revenues

Bargaining in ABCUSD Hybrid: Traditional with interest based feeling tone Guiding principles are considered Pre-negotiations’ conversations frequently occur Rational for proposals are clear and reasonable We understand each others’ political realities Trust has been built over time We won’t let each other fail

The Contract and Employees Clear definitions and interpretation of the contract Issues resolved at site level Joint communication on hot topics Address performance/conduct issues as mediators Thorough investigations are conduct before we act What can we do to resolve issues and help employees- TOGETHER?

Curriculum and Professional Development CCSS Professional Development and Implementation Timeline Committee Member Selection Secondary Math Coaches Textbook Adoption Process Report Card Special Education: P.R.O.P.S iCARE (AFT Innovative Funds) Information Technology Pilot Elementary Grade Book District Technology Plan Child Development: Thematic Unit Projects (AFT Innovative Funds) Academic Services and PAL

Developing Building Representatives Capacity and Culture  Building Representative trainings  Monthly attendance at union meetings – 98% attendance  Providing opportunities to participate in AFT training programs  Having “fierce conversations”  Building trust and relationships  Creating a culture to question district issues together

Developing Administrators’ Capacity and Culture  Ability to collaborate in a union partnership is a criteria used when selecting new administrators  Union representation is present on all administrator interview panels  Union’s point of view and input is valued and consider when major District decisions need to be made  New principal training and orientation includes understanding the background and guiding principles of the partnership

Superintendent Union President Chief Financial Officer Chief Negotiator Asst. Sup. HRUnion President and Chief Negotiator Asst. Supt. Academic PASS Coordinator & VP Elem. Curriculum and P.D.VP HS & VP MS Special Education VP Special Education, Special Ed Advisory Committee Information Technology Union President Coordinator of Child DevVP-Child Development ABC ManagementAll Labor Unions District CabinetABCFT Executive Board Partnership Standing Meetings

Academic Services CA Common Core Standards Smarter Balance Assessment Special Education PROPS (Proactive Problem Solving) Committee Superintendent’s Office Weekly meetings Shared principles; beliefs Conferences on Collaborative School Reform Business Services Insurance Benefits Committee Budget Workshops Finance and Audit Committee School Services Liaison with Principals – Training (COMPASS) Problem-Solving Leading Equity Action Project (LEAP) PAL Committee Human Resources Negotiations Recruitment and Retirement Fairs New Teacher Orientation Personnel Issues District and ABCFT Collaborations Board of Education ABC-ABCFT District Level Collaborations

Partnership Impacts Teacher Recruitment, Retention and Moral 100% credentialed teachers 99% highly qualified teacher. Large applicant pool No “hard to staff school” Average years of teaching is 16 years Proactive approach to addressing personnel problems Few grievances – resolved at lowest level - no arbitrations No lay-offs of permanent teachers

State Target 800 ABC Exceeds the State Target of 800 Academic Performance Index (API) State Comparison

Start Your Own PAL  Commit to Take a Risk  Start regular meetings between the Superintendent and the Union President  Develop you Guiding Principals and Behaviors  Start Regular Meetings Between Human Resources and the Union President  Pick a Project  Expand the Capacity… With other Executives With site union reps and principals With Partnership Committees

More Ways to Build PAL Encourage principals and union leaders to develop an open dialogue and positive working relationships Encourage site principals to hold regular meetings with the union reps on your campus Consider union representation when forming committees Consider union’s voice when making decisions Pick a project to work on together

Closing Thoughts Practice PAL with fidelity and authenticity Partnerships are about relationships and trust that are established over time Working together takes time and commitment It is easier to have your union working with you rather than against you

Making PAL work RELATIONSHIPS COMMMUNICATION COMMON VISION

Questions and Answers