School board's contract talks with teachers union collapse

Contract talks between the teachers union and county school board have collapsed over pay and a controversial bonus, setting the stage for an arbitration panel to settle the dispute.

At the request of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County, state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick declared an impasse Monday, meaning that next year's contract for teachers hinges on the recommendations of a three-person review board.

State law prohibits teachers from striking, but the outcome of the panel's decision could mean either a significant pay raise for teachers in an already tight budget, or teachers on picket lines...