Boston-area teachers reach tentative contract agreement after 11-day strike

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) — An 11-day strike by teachers in a Boston suburb has ended after their union and the school district tentatively agreed on a new contract. The Newton Teachers Association announced a deal Friday night that is expected to be ratified by union members and the Newton School Committee next week. Classes are expected to resume Monday. The strike by some 2,000 instructors affected about 12,000 students. The contract grants an increase of about 13% over four years. It proved costly for both sides, with a judge fining the union more than $600,000 for violating a state ban on strikes by public workers. The school district, meanwhile, expects to spend an additional $53 million to meet the new contract requirements.