Teachers Weigh New Contract

The Boston Teachers' Union reached a tentative contract agreement with the city last night, hoping to end nearly a year of tense negotiations and a threatened one day strike.

The agreement resolves discontent over class sizes, salaries and among other things, allows for more autonomy over low-performing schools.

The contract, if approved when the school committee and Teachers' Union vote on March 14, would raise teachers' salaries by 13 percent in the next four years and increase their contributions to health insurance premiums from 10 to 15 percent.

The new contract would run through the 2009-2010 school year.