St. Paul teachers union approves two-year contract

The St. Paul teachers union ratified a two-year contract agreement Friday after several months of often tense negotiations.

The contract was ratified in a union-wide election by members of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers about a week after the district and union struck a tentative deal.

The contract addresses issues of school climate, discipline and increases support for St. Paul teachers.

The contract is said to include the hiring of the equivalent of 30 full-time support staff, including counselors and social workers, $4.5 million for restorative justice programs in schools and 2 percent raises for teachers each year.

"This is an important step to move our work forward on racial equity, school climate and meeting the needs of our diverse student population," said union president Denise Rodriguez in an emailed statement. "Now we need to maintain that focus and get to work with the Board of Education and administration to address other key policy and priority areas."

The agreement must be approved by the St. Paul school board, which meets March 22.

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