ABSTRACT
Many aspects of the relationship between a school board and its employees are regulated by federal and state statutes, along with the federal Constitution. Within the boundaries set by these laws, the terms and conditions of a teacher’s employment are outlined in a contractual agreement. For more than two-thirds of teachers today, most of the terms of the agreement are determined through a process of collective bargaining in which a union represents and negotiates for all teachers in a district simultaneously.1 Ultimately, whether or not collective bargaining takes place, each teacher must enter into a contract with the employing school board. This chapter considers the legal framework for collective bargaining and contract formation in education.
