Ithaca teachers press board to lift 26‑slot cap on tuition waivers for employees’ children

Union negotiators asked ICSD to remove the contract cap that limits tuition‑free enrollment for teachers’ children to 26 slots, saying the limit prevents many educators who live outside district borders from enrolling their children and undermines retention.

Why it matters: the tuition waiver affects teachers who cannot afford to buy homes inside the district but want their children to attend Ithaca City School District schools; neighboring districts’ policies were presented to show contrast.

The union said the current contract allowed 23 tuition‑free slots in 2019–20 and the cap was raised to 26 for 2022–23; a growing wait list exists. The union proposed removing the numeric cap and instead allowing children of teachers to enroll tuition‑free under the district’s open enrollment procedures, so long as they do not “displace” resident students or create undue hardship by changing FTE.

Union representatives said they reviewed neighboring districts: Lansing, Dryden and Cortland all permit children of nonresident teachers to attend at no cost, often via both contract language and board policy. The union presented personal stories of teachers who moved outside the district because of housing cost and then either lost spots for later children or left the district altogether.

ICSD negotiators said the board policy language historically stated that nonresident students are not accepted on a tuition basis, except where a collective bargaining agreement provides such a right; the union sought clarification and told the table the board’s policy committee had been engaged. The parties did not finalize a decision and agreed to caucus.

Ending: The union will caucus and the district indicated it would take the matter to the board’s policy process as needed before the parties return to bargaining in September.