Other efforts also are underway. In the Maryland General Assembly this month, unions from across the state testified in support of pending legislation that would expand their collective bargaining rights to address such issues as class size, teaching assignments and discipline. The group places a strong focus on student achievement, which Urbanski calls critical not only to the survival of unions but also to public education itself amid the growing calls for vouchers, charter schools and other forms of school privatization. In May, the network will hold a national meeting in Washington. Much of it will be spent discussing the Montgomery contract and how to spread the word about it, he said.
Teachers do well if students do well.
That means teachers have to work with school systems, parents and other interested parties to ensure student success, he added. We're all in the same boat together. In Montgomery, Weast has been a strong supporter of many of the provisions outlined in the new contract. The changes have encountered some skepticism from teachers and administrators. Yet overall, the transition has been a smooth one, officials said.