The Bloomberg administration and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA), the union representing New York City school principals and assistant principals, reached a tentative collective bargaining settlement. The deal offers up to $25,000 a year to select principals who work three years in troubled schools, increases base pay by 23 percent and adds 15 minutes to principals’ and assistant principals’ workdays.

Still subject to ratification, the term of this collective bargaining agreement is from July 1, 2003 to March 5, 2010. The settlement encompasses three rounds of bargaining and is a pattern-conforming agreement consistent with those reached earlier with other civilian employees. The CSA represents more than 5,600 principals, assistant principals, supervisors and administrators in the Department of Education.

“This contract marks a new relationship between the administration and the principals of our city schools,” says New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “The agreement provides for substantial wage increases and contract reforms, and calls for the settlement of numerous outstanding arbitrations and other litigation. We can now concentrate on investing in the future of our children and making each of our schools a center of excellence.”

The contract permits the chancellor to create “Executive Principal” positions, allowing the Department of Education to raise by $25,000 the salaries of high-performing principals who voluntarily agree to lead high-needs schools for at least three years. It also allows the chancellor to pay principals performance-based bonuses of up to $25,000.

Both of these programs will allow the department to compensate school leaders for helping students make academic progress – and adequately recognize those who take on the biggest challenges in New York City public schools. The contract also aligns the Principal Performance Review with the Department of Education’s new school accountability system, so that principals will be evaluated according to the same standards by which New York City schools are now measured. These standards are based largely on students’ academic progress. The agreement also empowers principals to shape their own teams by eliminating “bumping” and “forced-placement” rights for assistant principals. These are critical changes that recognize the principals’ new responsibilities under the Children First school reforms.

“This agreement gives principals and other supervisors the salary increases they deserve,” says Chancellor Joel Klein. “Principals are taking on substantially more authority and responsibility under our Children First school reforms. This contract finally aligns the principals’ contract with the way we treat our school leaders and ensures that we are rewarding principals for taking on challenges and working hard every day on behalf of our city’s students.”

“We worked long and hard to arrive at this settlement on behalf of our membership, and I believe the progressive ideas and common-sense reforms it contains will serve as a model of success. This is a time of enormous opportunity. CSA members have consistently accepted the challenges of a rapidly changing environment and provided their leadership to help implement the Mayor’s goals for accountability,” says CSA President Ernest Logan.

The principal features of the agreement include the following:

Economic Provisions:
This Agreement provides for the following salary increases, as noted:

• Effective July 1, 2004, a rate increase of 3%.
• Effective July 1, 2005, an additional general increase of 1.136%.
• Effective July 1, 2006, an additional general increase of 3.25%.
• Effective June 1, 2007, an additional general increase of 5.46%.
• Effective October 6, 2007, an additional general increase of 2%.
• Effective April 6, 2008, an additional general increase of 5%.
• Effective September 25, 2009, an additional general increase of 1.38%.

Lump Sum Payment

On August 13, 2007, a $4,000 lump sum cash payment will be paid to all full-time employees who are in active pay status as of June 27, 2007.

Executive Principals
The Chancellor will be able to pay new “Executive Principals” an additional $25,000 a year. These school leaders must agree to lead a high-needs school for at least three years.

Accountability
The Principal Performance Review will be aligned with the Department of Education’s new school accountability system, which focuses heavily on student progress.

End of Bumping Rights
Excessed supervisors will no longer have “bumping” or “forced-placement” rights. They can be offered buyouts, and if they reject them, the Department of Education can place them in alternative positions in which they will teach three periods per day while also performing some supervisory duties.

Summer School Differential
Beginning in the summer of 2009, a $2,500 summer school differential will be paid for up to 400 Principals per year designated as “Principals in Charge” of summer school programs.

Annuity
On December 9, 2009, the Department of Education will begin contributing $708 annually per member to a newly-established Annuity Fund.

Welfare Funds
Effective December 16, 2009, the annual contribution to the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators Active Welfare Fund will be increased by $200 per annum for active employees and retirees.

Effective January 6, 2008, there will be a one-time cash payment to each applicable welfare fund in the amount of $166.67 on behalf of each active member and retiree who is receiving benefits on January 6, 2008.

Performance Increases
The current performance increases will be replaced by a bonus system whereby the chancellor, in his/her sole discretion, may award bonuses of up to $25,000.

Other Modifications

Work Week
The workday for principals, assistant principals and school-based intermediate supervisors will be increased by 15 minutes.

In addition, principals, assistant principals and school based intermediate supervisors will also be in attendance for up to 25 hours of conferences, meetings and/or workshops.

Effective June 1, 2007, employees will report to work on Brooklyn-Queens Day, also known as Anniversary Day.

Effective June 1, 2007, the floating holiday is eliminated for education administrators.

Effective June 1, 2007, education administrators and other “12-month” central and district office based supervisors will have their lunch period reduced to 30 minutes.

Several disputes between the parties, including litigation before the New York State Supreme Court, and claims before the Public Employment Relations Board and in arbitration are resolved.

Several other significant modifications related to discipline, evaluations, grievances and various other personnel-related matters have been made pursuant to this agreement.

The Mayor thanked Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler, Chancellor Joel I. Klein, CSA President Ernest Logan, Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley and First Deputy Commissioner Pamela S. Silverblatt and their team, and Budget Director Mark Page and his staff for their efforts in reaching this Agreement.

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A City of New York press release.

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