In a major victory for Columbus students and educators, Arbitrator Sandra Mendel Furman ruled in favor of CEA in decisions on two separate grievances heard in expedited arbitration sessions last week. Furman also ordered remedies for the affected bargaining unit members.

In the first case, the District was ruled to have violated the Master Agreement by assigning more than 150 total students to an art teacher at South High School during the 2019-2020 school year. Arbitrator Furman ruled that the contract language is clear and unambiguous, and that “the phrase found in the [Memorandum of Agreement]: the maximum student load per day will not exceed 150 students is clear on its face”. She further ordered the district to cease and desist from assigning additional students to any high school teachers in the future, except those in computer, physical education and music as specified in the agreement.

In the second case, the District was ruled to have violated the Master Agreement by unilaterally implementing a revised elementary grading policy during the 2020-2021 school year, months after the close of the negotiated grade entry window. In light of the significant extra work elementary teachers were asked to perform on top of their regular duties, Arbitrator Furman not only ordered the district to “cease and desist from making midterm changes in the grading protocol/schedules absent the consent of CEA”, but also ordered CCS to allocate all elementary teachers who spend time revising grades pursuant to the implemented guidance approximately 7.5 hours of additional nonscheduled teaching (unassigned) time during the upcoming school year.

In addition to the remedies ordered to make CEA bargaining unit members whole, the District will be responsible for all costs associated with the arbitration hearing, nearly $3000 a day.

Though CEA made every attempt to resolve these grievances informally, we are satisfied that the arbitrator agreed that the CEA-CCS Master Agreement was violated. We are also pleased that due to our Union’s continued enforcement of our hard-won Master Agreement, high school students will see the smaller class sizes they deserve and elementary students will have the benefit of teachers less burdened with administrative work and able to focus on the classroom. CEA will continue to enforce our various agreements with Columbus City Schools, and awaits a third grievance arbitration decision likely to be published in the fall.

Dear CEA Family:
My position allows me to see the hard work and dedication that our members have to our students, Columbus City Schools and to the Columbus Education Association. To say this year has been challenging is an understatement. I am proud of the work you do in trying conditions, and in some cases, with very little support.
The Columbus Education Association is taking the opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the retirees of 2020 and 2021. Some of these individuals were denied the honor of attending and participating in their own retirement program, so we are pleased to be able to include them in this year’s publication. We congratulate our retirees who, collectively, have devoted more than 1,000 years of service to our students.
I hope all of you have a wonderful summer. Rest, relax, and enjoy the things you like to do. The CEA Office will remain open this summer, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., to serve you. Thank you for a great year.

In Solidarity,

John Coneglio

To view the Special Edition of the CEA Voice, click here.

For Immediate Release

COLUMBUS, OH – Two new Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) negotiated between the Columbus Education Association, the Union representing more than 4,000 Columbus City Schools educators, and Columbus City Schools will mean more than 100 new School Counselor and Literacy Specialist positions, educator-driven learning grant opportunities, and other big wins for Columbus students, the Union announced today.

CEA and CCS reached agreement following extensive negotiations over the past several weeks. One new agreement covers next year’s CCS BlendEd blended learning program. The second agreement covers provisions for the 2021-2022 school year including the expenditure of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. These funds include substantial grants allocated to the district following the passage of three national COVID-19 relief bills.

“Thanks to the Federal Government’s COVID-19 relief efforts, our District has significant short-term resources to work towards the schools Columbus students deserve,” said John Coneglio, CEA President. “Our Union is proud of these agreements; they represent a milestone in our ongoing fight to ensure that frontline classroom educators are leading the discussion on how best to meet the urgent needs of our students.”

Guaranteed by the new MOUs are the hiring of more than 100 new student support positions for the 2021-2022 school year, including 33 School Counselors and 88 Primary Literacy Specialists, a program for educator-driven grants funded by ESSER to support accelerated student learning, and a new ESSER funds working group to discuss further expenditures including HVAC and other facility upgrades, student technology access, voluntary home visits, and additional newly created positions.

Also included is an important acknowledgement that students, CEA bargaining unit members, and the school community are affected by a history of racism and racial disparity in education and other institutions. CEA and CCS have agreed to jointly seek professional development opportunities which address issues of racial disparity, equity, diversity, and inclusion during the 2021-2022 school year.

CEA will continue to support legislative efforts to pass the proposed statewide Fair School Funding Plan to ensure that these wins for CCS students are sustainable long-term.

The Columbus Education Association is the union representing more than 4,000 teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, psychologists, and other education professionals in Columbus City Schools. The Columbus Education Association is a proud affiliate of the Ohio Education Association and the National Education Association.

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