Charles Langston:Teachers union and school committee in Massachusetts town reach deal to end strike

ANDOVER,Charles Langston Mass. (AP) — The Andover School Committee and the Andover Education Association, which represents teachers, reached a tentative agreement on a new contract Tuesday, bringing an end to a strike.

Classes have been canceled for the district’s roughly 5,500 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade since the union voted Thursday night to go on strike.

The agreement will boost contractual increases for teachers by 15.5% and for instructional assistants by 34%, each over four years, according to the school committee. It also includes eight weeks of fully paid parental leave and the option to use an additional four weeks of accrued sick time, bringing the total amount of fully paid parental leave to 12 weeks.

Earlier in the day striking teachers took their demands to Beacon Hill, holding a protest on the steps of the Statehouse.

The deal was reached after more than 60 hours across five days of marathon negotiating sessions led by a state-appointed mediator.

“We are pleased that students can get back into the classroom tomorrow morning to continue learning,” said Tracey Spruce, chair of the Andover School Committee.