How Cleveland Used ERS’ Budget Hold’em for Innovative Contract Negotiation
In the back of a Cleveland sports bar, three groups gathered around decks of cards. One person added money to the pot, while another took it away. They traded options, discussed their priorities, and considered strategies for achieving big gains.
Up until this point, the players—Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s negotiating team and representatives from the Cleveland Teachers Union—had seemingly different goals and competing needs. But playing ERS’ interactive Budget Hold’em game enabled them to work side by side. Together, they talked through the school system’s budget and aligned on strategies that satisfied both parties’ goal of creating better student experiences.
Coming to the Table Together for a Game of Budget Hold’em
Leaders from the Cleveland school district and the teachers union had been in contract talks for a month before sitting down to play Hold’em. Having previously played Budget Hold’em for Schools, Cleveland CFO John Scanlan proposed the game as a vehicle for focusing on shared concerns together rather than digging in their heels about their own perspectives.
And it worked: Both groups came together to evaluate different investments and make tradeoffs to select a hand of cards that meet student needs while hitting a budget target.
The teams used a hypothetical district to generate out-of-the-box thinking. As Union President David Quolke noted, the format of the game—both the exercise and the informal setting—helped both sides see things differently.
Collaboration and Understanding
At first, Scanlan’s game invitation to the teachers union was met with questions, but both teams showed up willing to explore options together. Both Scanlan and Quolke note that Hold’em didn’t create any magical harmony between the two sides—even within the game, there was some disagreement and some positional bargaining.
But Scanlan noticed something powerful happen: Teams centered their work around shared goals and a collective vision for the future. They worked through their struggles and collaborated for the good of their students and teachers. They overcame their differences and got to know each other as people who want the best for their community. The teams did the work with Hold’em as the vehicle. And it all resulted in a better, more productive conversation at the bargaining table.
A Better Contract Negotiation Process
Soon after their late-night Budget Hold’em game, the Cleveland Teachers Union approved the contract proposal with an impressive 71% support. The proposal included:
- Details on a legislatively mandated differentiated compensation plan for teachers
- A 4% pay increase in exchange for a longer school day
- Greater flexibility for school-based leadership
The considerable support for the proposed contract showcased the power of Budget Hold’em in bringing disparate teams together around shared concerns and needs. Quolke said the contract shows how teachers “are willing to lead school reform efforts in Cleveland,” and Michael Casserly, former executive director of the Council of Great City Schools) called it “groundbreaking”.
For the Cleveland teams—and thousands of other education leaders across the country—Budget Hold’em was a powerful tool for collaborative thinking. Both teams noted they would recommend the experience to others, as it gives teams a chance to break out of old habits, encounter new possibilities, and build trust that lasts far beyond the game.
Explore All Your Budget Hold’em Options
Even when goals are seemingly too different or resources are simply too limited, Budget Hold’em offers a collaborative path forward. It brings teams together and helps teams focus on the bigger picture: creating better experiences for the students and communities they serve.
From targeting a specific need like reimagining the teaching job to exploring broader districtwide strategies, there are endless ways to find value out of our Budget Hold’em options.