Grand Rapids school administrators and the teachers union have formally agreed on a fact-finder — a state-paid negotiator who would look at the district’s books and issue a non-binding report on a new teachers contract — but that person still won’t be available until spring.

Word of a tentative agreement came out in late September, but because the fact-finder wasn’t available for several months, administrators said they were interested in finding someone else.

But now both sides have agreed to stick with fact-finder Mark Glazer.

If ongoing mediation sessions fail to reach a deal, a final contract could still be months away because of Glazer’s availability. But a GRPS spokesman says the agreement is a sign that the negotiation process is moving forward.

And both sides are expected to sit down once again Thursday for a mediation session. Another is set for the end of the month.

Teachers are in their second year without a deal and the union recently proposed taking a chunk of the district’s budget in exchange for taking over the payments of salaries and benefits for union members.

GREA President Paul Helder told the board Monday he’s encouraged by the district’s public statement in support of the idea. Administrators did express interest in the idea, calling it “out of the box,” but they did raise questions about the legality of handing over a large portion of the budget to the union.

It’s hard to say whether the idea will take hold Thursday or if it will once again spiral into a battle over the district’s finances. (GRPS administrators have already said that the union’s number — roughly 57 percent — isn’t quite right because while it covers classroom expenses that figure also includes money for things like textbooks.)

Your thoughts?
Tony