Low performance tied to teacher contracts?

• Position: Your Life - Brief article

Are teacher contracts to blame for rigid work rules and low performance in many of the nation's largest school districts? It is a fair question--one that many critics have asked, with few certain answers. A report from the Washington, D.C.-based research group, the National Council on Teacher Quality, contends that state laws and regulations, not local bargaining agreements, decide many of the most important rules governing the teaching profession.

The report is based on information from the organization's TR3 database that analyzes the work rules for teachers in all 50 states. In addition to collective bargaining agreements, other available documents include salary schedules, district calendars, evaluation handbooks, and benefits guides. The districts surveyed include the 75 largest school districts in the nation, plus the largest district in 25 less populated states. Every state has at least one district represented on TR3.

It is not the local bargaining agreement alone that decides teacher policy, but rather state legislatures, school boards, teachers...