Senior policy analyst Ben DeGrow’s comments on unfolding events surrounding teacher union negotiations in Douglas County were featured in a story today on American Family Radio News (One News Now). Responding to reporter Bob Kellogg, DeGrow highlighted the practice of open negotiations and praised the district for its commitment to bold reforms:

“The school board is moving ahead with performance pay and a really cutting-edge system that is going to reward teachers and principals based on how well they serve students, and that is the main thing,” DeGrow says. “And as for what happens to the collective bargaining agent, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

While the Douglas County Federation of Teachers has conceded to giving up the district’s automatic payroll deductions, disagreement remains about whether the union should maintain its status as the sole bargaining representative for certified employees. Douglas County soon could become Colorado’s largest school district without a collective bargaining agreement.

Follow the link to read the story and listen to a 1-minute audio clip.