ARTICLE 26 REOPENER

Bristol Warren School District

During the term of the 2020-2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee (“Committee”) and the BWEA / NEARI (collectively the “Union”), the undersigned parties hereby agree as follows:

The Committee and the Union acknowledge that collaboration is a vital part of their relationship and a necessary component to the continued vitality of public education in the District. In view of the difficult financial times currently facing the State of Rhode Island, reductions to the amount of State education aid received by the towns of Bristol and Warren, funding from the Joint Finance Committee, and related reductions in teaching positions and/or programs is of significant concern to both parties. To this end both the Union and the Committee agree to take the following steps for the duration of the 2020-2023
Collective Bargaining Agreement:

• jointly lobby the Rhode Island General Assembly in an effort to obtain increased funding for local education; and

• otherwise support efforts to increase aid for public education, including but not limited to, creating a fair and equitable public education funding formula.

Furthermore, should the State education aid to Bristol and/or Warren, or funding from the Joint Finance Committee, be reduced during the term of the 2020-2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement, upon written request of either party, representatives of the Committee and Union agree to meet, negotiate, and implement mutually agreed-upon cost-saving measures in order to substantially reduce or eliminate the need for cuts to teaching positions and/or programs related to the reduction in aid or funding.