HERE’S WHAT’S IN THE TENTATIVE DEAL BETWEEN THE FORD GOVERNMENT AND ONTARIO’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

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The four-year tentative deal between the provincial government and public elementary teachers union includes hiring more than 400 specialists to help young learners struggling with reading, addresses violence in schools and will see an arbitrator decide the contentious issue of wages.

A copy of the agreement, obtained by the Star, safeguards another 433 specialist teaching positions, but mandates that at least 30 per cent of them now be “focused on direct student support for behaviour, self-regulation and/or social emotional needs.”

It also includes a bump in funding for benefits, and protects teachers’ 11 fully paid sick days and 120 days of short-term leave at 90 per cent pay, while also striking a provincial task force to look at teacher absenteeism.