Tentative Agreement Reached in Oregon's Largest School District

Oregon's largest school district announced on Sunday that it had reached a tentative agreement with its teachers union, paving the way for approximately 45,000 students to return to school on Monday. This comes after more than three weeks of classes being cancelled.

The agreement still needs to be voted on by the teachers, who have been on strike since November 1st. The strike was initiated due to concerns over pay, class sizes, and planning time. Additionally, the school board must also approve the agreement. However, the union has agreed to allow classes to resume while the voting process takes place. Prior to the strike, Portland Public Schools students had already missed 11 days of school before the weeklong Thanksgiving break.

"We are relieved to have our students returning to school and know that being out of school for the last three weeks — missing classmates, teachers, and learning — has been hard for everyone," stated Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero.

The teachers' union expressed satisfaction with the tentative deal, stating that it is a significant victory for both teachers and students. The agreement addresses concerns regarding classroom sizes, teacher salaries, health and safety measures, and mental health support for students who are still struggling from the effects of the pandemic. To make up for the missed school days, students will have a shortened winter break and additional days will be added in the new year.

"This contract is a significant moment for the education community in Portland," stated Angela Bonilla, President of the Portland Teachers Association. "We have achieved improvements on all the key issues that matter to educators, students, and families. By standing together on the picket lines, alongside families and allies, we have successfully secured the additional investment our schools need."

Under the agreement, educators would receive a cumulative cost-of-living increase of 13.8% over the next three years. Additionally, approximately half of all educators would earn an extra 10.6% through yearly step increases. Starting next year, elementary and middle grade classrooms would have increased classroom time, and teacher planning time for these classrooms would be extended by 90 minutes per week.

The district also plans to triple the number of team members dedicated to supporting students' mental and emotional health.

The last day students attended school was on Halloween.

While many parents showed support for the striking teachers, concerns about learning loss among students grew as the school closures continued, especially after the extended closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. No online instruction was provided during the strike.

Tensions escalated during the Thanksgiving break as negotiations continued. On Tuesday, teachers marched across a major bridge, causing a 15-minute disruption to rush-hour traffic. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, one school board member's rental property was vandalized, and another had posters taped to his car.

Celebrities, including actors from ABC's popular comedy show "Abbott Elementary" who portray struggling and underfunded teachers, showed their support by posting videos on the teachers union's Facebook page.

The Portland Association of Teachers, which represents more than 4,000 educators, announced that they would be going on strike. This marks the first teachers strike in the school district. The union has been negotiating with the district for several months in an attempt to secure a new contract after their previous one expired in June.

The teachers expressed their frustration with a variety of issues including increasing class sizes, lack of support and planning time in the classroom, and salaries that have not kept up with inflation. The annual base salary for teachers in the district starts at approximately $50,000.

Portland Public Schools has repeatedly stated that they do not have the funds to meet the union's demands. In June, Oregon lawmakers approved a K-12 budget of $10.2 billion for the next two years, which was a record amount. However, school district representatives argued that this was still not enough. Earlier this month, some state lawmakers held a news conference at the state Capitol to call for a resolution.

In response, the district is urging voters to put pressure on state lawmakers to increase school funding. They also stated that budget cuts would have to be made in order to afford the concessions being requested by the teachers' union.