The tentative deal between Ontario's 45,000 Catholic teachers and the province provides $33 million in additional special education funding that will allow boards to hire about 320 more teachers.

Details in documents sent to members of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association and obtained by the Star say the tentative contract, reached almost two weeks ago, provides a one per cent salary bump each year, as well as an annual four per cent increase to benefits.

“This wage settlement does not prejudice OECTA’s Charter challenge of the government’s wage restraint legislation” introduced late last year, which imposes an annual one per cent cap on broader public sector workers that a number of unions oppose, the documents say.

The OECTA deal, which ends Aug. 31, 2022, keeps class sizes as they are for kindergarten to Grade 3 and slightly boosts the average size of classes to 24.5 students for Grades 4 to 8.

Because some Catholic boards had larger class sizes — and because the tentative deal says exceptions will no longer be allowed — additional teachers will be hired in some areas.

This fall, secondary classes will grow from last year’s average of 22 students to 23, and any local collective agreements that set out maximum class sizes will remain, the tentative deal says

The $33 million “support for students fund” will allow boards to hire a total of 320 elementary or secondary teachers.

“The fund shall provide for additional teacher positions to replace all lost positions at he elementary level and will further reduce the new secondary average class size of 23,” the documents state.

Full-day kindergarten remains as is over the life of the contract, with a full-time teacher and full-time early childhood educator.

As for mandatory e-learning — a move opposed by most Ontarians, and students themselves — two credits are still required for graduation but the government also agreed to an opt-out policy.

Parents, or students who are 18, can now refuse to fulfil the online learning credits, and only need to meet with a guidance counsellor to do so. An in-person meeting is not required, the documents say.

“School staff (teacher, guidance counsellor, administration, etc.) can also recommend that students be exempted from e-learning requirements, based on learning needs, concerns about access to technology or other reasons,” the documents say.

All e-learning offered by Catholic boards must also be taught by OECTA members, and boards and the union will monitor student achievement and completion rates — both concerns raised internationally about online learning.

As for Regulation 274, which requires principals to hire the most senior teachers on the supply list for new long-term assignments and full-time positions, about one-third of full-time hires are now exempt.

Under the current rule, teachers who switch boards have to start all over again on fill-in positions. Now, they will be able to apply for permanent jobs they are qualified for.

The province has also pledged to have an online system for teachers to report incidents of violence and update safety protocols.

Of particular interest to Toronto Catholic teachers is the banning of any parking fees for teachers, unless boards already have them in place.

Catholic teachers will hold a ratification vote on April 7 and 8.

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Last week, the province also reached a tentative, three-year deal with the 83,000-member Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, and continues to bargain this week with the union representing the province’s 12,000 French-board teachers.

Given concerns around the spread of COVID-19, all bargaining is now being done via conference call.

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation is the lone teachers’ union to not have been called back to the table by provincial mediators.

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