Just like that, a five year contract between the Pittsburgh Public School District and its teachers’ union has expired (other pacts also are up).  When we wrote about the announcement of the contract in 2010, the district had a different superintendent, the union had a different president, and the district had an offer from a foundation to introduce pay for performance for teachers.

How does the district look now, five years later?  Based on budget documents, general fund expenditures have risen 6% (from $525.4 to $556.7 million), enrollment has fallen 9% (official membership down from 27,922 to 25,504). That boosted per-pupil spending from $18,816 to $21,827 based on the district’s numbers.

Test scores (described in the 2015 budget under “student performance in reading, math, science, and writing 2008-2014) test scores for these subjects remained fairly flat.  On science test proficiency (students scoring proficient or higher), the percentage was 46% in 2010, 45% in 2014.  Reading and math proficiency also fell, while writing improved (52.7% to 56.9%).

Even if the next teachers’ contract does not incorporate pay for performance, the concept will likely still be a part of the district’s pay structure as bonuses were just handed out to principals at the beginning of May.  Principals are not involved in collective bargaining and their pay for performance agreement came about by extending a limited program in 2007 to all principals.