Reports that Denver's ProComp salary system was about to crash, brought down by union opposition, have apparently been greatly exaggerated.

After some pretty tense negotiations, described here, the teachers? union and the district have reached a tentative agreement that preserves the innovative pay plan while loading more of the earnings towards the front-end of teachers' careers. If teachers approve the deal by Sept. 9, it would be the first three-year contract struck in Denver in two decades.

In a significant change from the original ProComp plan, the deal would cap most permanent changes in a teacher's salary level by their 14th year of service. The exceptions would be cost-of-living increases and money earned for students' academic growth. Under the plan, veteran teachers would no longer be able to raise their pay levels by learning a new skill or getting a good evaluation from the principal.

Annual bonuses that teachers earn under ProComp for teaching in struggling schools or in subjects that are hard to staff would also be slated to double, from $1,067 a year to $2,345. Teachers with 14 or more years of service would continue to be eligible for those.