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About the Project
Why a teacher contract database?
ConnCAN created this Teacher Contract Database to provide free, public access to teacher collective bargaining agreements for every single school district in Connecticut. These agreements shape local district education policy, and we believe that providing access to this information in a user-friendly, web-based searchable form will be essential to inform the public dialogue on district-level education reform.
Although Connecticut teacher collective bargaining agreements are subject to public disclosure under state law, accessing these agreements has not always been transparent or easy. In 2007, the NATIONAL COUNCIL ON TEACHER QUALITY (NCTQ) created the first national teacher contract database for select cities, including New Haven and Hartford (known as the TR3 PROJECT - TEACHER RULES, ROLES AND RIGHTS). NCTQ’s database includes reviews of key contract provisions, frequently asked questions, and nationwide comparisons. In some states, the State Department of Education provides links to and information about contracts within the state. The absence of such a resource in Connecticut and NCTQ’s national database inspired ConnCAN to develop this database for Connecticut.
About the database
ConnCAN’s Teacher Contract Database provides unprecedented access to teachers' contracts from all 175 public school districts and with information relating to key provisions both within and across these contracts. Readers can access a variety of research tools, including a customized search of key contract provisions, district-to-district comparisons, and links to the PDFs of every contract, as well as graphical highlights of state trends and notable contract provisions.
Contracts typically last for three years, and approximately one-third of all contracts in the state expire at the end of every school year. There are exceptions to this rule, when districts continue to operate under an expired contract while engaged in negotiations. The next immediate expiration date will be on or around June 30, 2013. Contract provisions do not often change substantially from one three-year period to the next. However, we will update the database as new contracts are available.
This database captures policies established by collective bargaining agreements, which may not always reflect actual practice. We know that some district decisions are made outside of the contract and consequently may not be captured in this database. We also recognize that, in many places, the contract is a baseline and that many teachers and administrators go above and beyond the minimum requirements in these contracts. For example, we know that many educators work much longer days than what is required in their contract. However, when disputes arise or reforms are sought, the contract is a document that guides decisions and work rules and we believe that we must, therefore, look closely at what these contracts stipulate.
Approximately 88% of contracts are negotiated by the CEA or its affiliate, and the remaining 12% by the AFT.
For each contract, we present core information including:
- Contract expiration date
- Union affiliation (CEA or AFT)
- Number of teacher days
- Number of days without students
- Time required before school day begins
- Time required after school day ends
- Workday length
- Teacher preparatory time
- Class size limits
- Salary
- Performance pay
- Tuition reimbursement
- Sick leave
- Personal days
- Compensated professional development days
- Reduction in force provisions
- Evaluation procedures
- When possible, the database makes distinctions between elementary and secondary school contract provisions.
By highlighting important public information, we hope this database will help facilitate effective local and statewide decision-making. Boards of education, local policymakers, unions, and the public can use this information to compare their local contract to others, as well as to improve contract negotiations and advocate for school improvements.
