This story was updated at 12:08 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.
The Pittsburgh Public Schools may furlough 33 teachers across various schools at the start of the fall semester, according to the district.
Officials with the district and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers said the potential furloughs had to do with declining enrollment in the city schools.
The Pittsburgh Public Schools, like many districts, saw its enrollment decline during the COVID-19 pandemic as families sent their children to schools that remained open for in-person learning or to cyber charter schools.
The furloughs would become effective Aug. 18 — the first day that teachers would report for work — and were decided by seniority. But union officials said they hope the furloughs do not have to happen.
Harold Grant, a PFT staff representative and parliamentarian, said the union expects some teachers to be recalled because of resignations and retirements. In addition, he said, the union knocked on thousands of doors in the city over the summer in an effort to recruit students to enter or return to the district.
Mr. Grant said the union hopes those factors will be enough to eliminate the need for any furloughs.
“We feel the seats at the school are going to be filled,” he said.
Ebony Pugh, a spokeswoman for the city schools, said the district also anticipates the number of furloughed teachers will decrease because of attrition and other factors. She could not say how low the number is expected to drop.
Mr. Grant said first- and second-year teachers make up most of those who were furloughed. They will be recalled by seniority, he said.
The furloughs mostly impact teachers at elementary and middle schools, though some high school teachers have also been placed on the list.
Ms. Pugh noted that the district is required to notify the union of furloughs by Aug. 1 of each year. Furloughs can occur due to enrollment decline, programming changes, consolidation or other reasons, she said.
The Pittsburgh Public Schools last approved teacher furloughs before the 2013-14 school year when the school board authorized 36 furloughs.
The Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers represents about 2,400 teachers districtwide.
The union said earlier this week that it had arrived at a tentative agreement on a four-year contract with the district’s teachers and professional employees. The teachers had been working under the conditions of a contract that expired June 30, 2020.
Nina Esposito-Visgitis, president of the PFT, said the proposed contract was sent to teachers via email Thursday and by snail mail Friday. Mail-in ballots were also sent to teachers Friday morning.
The union will hold informational sessions on the contract for teachers next week, Ms. Esposito-Visgitis said. The mail-in ballots must be returned by noon Aug. 23 and will be counted that afternoon.
If the teachers ratify the contract, it will then go before the school board for final approval.
The union remains in negotiations with its paraprofessional and technical-clerical units.
Andrew Goldstein: agoldstein@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1352.
First Published: August 6, 2021, 2:49 p.m.
Updated: August 6, 2021, 4:09 p.m.
