Trenton LMC Uses Norms to Find Shared Purpose

Trenton Public Schools has entered a new era of collaboration and trust-building as administrators and the Trenton Education Association (TEA) begin Labor Management Collaborative(LMC) work. TEA President Talithea Duncan and Superintendent James Earle both view this as a turning point built on transparency, shared goals, and a renewed commitment to educator well-being.

Duncan shared that Trenton’s LMC work began with identifying a joint area of concern. “We chose the shared goal of increasing staff attendance,” she said. Duncan emphasized that the root of the problem goes deeper than sick days. “First, we needed to talk about the well-being of our members.” Duncan feels that district administration is committed to creating a healthy work environment where people feel like they and their work are valued.

Transforming summer professional development into Wellness Wednesdays has already made a difference. “We turned our summer PD days into wellness days,” Duncan explained. “It sent a message that our well-being matters.”

The LMC work in Trenton includes multiple bargaining units. Trenton operates with several independent unions, making system-wide collaboration more complex. Duncan is proud that TEA initiated inviting leaders from business, tech, secretarial, and para-educator unions to the work. “We're excited to bring in our partners,” she said. “Hopefully, we can quickly get to a point where the data shows improvement in staff wellbeing and student outcomes.”

Superintendent Earle has worked to strengthen structures and expectations on the district side.“Respecting each other and showing up with purpose are some of the broad expectations that ground our work.”

Earle stressed that norms must be functional, not decorative. “When we bring team members in, they understand how we do business,” he explained. “We’ve learned how to collaborate, even on topics that may have some level of conflict. We may push each other, but we make sure to always stay in the conversation.”

Much of this trust has been built through direct and consistent communication. Earle holds monthly meetings with every association leadership team, and reviews agenda items ,concerns, and shared priorities. He takes every issue back to district-leveladministrators and wants to know: Is it fact? Can we fix it? What more information do we need? Then groups are assigned to bring back resolution.

The intentional work of Trenton’s fledgling LMC has minimized conflict and accelerated progress. “We see each other often, formally and informally,” says Earle. “We celebrate each other’s families and successes. Everyone has direct access to me, and I don’t miss a call back.”

Earle acknowledges that this collaborative culture wasn’t always the norm in Trenton. “The mere mention that we were going to collaborate in this way was foreign to some people,” he said. “Trust had to be built.”

When asked for his advice to other districts beginning LMC work, Earle says. “Don’t be afraid to enter this work. When you have more people working with you instead of for you ,it’s hugely beneficial.”

Both Duncan and Earle believe the work has only just begun, but they already feel the cultural shift. Earle summarized: “We’re making leaps now, not slow steps. We’re changing our district culture and showing up together. We’re proving that collaboration is the path forward.”