Minneapolis, St. Paul teachers consider contracts

Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59 and Minneapolis Public Schools reached tentative agreement on a 2007-09 contract at noon Monday, the union announced.

"Both parties have agreed not to release any information until the members of MFT and the MPS School Board have been briefed on details on the tentative agreement," the union said. A membership meeting has been set for 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, with the location to be announced.

Meanwhile, members of St. Paul Federation of Teachers Local 28 will vote Wednesday at various buildings around the district on a new pact. Informational meetings on the new contract have been held during the past few days, the union said.

The Local 28 Executive Board is recommending ratification. The St. Paul School Board is scheduled to approve the agreement Thursday.

Tuesday, Jan. 15, is the deadline for school districts to have ratified tentative agreements in order to avoid a reduction in state aid. As of Jan. 1, fewer than half of the 341 districts in Minnesota had settled contracts.