Progress has been made in contract negotiations between the Homer Center School District and the Homer-Center Education Support Professionals Association.

Brooke Elliott, a UniServ representative for the Pennsylvania State Education Association who is serving as a negotiator for the association, confirmed that a tentative deal was reached at a meeting earlier this week. Elliott says, that if all goes well, a contract could be finalized later this month. She did not comment on the terms of the tentative deal.

Officials from the Homer-Center School District declined official comment on negotiations and Len Black, the president of the Homer-Center Education Support Professionals Association, directed questions to the PSEA.

Cafeteria workers and other HCESPA members have been working under a contract that expired in June of 2011. Earlier this year, we reported on the union's acceptance of a fact finders report, that had been rejected by the school board. The report supported several of the union's negotiating positions.