PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Striking Evergreen School District teachers reached a tentative deal Sunday evening, with a ratification vote scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday.
If the vote is ratified at that time, the first day of classes will get underway after a 2-hour delay, a statement from the Washington Education Association said. The Evergreen Public Schools Board of Directors will vote to approve the new contract at its next meeting on Tuesday.
No details of the tentative deal were released, but some of the key issues in the negotiations were more supports for students with special needs, time for teachers to plan and consult, adequate staffing and cost-of-living pay adjustments.
A September 9 proposal, posted on the Evergreen Public Schools website, details the raises offered and the salary range in the district. Officials with the schools said the proposal addresses all of those issues.
In a statement Sunday night, EPS Superintendent John Boyd said they were excited for the school year to start.
“We know this work stoppage has been inconvenient and stressful for our families, and the best thing we can do now is come together as a district and give our students the education they deserve,” Boyd said. “We are determined to do so.”
The strike began August 30, but contract negotiations began in late March, officials said.
There are more than 22,000 students in the Evergreen district, making it one of the largest in the state of Washington.
KOIN 6 News will continue to follow this story.
