Teachers union ratifies master agreement

Teachers and other professionals in the Lawrence school district now are working under a ratified contract, Lawrence Education Association announced Friday.

The master agreement for 2010-2011 received ratification by union membership, although “it is clear that a significant portion of teachers are not happy with the results of this year’s settlement,” said Valerie Johnson-Powell, the association’s president, in a written statement.

The agreement, approved June 28 by the Lawrence school board, includes limited raises for some teachers, typically for teachers who had completed some graduate course work during the past year.

The agreement covers compensation, benefits, work conditions and other matters for about 900 professional employees. The group includes teachers and others who are licensed by the state.

The school board had cut $4.6 million from the district’s budget for the 2010-2011 school year.