Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt yesterday said a continuing contract dispute with the teachers union imperils his plans for boosting student achievement.

A day after teachers rejected a proposed contract by 106 votes, Mr. Roosevelt said that without an agreement he can't institute a longer school day or extended school year in eight accelerated learning academies, which he sees as the district's best hope for boosting achievement.

Mr. Roosevelt said he didn't know whether the parties would return to the bargaining table or whether the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers could, or would, hold a second vote on the proposal. Union President John Tarka said he wasn't sure what the next step would be.

"There is no more money. There will be no more money," Mr. Roosevelt said in a comment directed at union members unhappy with the district's financial offer.

The district has projected a $45 million operating deficit in 2007. Meanwhile, the district faces a possible state takeover in September because of three years of low test scores.

Hoping for a turnaround, Mr. Roosevelt has assigned about 4,000 of the district's 31,000 students to accelerated learning academies for 2006-07.

The new schools would add 45 minutes of instructional time to the school day and 10 days to the students' school year. The school board already has approved a three-year, $3.6 million contract with America's Choice Inc., which will provide special programs for the academies.

Such spending decisions fueled the anger of some union members. A leaflet passed out at the union meeting suggested Mr. Roosevelt could afford raises because he's "set aside millions for the accelerated academies" and "granted lucrative contracts to unneeded administrators."

Mr. Roosevelt said he would not apologize for spending money -- much of it gifts from foundations, he noted -- on academic initiatives. While Mr. Roosevelt has hired a chief of staff and a deputy superintendent, he also won board approval of a plan to furlough 88 central-office employees and reassign 100 others to schools as "coaches" for teachers, a plan he said will save $2.8 million a year beginning in 2007.

Mr. Roosevelt said he could open the academies without a teachers contract, but couldn't unilaterally impose a longer day or year or unilaterally pay teachers more for the extra work.

And that, he said, means he couldn't deliver the educational enhancements he has promised to students, parents, community leaders and the state. While the district's overall performance is low, Mr. Roosevelt has cited a need to help the minority students lagging farthest behind.

Mr. Roosevelt described the status of his educational agenda as "precarious." Victor J. Papale, executive director of the education group A+ Schools, said he's concerned that the teachers' vote will derail a comprehensive plan for moving the district forward.

Besides opening the academies, the board has voted to pay Kaplan K12 Learning Services $8.4 million to write new curriculums. Mr. Roosevelt has expressed interest in overhauling the gifted and magnet programs, and a project on high school reform is on the way.

"We feel very strongly the plan is headed in the right direction," Mr. Papale said.

The board Wednesday voted 8-0, with member Mark Brentley Sr. abstaining, to approve the two-year contract. Hours later, union members voted 869-763 to reject the offer.

The agreement would have provided $3,000 raises in 2006-07 to teachers, counselors, social workers and other professional employees at the top of the scale. Top-scale pay for a teacher with a master's degree would have increased from $70,500 to $73,500.

Less senior union members would have received no raises in either year, but would have received salary adjustments -- which range from about $2,200 to as much as $20,000 -- for step movements on the salary scale. About 2,700 of 3,125 bargaining unit members are teachers, and about half of bargaining unit members are at the top of the scale and have received no raise or step increase in about 19 months.

The contract would have given an additional $6,300 per year to teachers at the accelerated learning academies It would have held the line on other issues, giving Mr. Roosevelt time to address financial and academic issues.

For example, Mr. Roosevelt wanted to consider eliminating instructional teacher leaders and establish incentives to lure the district's best teachers to low-performing schools. The proposed contract would have assigned those issues to study by a district-union partnership.

About half of the 3,125 bargaining unit members turned out for the vote.

"My question is, what would have happened if two-thirds had voted? Who stayed home?" Mr. Papale said.