Providence Teachers Union contract will cost $20 million

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Providence Teachers Union’s new contract will cost more than $20 million, including salary raises and bonuses for teachers.

The contract was approved on July 30 with criticism from the city’s Mayor Jorge Elorza who said it should of been made public before its approval, The Providence Journal reported.

The mayor noted that the new contract did not address seniority, did not require daily plans from teacher and did not offer incentives for high-preforming teachers.

Union President Maribeth Calabro said the contract is fair and that beginning the year with ongoing negotiations wouldn’t have been favorable.

Gov. Dan McKee’s office has said that failing to agree on a deal “could have resulted in prolonged, expensive litigation and a chaotic and uncertain start to the new school year for students, families and educators.”