New Study Finds California Teacher Union Contracts Control Classrooms, Harm Student Achievement

3/11/2002

From: Dawn Collier of the Pacific Research Institute, 415-955-6136; dcollier@pacificresearch.org http://www.pacificresearch.org/

News Advisory:

On Wednesday, March 13, the Pacific Research Institute will hold a press conference in the State Capitol Building to release a new study, "Contract for Failure: The Impact of Teacher Union Contracts on the Quality of California Schools."

The legislature is currently considering a bill backed by the California Teachers Association (AB2160) that would expand union power in the collective bargaining process.

"Contract for Failure" examines the impact of 25 years of collective bargaining on the effectiveness of California's schools. The study is the first of its kind in the state. The researchers, including former teachers and union representatives, evaluated individual collective bargaining contracts clause-by-clause in nearly half of California 994 school districts, including the 10 largest: Sacramento, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, San Bernardino, Fresno, Orange, Santa Ana, and San Juan. Smaller districts throughout the state are also included in the study.

WHAT: Press Conference to Release: "Contract for Failure: The Impact of Collective Bargaining on the Quality of California's Schools"

WHO: -- Senator Ray Haynes (R-36) -- Lance Izumi, director, Center for School Reform, Pacific Research Institute -- Pamela Riley, co-author, Contract for Failure, Associate Director, Center for School Reform, Pacific Research Institute -- David Girard, attorney at law, Girard & Vinson, Walnut Creek -- Michael Spence, member, Board of Education, West Covina Unified School District

WHEN: Wednesday, March 13, 10 a.m.

WHERE: Room 1190 State Capitol Building Sacramento, Calif.

------ The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) is a California-based non-profit, non-partisan 501(c) 3 organization that advances parental choice in education, high academic standards and accountability, charter schools, teacher quality, and school finance reform.