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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Providence Public School District reached a one-year contract agreement with the Providence Teachers Union on Thursday.
The agreement includes extending school days by 30 minutes in an effort to recover school days lost during the pandemic.
R.I. Department of Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green said this will affect schools for the upcoming school year.
According to the agreement, elementary school students will receive 6 hours and 45 minutes of daily instruction, while middle and high school students will have 7 hours and 15 minutes each day.
“Like so many communities across the nation, the pandemic had a deep impact on Providence, and we know that our students need to be engaged in meaningful, high-quality learning experiences to not just recover but get ahead,” Superintendent Javier Montañez said.
Infante-Green said Providence is the first district in the state to use COVID relief funds to extend school days.
“This major investment in extending learning time and connecting educators to critical resources and training prioritizes the best interests of all our stakeholders and will help improve academic outcomes,” she said.
The deal also includes additional professional development for teachers.
Another change in the contract includes a cost-of-living wage increase of 2.5% at the start of the contract year, followed by an additional 0.75% increase at the end of the year.
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