Negotiations over teacher job security policy in Massachusetts

What is it about?

In 2012, Massachusetts created a new law that removes some job security projections for public K-12 teachers. This article is about how the law was developed - an unconventional process in which two competing organizations (a teachers' union and a non-profit organization) met to negotiate a compromise. They had two important characteristics in common: they both wanted political conflict resolved and, in order to do so, they were willing to walk away from their commitments as vehicles for public engagement in educational policy making.

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Why is it important?

It is an example of how national level political pressure affects state level lawmaking.