Oakland Unified reaches tentative agreement with teachers’ union

After negotiationg for more than a month, Oakland Unified School District announced Wednesday that it has reached a tentative agreement with the Oakland Education Association teachers’ union  regarding how distance learning will be provided to students during the 2020-21 school year, which started Monday. The district did not release specific details about the agreement, saying in a news release that both sides were still “fine-tuning some of the details.”

The district said the agreement “prioritizes teacher flexibility as well as a quality learning experience for students with consistent live interaction with their teachers and other OEA members” despite ”the unprecedented challenges” presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“While we do not always agree on the details, both OEA and OUSD are passionate about serving Oakland’s students and families,” said Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell and OEA President, Keith Brown in a joint statement. “We have worked diligently to reach an agreement to shape distance learning for all students and OEA members. We thank all students, families, staff and the entire community for their support and patience during this challenging time.”

The union and school board expect to vote on the agreement “over the next week or so,” according to the news release. “If it is ratified, students and families can look forward to seeing the hard work of OEA and OUSD’s bargaining teams pay off in the virtual classroom setting.”