AGREEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP

between

School District No. 1 in the

City and County of Denver, State of Colorado

and

Denver Classroom Teachers Association

September 1, 2008 August 31, 2011

www.dpsk12.orgwww.denverclassroom.orgwww.DenverProComp.org

http://www.dpsk12.org/http://www.denverclassroom.org/http://www.denverprocomp.org/

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF BELIEFS...................................................................................................... 3FRAMEWORK FOR PARTNERSHIP...................................................................................... 3STANDARDS FOR BEHAVIORS IN OUR PARTNERSHIP ................................................. 5Article 1 - Definitions ................................................................................................................. 6Article 2 - General ...................................................................................................................... 6Article 3 - Covered Employees and Recognition ....................................................................... 8Article 4 - Effective Dates .......................................................................................................... 8Article 5 - Student Achievement, Instruction and Educational Reform ..................................... 9Article 6 - Negotiating Procedure ............................................................................................. 13Article 7 - Grievance Procedure ............................................................................................... 15Article 8 - Professional Standards ............................................................................................ 21Article 9 - Central Office Teacher Files ................................................................................... 26Article 10 - Performance Evaluations....................................................................................... 27Article 11 - Complaints Against Teachers/Administrative Leave/Corrective Action.............. 38Article 12 - Instructional Materials........................................................................................... 39Article 13 - Assignments, Schedules and Transfer................................................................... 40Article 14 - Summer School and Evening School .................................................................... 49Article 15 - Teacher Facilities .................................................................................................. 49Article 16 - Personal Injury Benefits and Property Damage .................................................... 50Article 17 - Assaults ................................................................................................................. 51Article 18 - Student Discipline ................................................................................................. 52Article 19 - Personal Health Problems ..................................................................................... 53Article 20 - Reduction in Force (RIF) ...................................................................................... 54Article 21 - Short Leaves of Absence....................................................................................... 55Article 22 - Extended Leaves of Absence ................................................................................ 58Article 23 - Association Rights................................................................................................. 59Article 24 - Joint Activities....................................................................................................... 61Article 25 - Job Sharing and Half-Time ................................................................................... 62Article 26 - Professional Behavior............................................................................................ 63Article 27 - Controversial Issues in the Classroom .................................................................. 64Article 28 - Substitute Teachers................................................................................................ 65Article 29 - Task Force on School and District Climate........................................................... 66Article 30 - Benefits Allowance and Benefits Programs.......................................................... 66Article 31 - Salary..................................................................................................................... 68Article 32 - Extra Duty Compensation ..................................................................................... 75APPENDIX A: Extended Leaves Of Absence ........................................................................ 80APPENDIX B: Helpful Links.................................................................................................. 89APPENDIX C: Market Compensation and Budget Priorities Task Force .............................. 90Index by Article number ........................................................................................................... 92Professional Compensation System for Teachers Agreement .................................................. 99

http://www.dpsk12.org/

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STATEMENT OF BELIEFS

The Board and the Association share the belief that providing a high quality education for thechildren of Denver is the paramount objective of the District. Both parties affirm that theeducational program should be sensitive to the needs and aspirations of children, regardless of race,color, ethnic background, creed or economic status. This is reflected in the mission statementsadopted by the Denver Classroom Teachers Association and the Denver Public Schools.

The mission of the Denver Public Schools, the center of Community learning, is to guarantee thatour children and youth acquire knowledge, skills, and values to become self-sufficient citizens byproviding personalized learning experiences for all students in innovative partnerships with allsegments of the Community. Community involvement is critical to the success of our schools.The goals of the District are established by the Board of Education with input from theCommunity. Each school site will be required to form a Collaborative School Committee (CSC).

The Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA) is a professional organization of recognizededucational leaders. We advocate for the rights and responsibilities of all educators, and for anethical system of quality public education for all students.

Quality teaching and high teacher morale promote positive learning environments for students.Attaining the educational goals of the Denver Public Schools requires mutual understanding andcooperation between the Board and the Association. To this end, good-faith negotiations betweenthe Board and the Association with a free and open exchange of views are desirable.

In negotiating this Agreement, the Board and the Association, with the concurrence of theCommunity, have three major goals for joint school reform efforts:

Greater success for all students as reflected in higher achievement.

A significantly higher completion rate that moves the District toward its goal ofgraduating all students from the K-12 educational program.

An improvement in the Community's level of confidence that the Denver PublicSchools, as an institution, provides effective education for all students.

FRAMEWORK FOR PARTNERSHIP

It is in the interest of both the District and the Association that the terms of the Agreement beunderstood and enforced. The Agreement between the District and the Association is typicallyreferred to as the teachers contract. In some quarters, this reference implies that the Agreement issolely for the benefit of the teachers and minimizes the benefits that result to the District throughthe Agreement.

Enforcement of and compliance with the Agreement is essential. However, both parties have agreater interest in developing a joint ownership and commitment in terms of both the letter and

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spirit of the Agreement. The Agreement will become essential to furthering the desired partnershipbetween the District and the Association. The District and the Association recognize theircollective responsibility to promote positive change in the Denver Public Schools in an effort topromote education reform to benefit all students and to ensure professional collaboration betweenthe District and the Association. Following is a systemic framework for improving theenforcement of the Agreement while laying a foundation for joint ownership and a greatercommitment to living under the terms of the Agreement.

Interest-Based Bargaining. Our use of Interest-Based Bargaining will contribute tothe joint ownership, enforcement and commitment of the resulting Agreement. Weare aware of our efforts and the environment that it is creating for a strongpartnership relationship. We recommend utilizing an Interest-Based approach forproblem solving and decision making in all areas of the District.

The Agreement. The Agreement reflects the core beliefs and values of the Districtand the Association. It utilizes clear and unambiguous language to describe theprocedures all teachers and administrators will follow. In doing so, we will improveour success in increased learning for all students and closing the achievement gap.

Training. We recognize the need for regular training jointly with administrators andteachers in this Agreement. The training should focus not just on the rules, but alsoemphasize problem-solving skills and relationship building.

Organizational Structure. Organizations in the District have an explicit role insupportin