PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The 450 members of the Camas Education Association voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new deal, ending a strike that caused a week of classes to be canceled.
Camas students will finally begin their new school year on Friday, September 8, superintendent John Anzalone announced.
“We really wanted to focus on smaller class sizes, and that’s what they got. We wanted to focus on equitable funding in our schools, and that’s what we got. And we wanted a cost-of-living adjustment that would make it fair for families who live in Camas, who are also teachers, and that’s what we got. So, like any bargain, it’s a give and take, but we’re happy with where we landed, and we just cannot wait to get back in the classroom with our students,” said Camas High English teacher Kate Gooding.
In the new deal, elementary class sizes will be reduced to between 21 and 24 students for elementary students. Secondary class sizes shift from “average class size” to having a baseline and maximum sizes for each class, officials said.
Among the issues during the strike was funding for PE, library and music. This new deal “Establishes a resource fund that is distributed on a per-student basis” that goes up to $140,000 by the 2025-26 school year.
Teachers will also get a raise. In this school year, their pay will increase by 6.4% and another 6.6% in the 2024-25 school year.
“This contract reflects our shared dedication to providing the best possible educational experience for our students,” Anzalone said in a statement after the deal was ratified. “Our teachers are not just educators; they are mentors, role models, and often, beacons of stability for our students. Their love for teaching and their unwavering dedication to their students are the very qualities that excite me for our students’ futures and the future of our district.”
Following the Wednesday night announcement that a deal had been reached with the Public School Employees union, it was announced Thursday morning that the Camas Education Association had tentatively agreed on a two-year bargaining agreement with the district, which includes over 1,000 staff members.
