Eleven contracts define seniority over such broad program areas that districts may be forced to release teachers with unique subject matter knowledge. Most contracts contain language limiting bumping and recall rights. In these systems, senior teachers must meet more than the minimum qualifications for certification in order to displace a junior teacher or claim a vacancy from the recall list. For more on teacher training, certification, and reform, see Better Teachers, Better Schools, edited by Marci Kanstoroom and Chester Finn. Work day Contracts limit teachers' work loads by restricting class size, number and length of classes, number of preparations and subjects, length of the work year, and the number and length of after-school meetings.
Employees have a legitimate interest in bargaining over their work loads.
However, contractual restrictions are often so detailed and rigid that administrators are unable to ask teachers to make reasonable accommodations to the changing needs of the workplace. All contracts are not equally restrictive. Most of the sampled contracts are flexible on one or more of these matters. Conclusions Two general conclusions can be drawn. The first is that there is considerable variation among contracts.