Chicago school board approves new teacher, staff contracts

CHICAGO - The Chicago Board of Education has approved deals with teachers and support staff that ends labor strife that included an 11-day strike.

Chicago teachers last week approved the five-year contract deal that includes pay raises, $35 million to enforce limits on class sizes and a pledge to supply each school with a nurse and a social worker.

The board on Wednesday also passed a new school calendar to make up five of the 11 days students missed during the strike. Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade said the school district had to choose from the relatively small number of unpaid days for teachers on the initial calendar and work around various restrictions.

The Chicago Teachers Union’s 25,000 members went on strike Oct. 17 following months of unsuccessful negotiations with the school district. More than 300,000 students and their families were affected.