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<p>DALLAS &#8212; The Dallas School Board met with representatives from its teachers union Thursday in attempt to get the district&#8217;s students back in classrooms.</p><p>Dallas Education Association President Mike Cherinka said the union presented the school board with a proposal, which addressed &#8220;well-reasoned evidence as to why the teacher&#8217;s proposal for settlement is fair, reasonable and affordable.&#8221;</p><p>District Solicitor Vito DeLuca said the proposal was looking for $1 million in salaries for the teachers, dated retroactively.</p><p>&#8220;They were looking for a year and a half worth of money,&#8221; DeLuca said.</p><p>The meeting came during a week where students were supposed to return to school and a heated school board meeting was held.</p><p>Teachers took to the picket line on Nov. 14. According to state law, teachers can strike twice during the school year. The first strike must end in time to finish 180 school days by June 15. State law then requires both sides to submit to non-binding, final best-offer arbitration before a second strike can be held. A second strike must end in time to finish 180 days by June 30.</p><p>The state Department of Education said that Dallas teachers had to return to classrooms by Tuesday. </p><p>&#8220;They&#8217;re in defiance of Act 88,&#8221; DeLuca said. &#8220;What they&#8217;re going to do next, I don&#8217;t know.&#8221;</p><p>DeLuca said the district&#8217;s former offer, which included teachers paying a 4 percent insurance premium share, is now &#8220;off the table.&#8221;</p><p>According to DeLuca, a list of arbitration judges has been sent to him and John Holland, regional field director for the Pennsylvania State Education Association. The teachers are supposed to be in school during the arbitration period.</p><p>&#8220;I think the arbitration has begun,&#8221; DeLuca said.</p><p>Holland said arbitration has not begun under state law.</p><p>&#8220;Arbitration formally begins when we hit the critical date,&#8221; Holland said. &#8220;I&#8217;m going to sit down and figure out the critical date (Friday).&#8221;</p><p>When the two parties reach the critical date, Holland said only <em>then</em> would arbitration begin.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Dallas School Board, union meet; no resolution in sight