A Big Step Forward for Anchorage Educators

After a long time of not agreeing, the Anchorage Education Association and the Anchorage School District have finally found some common ground. They've come to a tentative deal on a new three-year contract. This is big news for the around 2, 800 educators the union represents. The deal isn't all set in stone yet. It still needs to be reviewed and voted on by the union members in late January. If they say yes, then the Anchorage School Board will take a look at it in early February. But it's a start, and that's something to be hopeful about. The contract includes some important things that both sides were arguing about. One is a raise in pay for all educators. Another is a bigger contribution from the employer towards health insurance, which has been going up in cost.But it's not all smooth sailing. The district is facing a huge budget shortfall of $83 million. They've already frozen hiring to try and manage this. Some people think this might mean bigger class sizes in the future. Teachers have been working without a contract since last June. They started negotiating over a year ago. Things got so stuck that they had to bring in a third party to help, which was supposed to happen this month. The union even talked about possibly going on strike if they couldn't reach a deal. Both sides are thanking each other for working together. They say they want the best for the students and the educators. It's a reminder that even when things get tough, people can come together and find a way forward.