Gov. Cuomo’s threat to have Albany impose a new teacher-evaluation system if the city and UFT can’t agree to one on their own is working.
Both sides were back at the bargaining table yesterday, officials said.
A week earlier, Mayor Bloomberg blasted the United Federation of Teachers and said he was “very skeptical” of reaching a deal.
But yesterday, Bloomberg was holding his fire and said talks were continuing., a sign that he didn’t want to upset the ongoing talks
“It would be better if just the city and the UFT come together, and the governor’s been helpful where he can be and the negotiations have been going on, and we’ll continue to do that,” Bloomberg said.
Cuomo stepped in this week after the city lost at least $250 million in education aid because the two sides couldn’t agree to a teacher-evaluation deal by the Jan. 17 deadline.
The entire state, meanwhile, stands to lose $700 million in federal education grants as well if the two sides can’t come to an agreement, US officials warned.