SEATTLE — The first day of school came and went for Seattle Public Schools (SPS) without a strike threatened by the teachers’ union over the latest round of contract negotiations between the SPS administration and the union.
Although there was a tentative agreement, the Seattle Education Association still needs to vote to ratify the contract. That tentative agreement did avert a strike and union members are scheduled to vote on whether to ratify the proposed contract on Friday at 5 p.m.
The proposed three-year contract includes salary increases totaling 9%, on top of annual salary step increases. Negotiators also addressed special education caseloads, adding provisions to improve staff-to-student ratios for nearly 70% of students with Individual Education Programs.
Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner commented on the upcoming contract vote during an event highlighting free meals for all students across the district this year.
“Right now all indications are that they will take a ratification vote and if it goes well, we’ll bring it to the board,” Shuldiner said. “If it doesn’t, we’ll certainly want to know why, but that’s SEA’s concern. We’re very thankful they created these TAs with us, we think and hope things are going to go well.”
If ratified, school district leaders will bring the contract to the board for final approval.
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